Dream Act: Education equality -- or de facto amnesty?

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Dream Act: Education equality -- or de facto amnesty?
EUGENE, Ore. - Eugene City Councilors are set to vote Monday night on a controversial subject: Should undocumented immigrant students be allowed to pay in-state tuition at public universities?
Diego Hernandez, a University of Oregon senior with a double-major in ethnic studies and political science, thinks so.
"If we close the door on them," Hernandez asked, "what are they going to do?"
Hernandez is pushing for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act -- the Dream Act for short. It's a federal law to allow undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
Right now, they pay the higher out-of-state rate.
That, Hernandez said, blocks access to higher education.
"It would allow students, especially students who we already have invested our tax dollars in K through 12, to go on into higher education," he said.
Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy supports the Dream Act. Councilor will vote on a resolution in support of the act Monday night. The vote will not affect the legislation, just show the council's support.
"In this case, we're talking about kids who spent their whole lives going to our public schools and want to have the same opportunities as everyone else," Piercy said.
Opponents argue the Dream Act would amount to an entitlement for illegal immigrants.
"And this act, which is basically a Trojan horse for amnesty, would do just that," said President Jim Ludwick of Oregonians for Immigration Reform.
Ludwick said the cost difference is $13,000 per student per year for states to give undocumented students the lower tuition rate.
"Who's going to make up that difference?" he asked. "Are they going to raise tuition on American citizens who are going to the university system?"
The bill was introduced last year but has stalled in Congress.
http://www.kval.com/news/local/87020217.html