For some reason, the immigration debate is faceless.
It’s easier to say “those illegal aliens” instead of “Juan, my nephew’s best friend.” We say we have no moral responsibility to “those that broke the law coming illegally to this country,” but things change when we think of Ana Maria, our neighbor’s housekeeper. For some reason, we think that the problem is people speaking foreign languages at the grocery store or at the bank machine: “for English, press one; para Español, oprima el dos”
This attitude makes us forget that many of the people we speak about in this heated debate are kids and teenagers.
Do you remember when you were an awkward adolescent? Do you remember the fear of rejection from your peers? Do you remember when you had braces? Your first thick pair of coke-bottle glasses? Now, to all the problems of growing-pains, please add knowing that you should not even dream of going to college because you don’t have papers.
It’s really wrong to say that all Latino kids are potential gang-members. Just look around at all the successful entrepreneurs, politicians, and humanitarians that are contributing to our communities who come from immigrant families. Don’t stop a child’s genius from flourishing just because they were brought here when they were little and don’t have “papers”. Don’t allow them to waste their talent; doing so, you are hurting all of us – yourself included.
How can we say, “Sorry, you are really talented, but you don’t have papers; you can’t go to college.” Have you ever had a real talk with the daughter of the lady that cleans your desk at night while you are watching “Dancing with the Stars?” She doesn’t look like a criminal. So if this young girl is a good person, a good student – perhaps even an honor roll student- wouldn’t it make sense to let her share with the world all the latent potential within her?
So, my audacious idea is: What if we let any one who is smart enough to go to college… actually go to college?
Gustavo Torres, as usual, has it right on the money.
Actually, the money is as much the issue here as unwarranted, hostile attitudes to undocumented immigrant children. We ought to be providing taxpayer support sufficient to permit all young people, whether native born or immigrant, of whatever status, to obtain a higher education.
This would permit these young women and men to reach their full human potential. It would ensure our society of the highly-trained workforce we will need to remain competitive internationally for the next generation. It would avoid producing new underclass, shut out of better education, training and job opportunities, but almost certain to remain in this country nevertheless.
I agree. Knowledge is power in today’s society. These children are here and should be given every opportunity to succeed. In the long run our society will benfit.
That’s been a good idea ever since certain city and state colleges used to be free. They no longer are free because the taxpayers won’t support that anymore. So someone needs to figure out a funding mechanism for this admittedly great, audacious idea.
I share your passion. It seems the the US, with all its colleges, millionaires, billionaires, huge non-profits, and just overall outstanding wealth, cannot or will not offer individuals the opportuity to pursue a higher level education. There are countries that offer free college education; but most of all these countries recognize that providing a education to all plays a huge role in shaping people who conribute not only to tax coffers–they contribute to the overall health and wealth of our country.
What if we kept everyone who isn’t smart enough to go to college… out of college?
There would be a lot more money available to give illegals in-state tuition, that’s for sure.
I definitely support higher education for all who want it. An educated society is a tolerant and more peaceful one and I believe that everyone can agree that we need more of those values. However, why is that America is being called to do what NO OTHER COUNTRY does in the world in regards to the immigration issue? I’ve studied and lived abroad for years and not in any of those countries in Western Europe and Asia can anyone who is not a citizen or without an appropriate visa walk onto a college campus and start taking classes and yet they are not accused of being cheap, small minded or racist.
I think that a more audacious idea would be to offer solutions to obtaining papers in the first place. Perhaps relaxing the restrictions on obtaining these documents for people who were brought here as children and who were not in control of their situation or who have been living in the country for a significant period of time would have a positive impact on their being able attend college. However, not being able to verify the background or identity of one’s students for a college would just be irresponsible. It’s social security and other identifying numbers that ensure that student loans are going to the right people and will get paid back.