Illegal Immigrants get cheaper in-state tuition

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HOUSTON -- In 2001, Texas lawmakers passed a law allowing illegal immigrants to qualify for much cheaper in-state tuition, and a woman who took advantage of the opportunity says it changed her life.

Illegal immigrants account for about 1 percent of all Texas college students. Texas A&M graduate Rosi Rodriguez says she was one of them.

'It's a success story because I went into college as an illegal immigrant," Rodriguez said. “Everyone is like, 'What’s your Social?' I'd be like, 'I don't have one.'"

Rodriguez graduated fourth in her high school class and gained automatic acceptance to Texas A&M -- and $50,000 in private scholarships.

She says without in-state tuition, she'd never have been able to get a degree.

'It was so special it makes me want to cry right now, again,” she said. "With my situation there were plenty of times that I was like, ‘I want to dropout, I can't take it. This is too much for me."

Rodriguez’s parents are in the U.S. legally, thanks to an amnesty program. She and her six siblings are split. Half were born here, half were not.

She said college was a distant dream for her family.

"They have like no background in college education, so I was like on my own for everything," she said.

Rodriguez said she understands the immigration debate better than most and knows exactly how important education is to people.

"Where would I be? I don't even want to imagine," she said.

In her final semester, Rodriguez got her green card -- a process as tough as school, she said. All along, she heard the talk from some Aggies who wondered why she was there at all.

"I'm glad I never listened to them. I'm glad I never paid attention to those harsh comments," she said.

She'd be happy to testify to the student senate now and said she has plenty to say.

"We are all Aggies here and being an illegal immigrant doesn't make me less of an Aggie," she said.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Dozens of protestors gathered on the Texas A&M campus Wednesday while the student government erupted in a heated debate over a student bill opposing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

“I think it means we’re working on issues that really matter to people,” said Justin Pulliam, a student senator who proposed the bill.

He said it’s just a matter of fairness.

“It just isn’t fair that someone who’s in this country illegally gets in-state tuition, when legal US citizens living outside of the state have to pay thousands more,” he said.

In fall of 2009, records show Texas A&M had 317 students without Social Security numbers paying in-state tuition -- roughly $5,152 for undergraduates.

Meanwhile, the university’s 7,026 out-of-state students paid a higher rate, about $19,552.

Freshman Stephanie Monjaraz says it’s the only way impoverished, illegal immigrants can afford an education.

“I saw my parents trying to make me successful,” she said.

A legal immigrant from Mexico, Monjaraz struggled to learn English when she arrived in the fifth grade. She eventually became a U.S. citizen, but sympathizes with those who can’t.

“I feel bad because they don’t even get a chance,” she said.

The student government plans to do further research on the student attitudes before putting the bill up for vote. If it does pass, they’ll send a group to Austin to lobby state lawmakers to change the rules.

The existing law does require immigrants to meet certain criteria before getting in-state tuition, including having lived in Texas for at least three years.

http://www.khou.com/news/In-State-Tu...-92914259.html