Should In-State Tuition be Granted to Undocumented Students?

In 1982, a U.S. Supreme Court decision entitled undocumented illegal immigrants to free education from kindergarten through grade 12. About 65,000 undocumented students graduated from U.S. colleges in 2009 alone. Miguel ("Mike”) and his parents crossed the border illegally from Mexico when he was only two. The family has been living in California for the past 15 years, where his father works as a laborer and his mother as a chambermaid. Mike graduated as valedictorian of his class and also won a prestigious science award. Given his family’s financial situation, he can go to college only because California is one of about twenty states, as of 2018, that allow in-state tuition for children of undocumented immigrants, if they have attended high school in their states. This practice has been challenged in federal court as a violation of federal immigration law (1).

Several states have already banned undocumented immigrants from their public colleges and universities, arguing that a college education is a scarce resource and tax money should be spent helping citizens get a college education rather than funding the education of undocumented immigrants. Critics also argue that the policy provides an enticement for people to come to the United States illegally. Supporters of in-state tuition argue that it is wrong to punish children for their parents’ actions. In addition, the chance for a college education provides an incentive for bright students to reach their potential as productive members of society.

Question: Should in-state tuition be granted to undocumented students?

Source

1. Judith Boss. 2020. Analyzing Moral Issues. p. 363 McGraw-Hill Higher Education 7th edition textbook

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