Show Congress Backs Latino Tuition Breaks By Adam Walden Community Editor One of the largest set ba backs ks in education is its cost However now children of illegal immigrants immigrants immigrants grants have a chance to lower the costs of higher education Last Thursday Latino activists launched a national campaign for congress to allow states to decide whether children of illegal immigrants ca attend college and pay state in-state tuition The Student Adjustment Act as it is being called is supported supported supported sup sup- ported by Third District Rep Chris Cannon Utah R-Utah who joined with House Democratic sponsors of the proposed legisla legisla- tion Despite the fact the federal feder feder- al government also mandates we give them an education through high school we then tell them they have to stop right there they cant can't get an education beyond that and cant can't really achieve the American dream said Cannon when introducing the bill States ought to make that decision and Utah already passed a bill to do that Christopher Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune reported Cannon cited the case of Park City school teacher Gerry Maack whose students include many children of illegal immigrants immigrants immigrants grants who work in the resort community's service industry dealing with some some some-of of the best and brightest kids in Utah and they cant can't go to college college college col col- col- col lege he said The Utah legislature in 2002 passed a law to allow state in-state tuition to children of undocumented undocumented undocumented immigrants who spent at least three years in high school in inthe inthe inthe the state contingent upon repeal of the federal prohibition The new House version introduced last week would be similar to a previously proposed bill the 2001 DRAM Act for Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors by Sen Orrin Hatch Utah R-Utah and Sen Richard Durbin D However opponents of the bill argue if students with illegal immigrant parents are permitted to pay an state in-state tuition the same breaks and benefits should be given to state out-of-state residents as well wellO C |