Perry supports in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants

United States, 14th September: Texas Governor Rick Perry has defended providing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

As per the Texas Dream Act, all students having stayed in Texas for a minimum period of three years and have also successfully graduated from either a high school or got a GED certificate are eligible to pay in-state tuition fees in Texas universities.

Perry was quoted saying in a Republican presidential debate as ‘the American way’ for allowing undocumented immigrants for paying in-state tuition fee.

His softened stance concerning undocumented immigrants won him boos during several debates. Texas happens to be the first state in the US to allow undocumented immigrants pay in-state tuition rates for studying at public colleges.

Perry’s stance invites criticism--No doubt, the support extended to children of undocumented immigrants by Rick Perry is raising many eyebrows, especially from Tea Party Republicans. His critics were none other than Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann.

They lashed out against him for signing such a legislation that has been enacted by 12 other US states too by enabling same tuition rates for undocumented immigrants as those paid by legal US residents.

Ms. Bachmann said the American way does not mean providing taxpayer-subsidized advantages to those who have been involved in breaking US laws and have been in the US through undocumented means.

Rick Santorum said Governor Perry’s signing of the law appears to be an effort to win the vote of undocumented immigrants living here. He also maintained that provision of similar rates of education to undocumented immigrants as the rates for legal US residents is not ‘the American way’ in any ways.

Perry sticks to his stand—Governor Perry, meanwhile, remained affirmed on this standing by welcoming the law that tells the young people that America does believe in them, irrespective of how their last name sounds.

The American way further signals to such youngsters that the nation will allow them to become contributing members of Texas and not a drain on the state, he asserted.

He also maintained that his legislation was different from the proposed Dream Act of Obama. He said the issue of in-state tuition fees for undocumented immigrants in Texas is an issue of state rights and won bipartisan support.