Opinion: An opportunity to ask Rep Bill Werkheiser about “Opportunity Tuition” for illegals - LTE in the Baxley News-Banner this week

OPINION

An opportunity to ask Rep Bill Werkheiser about “Opportunity Tuition” for illegals

Dear editor,

As a someone who has worked on immigration-related matters for the last nineteen years in the state Capitol, this writer is curious: What are the opinions of readers on creating a state law that would allow residents who are in the U.S. illegally to attend taxpayer-funded colleges in Georgia at a much lower tuition rate than Americans and legal immigrants who come from other states?

I also wonder if area Republicans are aware of Rep Bill Werkheiser’s ideas on that topic.

Appling County Republicans who take advantage of the upcoming opportunity to hear from Rep Bill Werkheiser at the October 19, county GOP meeting may want to ask some detailed questions about legislation he has signed onto. As Americans of all descriptions who take a “pro-enforcement” approach to immigration, we at the Dustin Inman Society hope voters will ask about Rep Werkheiser’s decision to be a cosponsor of HB 131.

HB 131 is legislation that would create a new, special tier of tuition at Georgia’s taxpayer-funded colleges for illegal aliens who are recipients of former President Barack Obama’s deferred action on deportation for illegal aliens who came to the U.S. as “children.” That program is widely known now as “DACA” and has been found to be illegal multiple times in various federal courts. One of them was the 11^th circuit appellate court that in March of 2019 issued a unanimous opinion that included the ruling that illegal aliens with DACA are still illegal aliens. “As DACA recipients, they were simply given a reprieve from removal; that does not mean they are in any way lawfully present…” wrote the panel.

Another federal judge found DACA illegal just last month.

The sponsors of HB 131 have decided to try to allow the illegals in Georgia with the illegal DACA status (about 20k in total) to pay instate tuition plus 10% while an American who lives in Michigan or Kansas, or any other state would pay the much higher out-of-state rate. How much more would the American or legal immigrant pay at South Georgia College?

According to the school’s website, instate tuition at South Georgia State College for a 15-hour class load is $1425.00. The out-of- state charge is $5395.00. The illegals with DACA would pay $1425.00 plus 10% under the language of the bill. Quick math shows that under the proposed new law, an “undocumented” student would pay $1567.50 ($1425.00 plus 10%) for the 15-hour course load while the American paid the full $5395.00.

That’s a difference of $3827.50 per semester if my calculator is correct.

Sponsors of HB 131 have labeled the new, special, low rate for the illegals as “Opportunity Tuition” and the DACA students who benefit from paying less that Americans as “Opportunity Students.”

Rep Werkheiser is one of three Republican cosponsors on the bill along with seven Democrats. The lead sponsor is Rep Kasey Carpenter of Dalton. There are literally hundreds of thousands of illegal border crossers with children on their way into the U.S as I type. Georgia is already home to more illegals than Arizona.

D.A. King – president, The Dustin Inman Society, for the board

Marietta

This letter to the editor was published in the weekly Baxley News-Banner today. We are grateful for the space.

The below reply and follow up was received from Rep Martin Dec. 5, 2023 at 8:00 AM.

The original request is here.

Mr. King,

To my reading and the reading of others with whom I have consulted, SB 379 via definitions, particularly in lines 19 – 33, requires the participant (“Apprentice”) and the employer (“Apprenticeship sponsor”) to be registered in Georgia and with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Further, *a bulletin from the Office of Apprenticeship explains in part, “all individuals who are eligible to work in the U.S. are afforded an opportunity to participate and complete a RAP [registered apprenticeship program].”

Additionally, lines 52 – 55 outline employer application, providing another layer in assuring compliance with all applicable Georgia Law and Federal Law.

In sponsoring the legislation in the House in my role as Higher Education Chair, I relied on Senator Strickland’s statement that SB 379 stacks on underlying Georgia and Federal Law as outlined above.

Best Regards,

Rep. Chuck Martin.

Note: In my own reply to this response I asked Rep Martin for the title and date of the *U.S. DOL bulletin he cited and he was kind enough to send me this bulletin, (which I had already found and read). I am grateful to Rep Martin.