Undocumented and University acceptance - how does keeping them "out" have a long-term positive effect?

There is no long term benefit. The best way to solve this problem and eliminate any discussion of whether undocumented students are being accepted would be to eliminate questions like race and citizenship from the application process. Instead of even asking such questions, we should focus on the merits of the application. If the student meets the academic requirements, they should be accepted. Students should not be accepted or rejected based on factors outside their control. We should not be judging anyone beyond their merits.

Personally, I think the whole thing is stupid. I am an American and received a degree from the University of Zimbabwe which I was not required to pay for. Why are we cheaper with education than third world nations? Don't Americans have any pride?

The law was put into effect because conservatives believe that no taxpayer funds, no matter how insignificant, should not be expended for the benefit of foreigners. However, all taxpayers have the right to enroll their children in public primary schools. Illegal aliens do pay state and local taxes (often through rent or sales tax), which are the primary funding sources of education. In Plyler v. Doe, the Supreme Court ruled that primary education could not be denied to children regardless of immigration status.

Public schools and universities are heavily subsidized by public funds. Although there is a right to due process and non-discrimination on the basis of race (or other prohibited category), there is no vested right for taxpayers to attend them. You can be denied admission to college for any other reason (like not being smart enough). Private schools receive few benefits (but still receive some). At one point Bob Jones University lost all benefits because racial discrimination. If a school is truly private in that it receives no public funds, it is not subject to the law and can admit or deny admittance to anyone, even on the basis of race, religion, or nationality.

There will be several results.

1) The college system will become a lot smaller. This is good for students who can attend because they can get better instruction in smaller classes.

2) Tuition aid will go to those ELIGIBLE to receive it, and there will be more aid for citizens (hispanic or not).

3) Those students who do not qualify because of citizenship may become less productive as they are forced to take service sector jobs because they cannot get an associates or bachelor's degree. Some students who may well have become productive professionals may even turn to a life of crime to make ends meet. I know several people who escaped gangs by going to college or the military. Take away those options and they basically stay in the gang, ending up in prison.

4) Single mothers who may have otherwise been able to escape welfare by getting an education will continue to drain the system.

5) Other states that don't check for citizenship might see an increase in population as families that are looking for an education for their children will end up moving to, say, California.

When we go to school in the United States, we pay something less than 1/10th of the cost of the school. Most of the illegal aliens are not interested in paying full costs, and rail against the law which demands they pay as much as a citizen does in terms of taxes and tuition.

Tough.

Mexico is a rich country and fully able to educate all and any of their people. It is far, far less expensive for them to return to Mexico, where they are citizens, I might add, and apply for scholarships, and go to school, in Mexico.

Why in the world would anyone want to steal the money from the American Taxpayers to send an illegal alien to school?

I point out again also.. most of the illegal aliens come from the 'black economy'. Frequently, those folks have worked under the table, and have not paid taxes. A little to frequently too.. they have collected welfare from the American Taxpayers.

I went to School in the 1940s, There was no track for Mexican Americans, (*A school policy) to prepare for a University education. As a result all Mexican American children in the Tucson School system were tracked into the vocational track ,as not being intelligent enough to go on to higher education. I am one of those that the Rocket Scientist, referred to" with a drop out rate of over 50 %, I can't believe that many are the best and brightest" at the age of 40, I went to the University of Arizona and recieved my degree, in the last two generations of my family ,there are (6) University graduates. My Grandaughter a senior at the University of Minnesota will be the (7th). Where before we had no one that graduated from high school.

One only needs to look are the accomplishments of Jamie Escalante, Calculus teacher at Garfield High School , in Los Angeles, California, His Chicano students surprised the nation when, (18) passed the Advance Placement Calculus exam, They out performed the rest of the nation in the Calculus exam and numbers of students that passed the exam from all public American High Schools.

In 1987 (73) students ( the Best and Brightest) passed that exam at Garfield.

A movie was made titled "Stand and Deliver"

Yes it was paid for by "La Raza" (the people)

The issue is that they take up space in colleges that are already overcrowded. This prevents legal citizens from attending.

The other issue is that even if they are able to graduate if they are still illegal they can't use their degree to get a high end job. There are many students that post on YA that are in that boat right now.

Obtain legal status then worry about going to college.

Making life difficult for illegal aliens - the idea of attrition -- is a strategy to make them leave and to discourage more from coming. Keeping them OUT of public schools and colleges will have the long term effect of reducing the number of illegal aliens in the country AND in allowing more legal residents to attend college. Remember, for each young adult accepted at a university, another can't attend it. Only so many slots are available. Shouldn't only those entitled to be here be allowed to take those opportunities? I think so.

These kids CAN go to school - they just have to apply as foreign students from the country of their birth.

The DREAM act was reprehensible because it not only gave them in-state tuition (at taxpayer expense) but it also put them on the fast track to citizenship. Once they are naturalized, they can sponsor their parents who would otherwise have to return to their home country and apply along with everyone else.

By my thinking, this rewards the parents with a path to citizenship that would not have been there had they followed the rules.

The short and the long of it is the qualified poor of this country should get the public-financed college education and many of them don't because there is no room for them.

Yet, misplaced feelings of sympathy for poor illegals use up the services that should go to citizens.

Well-meaning, misplaced, and wrong...criminally wrong to support illegals in any way before our own poor!

Because we are hoping they get deported back with their parents. Why can't they attend school in their home countries.

People who make 5 dollars an hour shouldn't have babies that they can't afford to raise. First world civilized parents know this.

With a high school dropout rate of over 50% I can't believe that many are the 'best and the brightest'.

just because they were brought here of "no choice of their own" doesnt mean we should encourage more "parents" (if you can call people popping out 5 kids for a check and anchor that) to come over. Having taxpayers raise the kids is punishment enough. If those kids want to come back when they grow up and can make the decision themselves, they can get in line w/ the non-criminals. It isnt the US's job to take care of everyone, especially a group of people so dead set on taking us down. Gracias is THANK YOU in english, not viva la mexico.