It boggles my mind and breaks my heart to see all four of the Republican candidates for Lt. Governor running against the Texas DREAM act. It isn’t surprising given the rhetoric against it coming from the current Republican base but it is still disappointing. What the Texas GOP needs most right now is a leader to help the base understand this good conservative policy. And since we have seemingly anointed Greg Abbott as our next nominee governor, that leadership role falls on his shoulders.
The Texas DREAM act is not at all like the Federal version with the same moniker. No citizenship status is conferred. Rather, it demands that children whose parents brought them to this country without going through the proper procedure apply for legal status. There are also residency requirements that they must meet. The reality is that the Texas DREAM act is more of a residency law than a pro-illegal immigration law as the rhetoric of the law’s detractors portrays.
The law, HB1403 from the 77th session, is very much a conservative Republican law, although it was authored by a Democrat, former State Rep. Rick Noriega. It passed the Texas House with only one Republican voting against it – former State Rep. Will Hartnett. It passed the Texas Senate with only three Republicans voting against it – current Sen. Jane Nelson, and former Senators Mike Jackson and Jeff Wentworth. It was signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry. Like I said, it is very much a conservative Republican law.
But in today’s political climate, some in our party want to place the “blame” for everything and anything that is wrong with our state and country on the backs of “illegals”. Look, I have no problem calling a group of adults that entered the country illegally “illegals”. There are competing studies on the negative or positive impact that they have on our society as a whole but that argument can be had another day.
I simply cannot call a group of children that had no choice in the matter of where their parents moved “illegals”. They are children, nothing more or less. There is nothing “illegal” about them.
Perhaps my perspective is different than some because my family moved around a lot when I was young. My parents never asked me or my brother if we wanted to be the only white children in the neighborhood or school when we moved to Houston’s Third Ward. Likewise they didn’t ask when we moved again to Pasadena, just a couple of blocks from the KKK headquarters. Believe me, I would have said no to both. But I didn’t have a choice. I was just a child.
We are educating these children in our public schools and that is also the right policy, immigration status notwithstanding. Otherwise we would have streets filled with uneducated children, much like the streets in New Delhi. It makes no sense to educate these children and then deny those that are capable of furthering their education the opportunity to do so. If a child is brought to Texas by his parents at a young age, and attends public schools K-12, we have already invested over $130,000 in him. Why would we then deny that child the benefit of resident tuition? Texas has no state income tax or state property tax. The only state tax is a sales tax, which his parents surely pay.
The rhetoric on this subject is just plain wrong. No one is denied in-state tuition due to the child of a person here illegally attending college. These children aren’t “taking spots” from the children of U.S. citizens. If children from other states want to access in-state tuition, all they need to do is move here and meet the residency requirements that these children have already met.
I wish that the Lt. Governor candidates would reverse themselves on this one but that isn’t going to happen – they are lockstep in their political strategy of reaching only one wing of the Republican coalition. Greg Abbott needs to separate himself from the Lt. Governor candidates and come out strongly in favor of this law. Not only for the good of the Texas GOP but because it is the right thing to do for these children and it is in the best long-term interest of the State of Texas.
Occupy Georgetown, Texas says
Note: Tom Pauken has taken such a stand.
http://www.tompaukenfortexas.com/2013/10/texas-gubernatorial-candidate-tom-pauken-criticizes-opponents-position-immigration-issues/
Sally Belladonna Baggins Stricklett says
It's because you have a kind heart, but they are illegal. It's unfortunate their parents did this, but they did. It's not your fault or mine. They have irresponsible, selfish parents. I refuse for my fellow citizens to have to create laws and bend and tax for this. It's sad the Romanian children in the orphanages cannot be adopted. It's sad Sharia law does things to children. There's a lot of wrong, but their parents did this. Too lazy? too stupid? too fearful……… no excuse.
David Jennings says
Sally, I love you but they are not “illegal”, they are just children. I don’t believe that the sins of the parents should fall on the shoulders of these children. If a parent comes here seeking a better life for his children, I cannot fault him, although I would deny him the benefits that citizens enjoy. But I cannot extend that denial to his children.. And I think that it is good public policy to continue to allow Texas residents to pay in-state tuition rates at our colleges and universities.
DJ
Robert Pratt says
Jennings, do you realize that folks who are alumni of Texas universities and who own land and businesses in Texas but live out of state mostly have to pay out-of-state tuition for their children? They pay big taxes here, have roots here but can't get the deal that illegal aliens in the state are given!
Same with foreign students who go through the long, expensive and frustrating process of getting a student visa to study here. They do all legally but usually don't get the deal those here illegally get.
Where is this fair? How is this good public policy? No one is keeping these folks from university, they can pay the full tuition too if they want to attend a taxpayer owned university.
Abbott should lead, that I agree with. If he tries to skate around these issues he will do damage to the GOP, his reputation, and empower Pauken and others.
Robert Pratt says
One more thing – you write: ". If children from other states want to access in-state tuition, all they need to do is move here and meet the residency requirements that these children have already met."
So why isn't it good and right for us to say the same to those here illegally – go get your status right, meet our country's residency requirements, and you too can get in-state tuition.
Simple Simon says
David,
Well said! Undocumented parents come here for the same reason that most of our ancestors came here and that is a better life for their children. If I was in the same situation…I would do the same for my family.
I live on the East End still, but my portion of town is coming to everyone else’s part of town soon if not already. Republicans should keep bashing the undocumented and they will soon find themselves on the asterisk pile with the Whigs and “Know Nothings” as a political party in this state.
Simple
David Jennings says
Hey, a Simple Simon sighting! Good to see you still hanging around and thanks for the support.
David Jennings says
Pratt,
I understand that the position I've taken is contrary to current thought among the base in Texas. As I said in the post, and you actually confirmed with your comment, the Texas DREAM act is about residency in the state of Texas. If alumni of a Texas university owns land in Texas but does not live here, the simple remedy is to move back to Texas and enjoy the benefits provided to Texas residents.
I explained above how this is good, conservative public policy.
Thanks for reading and I wish that your radio show was on the air in Houston. The times that I've been able to listen have been informative and enjoyable – two things that we sometimes lack here in the big city. 😉
DJ
David Jennings says
Pratt,
Agani, the Texas DREAM act is more of a residency law. The children that you continue to refer to as "illegal" live here. Their parents pay taxes here. That is the difference.
DJ
Republican Voter says
Jolly, thanks for doing this. I’m sure that you are going to get ostracized when you go to tea party meetings but someone needed to say it. Those of us that think this way have no one in Texas supporting us. Now we do. I think there are more of us than those running to the far right fringe voters realize and I hope that your column gets their attention.
Jim says
If children come here illegally because their parents are lawbreakers, then I agree that we can give them a break, but you are going too far here. The break we should give them is to allow them to leave the country, and return through the legal means. If they were the ones who broke the law directly, then we should never allow them entrance again, but it was their parents’ fault. The problem with allowing them residency through this act, is that it encourages other people to illegally cross our border to get something for their children.