Wizbang! reviews a Boston Globe article about a Massachusetts valedictorian who can't afford to attend any Massachusetts universities. Sounds like a real sob story - until you read further and realize that Juliano Foleiss is an illegal alien, and is thus not eligible for in-state tuition. His parents came here five years ago on tourist visas, and have stayed illegally ever since.
Wizbang!'s response is pretty pointed:
The Glob story makes this seem like a great tragedy, but refuses to point the finger of blame squarely where it belongs: on the Foleisses. They chose to come here under false pretenses, lying about their intention and filing false documents with the government. They broke the law even before they came to the United States, and have been breaking it on a day-by-day basis ever since.Juliano, I'm sorry that you feel you're being punished for nothing -- or for your parent's actions. But every day since you turned 18 (the article doesn't specify his age, but I'm presuming he's 18 now) that you haven't turned yourself in as an illegal alien, you've perpetuated their initial crime...
And one more question, Juliano: let's presume that you did qualify for in-state tuition and went to a Massachusetts college. Once you get your degree, what will you do with it? As an illegal alien, you can't work legally in the United States. Do you want the US to forgive you your illegal status, or are you asking the taxpayers of Massachusetts to subsidize your education so you can go back home to Brazil and work there?
I recently posted about my local high school, who is also getting squeezed with students who are illegal immigrants. It was just a matter of time before a high-profile illegal emerged as a valedictorian, I suppose.
Posted by kswygert at June 3, 2005 08:05 AM