WASHINGTON — Wading into the politically charged immigration debate, a group of colleges and universities is urging Congress to give illegal immigrants tuition aid and a path to citizenship in light of efforts in several states to block them.
The College Board, made up of 5,000 schools and best known for its SAT college admission tests, released a report Tuesday that cites a need for federal legislation that would open up in- state college tuition, financial aid and legal status to many illegal immigrants in the U.S. Nearly 60 Colorado high schools and colleges belong to the not-for-profit membership association.
Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, the board is making its push after states have moved in recent years to bar illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition and, in some cases, from enrolling in their public colleges. It also comes as opponents are warning that immigration reform now could reduce already-scarce jobs and college enrollment slots in the ailing economy.
“This is a new area for us, but it was an easy call,” said Thomas W. Rudin, a senior vice president for the College Board.
He noted the contradiction in which illegal immigrants who are legally entitled to a K-12 public education suddenly hit barriers when applying to college, even when many of them are “honor roll students, athletes, class presidents and valedictorians.”
“We absolutely believe it’s important for opening up economic opportunities,” Rudin said.
Under U.S. House and Senate bills known as the Dream Act, illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children — defined as 15 and younger — and have lived here for five years could apply to the Homeland Security Department for conditional legal status after graduating from high school.
Such legal status would make the immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition rates and some forms of federal financial aid. Then, if they attend college or participate in military service for at least two years, the immigrants would qualify for permanent legal residency and ultimately citizenship.
Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to restrict immigration, calls the measure “a massive amnesty effort.”
“Since many of these illegal aliens and their families are overwhelmingly on the lower end of the economic scale, they’re going to take the lion’s share of need-based financial aid,” he said.
Among the College Board’s findings:
• About 360,000 illegal immigrants who have a high school degree could qualify for the tuition aid. Another 715,000 immigrants between the ages of 5 and 17 would also benefit if they are motivated to finish high school and pursue a college degree.
• States that offer tuition aid to illegal immigrants generally saw increased college revenue by enrolling these additional students, rather than financial burdens caused by an influx of immigrants paying cheaper tuition.
• An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of the 65,000 illegal immigrants who graduate from high school each year go to college. Their ability to receive a higher education and move into better-paying jobs would help the economy in the form of increased tax revenue and consumer spending if they stayed in the U.S.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that illegal immigrants are entitled to a K-12 public education, but federal law is silent as to their college rights. As a result, states have been divided over providing benefits and, in many cases, leave it up to individual colleges to decide.
South Carolina bans illegal immigrants from enrolling at any of its public colleges, and Alabama blocks them from its two-year colleges. Missouri and Virginia are considering laws that deny enrollment.
At least four states — Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona — generally prohibit illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition rates.
The nine states that offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants are California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah and Washington. New Jersey is reviewing whether to offer in-state tuition, while California is considering whether to let immigrants compete for financial aid.
A bill that would have granted in- state college tuition rates to illegal immigrants who attended Colorado high schools for at least three years was defeated this month in the Colorado Senate.
Five Democrats joined with Republicans to kill that bill. Opponents said that they feared it would cost universities money at a time when their budgets are threatened and that it was wrong to reward illegal immigrants when foreign students who come to Colorado legally pay out-of-state tuition rates.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, has promised to try again next year.
Denver Post staff members contributed to this report.
