Lawmaker: Illegal immigrants should get in-state tuition

It certainly seems that when the kids are educated in the state's schools, that they should be able to go to college with in-state tuition. Otherwise they can't afford to go at all, this way the state is getting at least some tuition paid. DP

By Eli Stokols

DENVER -- A bill proposing to grant in-state tuition to all Colorado high school students, including illegal-immigrants, was introduced Friday by Sen. Chris Romer.

"For us to be an economic success, we need to make sure all these kids can get into college," said Romer, D-Denver. "And right now a small number of students can't go to college because their immigration status."

To be eligible for the reduced tuition, undocumented students would have to have graduated from a Colorado high school or received their GED within the past five years. They also must have been enrolled in a Colorado public or private high school for at least three years.

"I firmly believe we shouldn't punish children for the decisions of adults," Romer said. "These are exactly the kids we want to incentivize to work hard, stay in school, not drop out, and help us build a great economy for Colorado."

Romer's argument may be more likely to succeed in these trying economic times. In fact, he's already touting support from Republican businessmen around the state, including Dick Monfort, a Weld County cattleman, chairman of the University of Northern Colorado Board of Trustees and the owner of the Colorado Rockies.

"Candidly, right now I'm really struggling getting any Republican support [at the Capitol]. But I have hundreds of Republican businessman who know that this is exactly what Colorado needs," Romer said.

Of course, it's Republican lawmakers who will help determine the fate of Romer's bill.
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