Supporters Rally Against In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants

Around 100 people turned out Wednesday to the Commodore Hall in Essex to celebrate having what they believe will be enough signatures for a petition drive. The petition drive is an attempt to overturn the recently passed act in the Maryland General Assembly that provides in-state tuition to students regardless of their immigration status.

Del. Pat McDonough organized the event and told supporters they gathered 110,000 signatures for the petition drive, much more than the 58,000 signatures necessary to have the issue placed before voters during the November 2012 elections.

“This is an issue that people across the state are passionate about,” McDonough said. “They want the opportunity to vote on this, and now they should get that chance.”

The “Dream Act” was one of the most controversial bills passed during the recently completed General Assembly session. The bill passed the State Senate by a 74-65 margin and by a 27-20 margin in the House of Delegates. It was due to go into effect July 1, but getting the issue placed on the ballot will likely have it delayed by at least a year.

Opponents of the bill said it is wrong—and more importantly, illegal—for Maryland to join 11 other states and offer in-state tuition to students regardless of their immigration status.

Maryland’s new law allows illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition rates at state four-year schools after attending a community college for two years, also provided they have paid taxes in Maryland and are on a path to citizenship.

“Now the people will have a chance to debate and vote on this issue instead of just having it forced on us by the General Assembly,” said Middle River resident Joyce Kopher, who attended the rally with her husband, Ken.

Karen Efrid and her sister, Jane Duffy, drove from Montgomery County to support McDonough and his efforts.

“I don’t understand why people that are not in this state—or this country—legally should receive the same benefits as those who are here legally,” Efrid said. “It’s just as simple as that.”

McDonough said in addition to the legal issues involved in the bill, it would just cost the taxpayers too much money as the state continues to deal with a multi-million-dollar structural deficit.

The Middle River Republican said estimates that the law would cost taxpayers $800,000 the first year and $3 million annually in the third year were grossly underestimated. He believes that the law could eventually cost the state at least $32 million annually in state subsidies when considering 1,000 students taking advantage of the opportunity.

The issue will now be debated heavily over the next 16 months from both sides. Among those in favor of the “Dream Act” is the Maryland Catholic Conference, which represents all three dioceses with territory in the state: the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Wilmington

“Our Catholic faith calls us to respond to immigrants and migrants with generosity—to welcome the stranger,” said Mary Ellen Russell, Maryland Catholic Conference executive director, in a statement. “These students and their families are in our communities and praying with us in our churches.

“It is important to remember that our grandparents and forefathers all left their homes in Ireland, Italy and Poland searching for a better life. They were not deterred by the complicated and broken immigration process that exists today. They often didn’t speak English and were shunned by those already here.

"America is unique. We are a land of immigrants and our church has always been a leading advocate for those who are new to our country.”