The controversial House Bill 224, which would have repealed the state law allowing undocumented students to receive in-state tuition, provided a sigh of relief for the students who would have been affected by it, as it was shut down yesterday in the Utah House of Representatives.
Not all students, however, are happy that it failed.
Controversy has stirred up among international students about the bill’s failure because undocumented students can now continue to pay in-state tuition, something international students are not allowed to do.
For the 62 undocumented students attending the U under HB 144, the original bill that HB 224 would have repealed, in-state tuition for 12 credit hours costs $1,964.
The 2,000 international students in the U’s student population pay nearly three times as much–almost $6,113 for the average 12 credit hours.
Chetan Dave, a junior in business, said he resents U administration for giving undocumented students a tuition break.
“Talk about their unfair treatment toward the documented students,” Dave said. “I am astonished that after jumping through the government hoops to get a chance to study here, I pay two-and-a-half to three times the cost of illegal immigrants”
It seems “ridiculous,” Dave said, that on top of paying out-of-state tuition, international students pay admission, visa and travel fees when “undocumented students don’t have to.”
Most undocumented students are in the United States because of a choice their parents made, said Cesar Caballero, a U graduate student in architecture. He said that it is not their fault if their parents brought them to this country illegally, and they should receive a shot at affordable education.
“If these undocumented illegal immigrants pay in-state tuition, they deserve it (because) they?finished high school and all they want is to succeed in life,” Caballero said. “Making them pay out-of-state tuition because their parents crossed the border illegally is very unfair, if not racist.”
Nichole Mossalam, a freshman in Middle East studies, said that while she understands that children of illegal immigrants had no choice in coming to the United States, HB 144 still encourages illegal immigration, which should be stopped.
“A country and a state have obligations to their citizens first?and (in-state tuition) should exist for our well-being and not some illegal’s,” Mossalam said. “If all of our own citizens were taken care of, then I would say let them have a crack at higher education. (But) this is not the case?and it may not seem fair, but that is how the system is meant to work.”
Mindy Lynn Young, a graduate student in education, culture and society, said undocumented students should get a tuition break.
“As it stands, diversity and make-up of how many students are attending the U because of tuition breaks are few in numbers (and) even fewer have scholarships to help them stay in school and graduate,” Young said. “Choosing not to educate undocumented students is based upon capitalism?and I believe it is Utah’s obligation to educate all students, regardless of their origin.”