What goes on at the Gold Dome?

ILLEGAL ALIENS, TUITION AND THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

Dual enrollment – or no-cost tuition on public university seats for illegal aliens in high-school

In an amazing move, the General Assembly passed HB444 in March 2020 and the governor signed it into law. That bill, sold as “reform” was presented as reducing the number of high school students in the very costly “Dual Enrollment” program in which high schoolers can take public university classes at no cost to the student. Taxpayers foot the entire cost – which is obviously even better than instate tuition.

Despite attempts by pro-enforcement lobbyists who wanted changes to protect taxpayers and legal residents, the law contains no language to determine immigration status or to exclude illegal aliens from the no-cost, taxpayer-funded college classroom seats.

We are told that many legislators were not aware that the bill did not change longstanding policy of putting high school illegal aliens in college seats at zero cost to the illegal alien student. The bill was rushed to an unscheduled vote in the House when word started to get out. We hope you willed about that here.

More on HB444.

Instate tuition for illegal aliens legislation – 2020

Currently, state law and Regents policy prohibits illegal aliens from accessing instate tuition rates.

Under the Gold Dome in 2020, there were three bills that would not only grant instate tuition to illegal aliens with DACA, but would include virtually all illegal aliens. These bills would be enabling illegal aliens in Georgia to pay less at public universities than US citizens and legal immigrants who live in Michigan, for example.

Two of these three measures were introduced and sponsored by Republicans.

Is instate tuition coming for illegal aliens in 2021? “We’re going to work towards something…” says the Republican House Education Committee Chairman.

Apparently, Dalton’s Republican Rep. Kasey Carpenter wants legislators to believe that his own 2020 bill aimed at instate tuition would apply only to illegal aliens with the DACA temporary amnesty reprieve. We hope this (and reading the 2020 bill) helps clear that up. A reminder: Real immigrants do not need special legislation to access in-state tuition in Georgia University System of Georgia colleges. Also, real immigrants do not require amnesty.

Illegal aliens demand amnesty, 2017. Image: Getty, via WSJ.com

Let’s not forget that about half of the illegal aliens in the USA did not cross the border illegally. They came on temporary visas and never went home. And they are still coming. About a million more victims of borders will soon be screaming for special treatment.

And please remember the “DREAM Act” and DACA are not the same thing.

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INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE RECEIVING TAXPAYER-FUNDED PUBLIC BENEFITS

Long-standing Georgia law (OCGA 50-36-1) says that non-citizens (aliens) who do not have lawful presence (illegal aliens) are not eligible for an array of public benefits. A list here. A federal Appellate Court ruled last year that although illegal aliens with the Obama DACA amnesty are “inadmissible” and do not have lawful presence or legal status. The entire opinion here.

Despite this fact, these illegals are reportedly filing for and receiving state unemployment benefits and other public benefits. We are also investigating the likelihood that illegal aliens are accessing concealed carry licenses for firearms.

The anti-enforcement Georgia Budget and Policy Institute has ignored the Appellate Court ruling and has an entry on the DOL website that says illegal aliens with a work permit do have lawful presence. It is the federal government (congress) that decides immigration status.

The below originally ran on the subscription Insider Advantage Georgia website, October 15, 2021. It is reposted here with permission.

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Many thanks to InsiderAdvantage for your recent profile on Rep. Bee Nguyen (Nguyen among a crowded field in Secretary of State’s race). I found it quite informative and provided useful insight into her background. It is vitally important to get an idea of the beliefs and priorities of a potential constitutional office holder.

I would like to add information on Nguyen’s position regarding at least one aspect of illegal immigration that most voters will find relevant in their decision process on selecting a candidate for next year’s Secretary of State race. Including at our pro-enforcement house, she is unlikely to find support from anyone who wants to make Georgia unattractive to illegal immigration and voter fraud.

Nguyen is the sponsor of HB 833 also known as the “Freedom to Drive Act” which would reward illegal aliens who don’t already have a Georgia driver’s license and or state ID Card with a “Driving Card” and/or an official ID card. The official permission to drive and use state ID would apply to virtually all the estimated 400,000 illegal aliens in Georgia as well as any of the hordes of illegal aliens who have been welcomed into the U.S. by the Biden administration and who have Georgia on their mind as a homestead destination.

The 20,000 illegal aliens living in Georgia who are recipients of the Obama era DACA status already have access to the exact same driver’s license the Department of Drivers Services issues to legal immigrants and guest workers here with legal visas.

The official nod for “undocumented workers” to drive lawfully would extend to commercial operations as well.

Dustin Inman Society President D.A. King has warned about this legislation and provided background on the failed attempt by Tennessee to provide security or transparency in almost an identical concept in 2004. “Tennessee ended that adventure after two years and a federal investigation that exposed the extreme level of fraud, bribery and the fact that illegal aliens from other states were flocking to Tennessee to get ‘documented’ Georgia is already home to more illegal aliens than Arizona. Most of us don’t want to make it easier for them to vote,” wrote King.

I join him in noting that “in Bee Nguyen’s proposed change to state law, documents used by illegal aliens on the application for ID and driving credentials could not be used for a state criminal investigation unless there was an order by a federal judge. That includes the application itself.” There is more.

Conservative voters may believe this legislation is far too extreme to be taken seriously by leaders under the Gold Dome. I respectfully urge those who would dismiss the possibility of passage in the GOP-controlled legislature to consider the power of the special interest groups who will push behind the scenes for passage in the name of a “mobile workforce” and “Number One for Business…”

Would Gov. Brian Kemp sign such a bill if it did pass?

Inger Eberhart

Board member, The Dustin Inman Society

Canton, GA.