Undocumented immigrants come forward

WWLP TV

Christine Lee, 22News State House Correspondent

Updated: Jul 20, 2011 6:43 PM

Conrado won the Abigail William scholarship for outstanding achievement in the MCAS and scored 1980 on the SAT’s.

Alan P earned similar academic achievements after escaping an abusive father in Mexico City. He has lived in the US for thirteen years and considers himself American.

But they’re both undocumented immigrants, and after advancing through the school system, they hit a dead end at college because their undocumented status makes them ineligible for in-state tuition and fees. That means they have to pay the out-of-state price, which is usually double and makes college unaffordable for them. The Joint Committee on Higher Education, however, held a hearing on two bills Wednesday that would allow undocumented immigrants to pay the in-state price.

“My only dream is to go to school. It’s the only thing I know,” said Alan P who has just finished up school in Waltham. “I just need this in-state bill to pass.”

Critics say undocumented immigrants don’t pay their taxes and shouldn’t benefit from in-state college tuition and fees, but immigrants insist they’re contributing to society.

“I have a copy of my taxes and I paid them,” said Izabel Varjas, an undocumented immigrant who waved a stack of tax returns after testifying at the hearing. “If anyone has any questions you can come up to me and I will show you a copy.”

“The truth is undocumented folks not only pay taxes but are integral to our economy,” said Springfield City Counselor Amaad Rivera. “It benefits our communities when we have folks that are able to pay out of their own pocket for college, which becomes a revenue for the state as well as the cities.”

Even the governor took time to lend his support for the bill, but he said it was important to get undocumented immigrants, documented.

“There’s an additional feature here, which is the requirement that those same young people who qualify for admission and are resident here in fact also undertake to straighten out their immigration status,” said Governor Deval Patrick.

The governor said issues like this often get caught up in the hyperbole surrounding immigration, but that comprehensive immigration reform needs to happen at the national level.

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