Every individual in the U.S. is entitled to an education. No matter our race or ethnic background, an education is one thing that is promised to us. How far we choose to go with our education is in our discretion, but at least the option is there.
What about that sliver of people who technically do not live in the United States? Yes, their physical being is here, but their citizenship says otherwise. Raised in the U.S. all their lives, they have never even been to their home country. Should these undocumented citizens be afforded the right to our education system?
According to the Detroit Free Press, there are currently 150,000 undocumented residents in the state of Michigan and the number is steadily increasing, and in 2010, Eastern Michigan University opened the door to undocumented citizens by allowing them to receive in state tuition as long as they attended a Michigan high school.
An undocumented citizen can reap the benefits of our school system; get their degree, leave and go back to their own country without paying any money into the state that allowed them to get a college education at a much lower cost.
Immigrants come to our states looking for better opportunities for themselves and their families. As a parent, you try to give your child the best by any means necessary. I do not blame them for wanting to get an education in our schools but to receive the same tuition rate as a Michigander makes me feel that there is no need to give back to our state or this country by paying taxes, because in the end we will still get the same perks as if we did.
Colleges are businesses. They want to make money. By allowing undocumented citizens to receive an education at a much lower cost, EMU has put themselves ahead of other Michigan Colleges.
Since these individuals have been allowed the right of in state tuition, should we also help with the cost of school by allowing them to apply for financial aid? I would say no, only on the premise that do not pay taxes and financial aid should be allotted to the people who do put back into the system.
I applaud EMU for allowing these students to come here and receive the same tuition as we do, because Michigan is all they know. The cost of school is astronomical and if they can’t receive government assistance a break in the cost of attendance is greatly appreciated on their end.
Although it’s not easy, I would hope that by them attending a Michigan college it would aid them in getting their citizenship so in the long run they can help out the state that helped them.
