California Sued For Favoring Illegal Aliens Over U.S. Citizens

California is being sued for hundreds of millions of dollars because the state charged U.S. citizens more than illegal aliens to attend state-run colleges.

The law suit claims California state lawmakers and the University of California board of regents knowingly violated a 1996 federal law enacted that requires any state that offers discounted in-state tuition to illegal aliens must provide the same lower rates to all U.S. citizens.

Michael J. Brady, identified as a lead attorney in the lawsuit, said:

Out-of-state students are paying $20,000 more than illegal aliens per year to attend schools in the University of California system. In the California State University system, the difference is $11,000 per year. And in the community college system in California, which has a total of 1.5 million students, the tuition differential is $6,000 a year.

According to Brady, California officials knew their tuition law that took effect in 2002 was unfair and illegal:

"Former Governor Gray Davis initially vetoed it, saying it violated federal law and that it would cost California $65 million [in damages]," Mr. Brady said. "He sent it back to the state Legislature with that warning, but they re-enacted the same law," which Mr. Davis eventually signed.

Mr. Brady said administrators of the University of California system also recognized that the state law was invalid, and they refused to implement it unless they were "given immunity." As a result, he said, California lawmakers enacted an "immunity statute," which says that if the state tuition law is declared illegal or unconstitutional, schools in the University of California system would not be held liable for retroactive tuition differences.

Two things are particularly bothersome about this. First, it is the California taxpayers who will be made to pay for the California lawmakers decision to violate federal law. Why do they think they are above the law?

Second, with competition so fierce to get into high school graduates' school of choice, why do lawmakers make it even more difficult for those who abide by the law by allowing those not even lawfully in the country to compete for the available admissions?

Thanks to Betsy for the tip.

Comments

[tyree]

I have sent letters to almost all of my elected officials asking which laws I get to break to get money from the Government. So far, no one has answered my question. I'll keep sending them out. Maybe if everyone did the same they would get the message. Real simple and sane. Ask them "Which laws can I break?"

[antimedia]

Why shouldn't California taxpayers pay for it? They elected the bozos that passed the law. We are all getting what we deserve, after having elected crooks and jerks and liars over and over again. Until the American people wake up, we have no one but ourselves to blame.