In-State Tuition For Undocumented Will Go On 2012 Ballot

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A petition drive against a measure that would allow certain illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges has garnered enough signatures to put the legislation on the ballot.

The Maryland State Board of Elections reported Thursday that 63,118 signatures have been validated. A total of 55,736 signatures were needed to put the measure on the ballot for voters to decide in November 2012.

Linda Lamone, the state elections administrator, said about 40,000 additional signatures still have to be verified, and the petition drive won't be officially certified until July 22.

The bill was signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley in May. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, but it has been delayed from taking effect because of the petition drive.

Comments

[Vinay Mehar]

09:40 PM on 07/10/2011

As a Marylander, I will definitely vote against any initiative that allows illegals to get in-state tuition. However, I doubt my side will win because we have too many left-wingers in this state who believe in the ideology of amnesty. It's disgusting that the liberal establishment is willing to let these people get more and more privileges at the expense of the rest of the state.

The downfall of America is coming, and liberals have their blood all over it.

[Pete Wood]

10:12 PM on 07/08/2011

I have a hard time wrapping my brain around this idea. my question is this "WHAT PART OF ILLEGAL DO PEOPLE NOT COMPREHEND" is that really a mensa could understand??????????????

[janthewordnerd]

04:34 PM on 07/08/2011

If these kids had a chance to complete their education, they'd be armed with critcial thinking skills and understand why families who live in MD (or California) obviously should be paying in-state tuition in MD (or California), regardless of their citizenship status. It's not a Federal issue. It's about where kids were educated, where their parents paid taxes and where they plan to live and work following graduation.

Does it bother any of you that many public schools admit more than the usual number of foreign students in order to charge them more, which takes spots away from in-state kids?? No, of course not. Because foreign students are not "illegals." And out-of-state kids, who have never contributed a dime to Maryland's economic base, are also off the hook, thanks to lazy thinking among a growing crowd of screwed-up Americans who somehow believe that being in this country with fully proper documentation is somehow the equivalent of being a murderer.

I have a news flash for you. Do you know how many kids pay in-state tuition even though their parents have defaulted on tax obligations to both MD and the IRS? Does that bother you? If not, why not? OH YEAH, because they are not "illegals." Except that tax evasion IS ILLEGAL.

[ciaobaby]

05:16 PM on 07/08/2011

Unless they repay the IRS, people who are caught evading taxes do jail time. Even celebrities. I have not heard of amnesty for folks convicted of actual "tax evasion."

[negraloca]

05:56 AM on 07/09/2011

But, it's not just about "where kids were educated, where their parents paid taxes and where they plan to live and work following graduation­". It's about whether they are in the country legally or illegally. Not all foreign students are "illegals" because they have taken the steps to arrive and stay in the United States legally. And, even those students who have visas or green cards are (1) admitted with a different pool of applicants and (2) charged more than U.S. students. So, there is a balance. They "take away" a seat but, by paying more, allow the State universities to subsidize U.S. students.

As far a tax evasion, their parents may have committed tax evasion, but the students are citizens. If one is a citizen, whether your parents did or not pay taxes does is not taken into consideration for one to attend the university. That may bear on your rate of tuition, however. Similarly, illegal immigrants can attend, but pay out-of-state tuition. If they provide evidence of their parents' income through tax documentation, the state may afford them some sort of private grants or scholarships.

[UNR]

02:51 PM on 07/08/2011

The Maryland dems will go down in flames with this one. This coming from a MD dem.

[negraloca]

05:58 AM on 07/09/2011

It depends on how each legislator handles the matter. If they actively campaign for it, they may face significant opposition for constituents. They are going to have a tough time choosing between CASA & other pro-immigrants groups versus their other constitutents. I don't think the state will go red because that brings its own dangers (see Minnesota and Wisconsin).

[ohkkrista]

11:21 AM on 07/08/2011

It's not as if they can just decide to go to school and pay in-state tuition.. this article is missing the requirements someone would have to have if they wanted to qualify for in-state rates. They have to go to community college first and have proof their parents are paying state taxes for all those years. TBH I think the requirements could be a little harsher, but it's not for nothing.

[Cronous]

01:45 PM on 07/08/2011

Hmm...how about including some proof that they have right to even be here in the first place?

[janthewordnerd]

04:34 PM on 07/08/2011

Why? They sat through years and years of public schooling.

[RichThomk]

06:17 PM on 07/08/2011

Correction fro you ohkkrista. They have to prove they "filed" state income tax forms. They may not have paid any taxes at all and with the EITC they may have even received monies.

[PleasePassBroccoli]

10:56 AM on 07/08/2011

"we are the future of america" ?!?! signs like this make all my sympathy fade.

[Disdain]

10:09 AM on 07/08/2011

Legal US citizen from other states don't get those benefits but illegals do?

[obruni]

01:53 PM on 07/08/2011

These individuals are members of these communities, whether you want to agree to that fact or not. They contribute to their communities the same way you do and with far less supporting mechanisms. They are undocumented because there are faulty systems in the countries they come from and get into. Imagine yourself in their shoes for a split second--would you have crossed a border if your family was starving?

[pvbeachbum]

02:17 PM on 07/08/2011

they ARE documented in their birth country. THEY ARE the future of their Birth country....Here, they are illegal aliens. Let them take their fight to the country where they are documented.

[Cronous]

02:20 PM on 07/08/2011

"These individual­s are members of these communitie­s, whether you want to agree to that fact or not."

Correction these individuals are forced onto communities without their consent.

"They contribute to their communitie­s the same way you do and with far less supporting mechanisms­."

You mean they a) displace low or unskilled Americans from jobs and b) consume lots of free social services. Let us not be coy, illegal immigrants tend to work in low and unskilled labor and often do not pay income taxes thereby contributing little to nothing to the tax base while consuming far more in terms of free public education and other social services.

[alpina]

10:00 AM on 07/08/2011

I want to know what ICE is never at any of these rallies? Seems like if they had a we all have drugs in our pockets rally, the DEA would show up. Or an Al Qaeda in America parade might draw the attention of DHS. I don't even see how it's possible for them to put an initiative on the ballot that by definition violates federal law?

[Cronous]

11:02 AM on 07/08/2011

Commissar Obama has decreed that none shall be deported via aggressive raids....

[janthewordnerd]

04:42 PM on 07/08/2011

Because it's only a major problem among know-nothing, lazy-thinking Americans whose panties are knotted at the very IDEA that someone who wasn't born here or doesn't have papers can get anything short of a death sentence.

By the way, it doesn't violate federal law. The California State Supreme Court just upheld a decision that grants in-state tuition to undocumented students who meet certain criteria. I think they are fairly well-versed on Federal law.

[ciaobaby]

05:17 PM on 07/08/2011

Are you unable to make a civilized argument without resorting to name-calling?

[RichThomk]

06:19 PM on 07/08/2011

Wrong! It is a violation of FEDERAL law.

[Djay0252]

09:59 AM on 07/08/2011

Good-bye Gov O'Malley. The people of maryland have no need for you!

[greyhound2]

09:40 AM on 07/08/2011

It's the property owners who get stuck with the costs of healthcare, welfare and education for illegal aliens. Why hasn't the Feds funded enforcement? Because it costs them nothing.

[janthewordnerd]

04:35 PM on 07/08/2011

Undocumented residents are not eligible for welfare payments, and most have contributed greatly to the tax base.

Have you gone to college?

[ciaobaby]

05:11 PM on 07/08/2011

Please provide factual evidence of this from an objective source (i.e., IRS., MD Dep't of Taxation.)

[RichThomk]

06:20 PM on 07/08/2011

And how have they contributed to the tax base if they are not even eligible for a job? Unless of course they are using false documents in order to get the job.

[alunsulen]

09:37 AM on 07/08/2011

The taxpayers will now show the libs where to shove it :)

[janthewordnerd]

04:47 PM on 07/08/2011

Even though many people who are in arrears on taxes are able to send their kids to state schools at an in-state rate? Why are you not bothered by that?

[ciaobaby]

05:08 PM on 07/08/2011

Please provide factual data on this. Links to actual statistics provided by IRS or university in question.

[ciaobaby]

05:26 PM on 07/08/2011

Being in "arrears" on taxes is not illegal. The IRS and most states have payment plans for individuals undergoing financial distress.

[pitako8]

09:22 AM on 07/08/2011

Woot! Two wrongs don't make a right.

[Will Rinaldi]

09:22 AM on 07/08/2011

I am a bit uncertain how this makes sense, but I may be uninformed. I live in Pa where the price for many state universities as risen due to budget deficits. How does this help having people who most likely do not pay state taxes take advantage of state sponsored benefits?

If an illegal immigrant is in fact illegal, and not recognized with citizenship by the Feds, how is that person than able to side step this technicality and take advantage of these benefits?

The law should state that no illegal can receive said benefits until 3, or 4, or 5 consecutive years of contributions to the state general fund, or whatever fund state schools receive there grants from.

[janthewordnerd]

04:36 PM on 07/08/2011

Of course they pay state taxes

[ciaobaby]

05:10 PM on 07/08/2011

Please provide actual data on this.

[grapost]

09:16 AM on 07/08/2011

WTF? Why are we allowing Illegal Immigrants to attend our Colleges? So the Colleges can make money? What's next, allowing them to run for elected offices! This is insane. These people are NOT U.S. Citizens! Why is our government wasting their time, energy and taxpayer dollars helping these people who PAY NO TAXES, drive wages down, and are breaking the law by being here! The are criminals. They should be deported not given educational assistance. If it is illegal to employ them. why isn't it illegal to use tax dollars to assist them? Our country is Insane on this issue. Other countries in the world don't do stupid stuff like this.

[alunsulen]

09:36 AM on 07/08/2011

The libs lick the illegals' bottoms for votes. Illegals vote in place of absentees.

[Americatheteenager]

06:31 PM on 07/08/2011

And the Repubs hire the illegals so they can keep wages low...

[negraloca]

06:06 AM on 07/09/2011

Would you mind not making ad hominem attacks against liberals? I'm liberal and don't support this law. Can you have a rational conversation?

[AZreb]

08:59 AM on 07/08/2011

Fine - this should work in sending more of the illegals to states and cities that will give them in-state tuition and out of the states where respect for the laws is important. Also, cities that opt out of the Secure Communities program are also going to benefit from all the illegals who can go there.

No problem - just buy one-way bus tickets for any illegals and send them on their way to the sanctuary cities, the states giving them in-state tuition, the ones not in the Secure Communities program. Problem solved for many other cities and states.