The Regents, over which Davis presides, met last week for an update on its ongoing efforts to determine how many illegal aliens are enrolled as students in the state's public colleges and universities, and what should be done about that situation. But rather than take any concrete steps to address that problem, the Regents have taken a "head-in-the-sand" approach.
As we have noted before, state and federal law prohibits illegal aliens from receiving government benefits. Yet inexplicably, the Regents have narrowly interpreted those laws to apply only to such things as tuition and financial aid (i.e., Pell Grants and the HOPE scholarship). They ignore the obvious: That admission into a tax-subsidized public college or university in itself constitutes a government benefit.
Yet, declared Davis: "We have no reason not to allow illegals to attend, any more than the grocer has a reason not to sell them groceries. ... We offer products for sale like many other entities in society, and we want to make sure people are paying the appropriate price for those."
Continuing with that analogy for the sake of argument, the Regents' "product" (a college education), is therefore subject to the law of supply and demand - and in this case, the demand is much greater than the supply. And the Regents are saying they are willing to "sell" that education to whoever is willing to pay the price.
The better analogy, though, is that the regents are offering something highly prized - an education. And it is only available to those who meet certain criteria. Common sense - and overwhelming public sentiment - tells us that that criteria should include legal residency in this state. Yet the Regents are taking a position akin to, "We don't care who buys our education, as long as they can pay our asking price. They could be Martians for all we care."
And though the buyer has no intrinsic right to buy any of the goods in the Regents' "grocery," if the buyer is a legal Georgia resident, he by logic, law and common sense should have a higher right to buy the groceries than someone who has slipped into this country illegally. In other words, the legal resident should be first in line at the Regents' store.
The Regents have taken a "who cares?" approach until now about whether illegals are being admitted to their schools, and continue to infer that it would be too much paperwork and too expensive to determine whether those it admits are legal or not. Yet they already demand proof of applicants' SAT scores, high school transcripts and other personal information.
Regents' spokesmen said last week that preliminary indications are that there are far fewer illegals enrolled in the System's schools than the public believes.
That's good news, if true. But even so, Georgians feel - overwhelmingly - that those students are filling seats that rightfully belong to deserving legal residents of this state. And that those being shut out are being wrongly denied the opportunity that they, and/or their parents, have paid for with their taxes.
Also at last week's meeting, Davis suggested that those pushing for immigration reform in this state are motivated by racial considerations and declared that the question of whether illegals should be allowed to attend schools in the University System is being driven primarily by politics.
For someone claiming to know so much about Georgia politics, Davis displayed a remarkably tin ear.
Yes, the majority of those in Georgia illegally seem to be of Hispanic origin. But those clamoring for the federal, state and local governments to finally begin enforcing our immigration laws could care less about the country of origin of those who are breaking those laws. They just want the laws enforced, and in this case that means barring enrollment to those in this country illegally.
As for the claim that such sentiments are being stirred up for political gain, Davis should know better. After all, if the Regents had been adhering to the law all along, and to common sense, enrollment by illegals would never have become a political issue in the first place.
Follow us on Twitter!
Additionally, a minor, minor thing to note is: They are here illegally! They willfully engaged in a criminal activity. They shouldn't be employed in the US at all.
People regularly comment about this being the land of the immigrant, built on the backs of generations of other immigrants. This is quite true. I am a fourth generation american on both sides. My great-grandparents regularly told me of the hardships faced to be granted the legal right to be an American, but how proud they were when they did it ... and how much better America was than anywhere else. The tell me of the racism and bigotry they faced when they arrived, but never once gave up the American Dream. And the American Dream kept it's promise. They worked hard, and even through the prejudices of the time, they built a better place for themselves and their children ... and grandchildren ... and great-grandchildren.
Respect every American by respecting the rule of law. Honor the trials of every /legal/ immigrant and refuse to hire those who are here illegally.
If a person is in this country without the proper legal paperwork being in place then they are illegal, plain and simple.
Anyone who aids or abets them is in violation of federal law.
Now do you want me to put this in crayon with stick drawings so you can understand it??????
Maybe there should be time limits for Board Members!
Once they have a seat, they think they are on the board for life or they pay more money to keep it.
Hopefully, a NEW Governor can change Old Board Members into NEW ones!
The Federal Govt. has already said under these circumstances it is not a violation of the law", because US Code Title 8 specifies that it is!