Immigrant law faces challenge (Ne)

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091231/NEWS01/712319917/0/SPORTS

By Martha Stoddard
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — It's not about the money.

It's not about the value of education or the need for economic development.

And it's not about the youngsters graduating each year from Nebraska high schools.

For State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont, the issue of whether Nebraska should continue letting some illegal immigrant children pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities boils down to one thing.

“It's illegal,” he said. “It's illegal for us to give benefits to illegal immigrants. It doesn't matter if they came here as infants or if they came here at 16.

“Anyone who argues otherwise just has their head in the sand.”

A federal law prohibits illegal immigrants from getting postsecondary education benefits that aren't extended to U.S. citizens, but the Congressional Research Service says there is disagreement about the meaning of the law.

FULL story at link.

You don't hold youth responsible for the decisions of their parents, and you don't put impediments in the way of young people's access to education. Someone should explain to Charlie Janssen that since the states don't administer federal law, his argument about illegality it legally meaningless.