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Florida Set to Offer In-State Tuition to Children Brought to U.S. Illegally Florida Advances Tuition Bill for Children Brought to U.S. Illegally
(about 3 hours later)
MIAMI — After weeks of hand-wringing in the State Legislature and last-minute attempts by Senate leaders to scuttle the effort, Florida seems poised to make students who were brought to the United States illegally as children eligible for in-state college tuition, an issue dominated by political calculations at least as much as policy ones. MIAMI — After weeks of hand-wringing in the State Legislature and last-minute attempts by Senate leaders to scuttle the effort, the Florida Senate on Thursday voted to make students who were brought to the United States illegally as children eligible for in-state college tuition, an issue dominated by political calculations at least as much as policy ones.
The Legislature is expected on Thursday to make Florida the 20th state to offer some kind of in-state tuition to so-called Dreamers. Debate on the bill began on Wednesday. The vote, 26 to 13, capped off an emotional debate on the Senate floor over the importance of giving talented Florida students, the so-called Dreamers who were brought here illegally as children by their parents, the chance to have access to affordable higher education.
The legislation’s expected passage in the Florida Senate on Thursday, despite enduring divisions among state Republicans, is the latest sign that the state’s conservative Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, plan to intensify their courtship of Hispanic voters. Mr. Scott is running for re-election this year against former Gov. Charlie Crist, now a Democrat. Most polls show him trailing Mr. Crist. Looking up at the gallery filled with the students, an emotional Senator Jack Latvala, the Republican lawmaker who fought to revive the bill, said he saw the “hopeful eyes cast down on us today that are thinking about their future, about how they are going to get an education and provide for their families just as we all have tried to do.”
Mr. Scott, who in 2010 pushed for an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigration and last year vetoed a driver’s license bill for students brought to the country illegally, is already trying to reach Hispanics in Spanish-language commercials. Earlier this year, Mr. Scott selected a Cuban-American former state lawmaker, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, as his running mate. Hispanics make up about 14 percent of the state’s electorate. “Their eyes are on us today as are the eyes of the country because Florida is a big and diverse state,” he added.
The amended bill will now move to the House, which has already passed it once, and then head to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature, making Florida the 20th state to offer some kind of in-state tuition to students brought to the country illegally.
The legislation’s passage in the Florida Senate on Thursday, despite deep divisions among state Republicans, is the latest sign that the state’s conservative Legislature and Mr. Scott, a Republican, plan to intensify their courtship of Hispanic voters. Mr. Scott is running for re-election this year against former Gov. Charlie Crist, now a Democrat. Most polls show him trailing Mr. Crist.
Mr. Scott, who in 2010 pushed for an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigration and last year vetoed a driver’s license bill for children brought to the country illegally, is already trying to reach Hispanics in Spanish-language commercials. Earlier this year, Mr. Scott selected a Cuban-American former state lawmaker, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, as his running mate. Hispanics make up about 14 percent of the state’s electorate.
“You still have the extreme views within the party that believe that we have to take a more hard-line position,” said Rudy Fernandez, a former special assistant to President George W. Bush and the White House. “What you are seeing in Florida and nationally is that there is growing momentum within the Republican Party to support comprehensive immigration reform and the Dreamers.”“You still have the extreme views within the party that believe that we have to take a more hard-line position,” said Rudy Fernandez, a former special assistant to President George W. Bush and the White House. “What you are seeing in Florida and nationally is that there is growing momentum within the Republican Party to support comprehensive immigration reform and the Dreamers.”
So critical was the legislation’s underlying message to Hispanics in Florida that former Gov. Jeb Bush and former Gov. Bob Martinez, both Republican advocates for immigration overhaul, joined with Mr. Scott in a statement two weeks ago to pressure Senate leaders to support the bill. In taking that stand, Mr. Scott risked upsetting conservatives and the Tea Party Republicans, who were his most loyal supporters when he was elected in 2010.So critical was the legislation’s underlying message to Hispanics in Florida that former Gov. Jeb Bush and former Gov. Bob Martinez, both Republican advocates for immigration overhaul, joined with Mr. Scott in a statement two weeks ago to pressure Senate leaders to support the bill. In taking that stand, Mr. Scott risked upsetting conservatives and the Tea Party Republicans, who were his most loyal supporters when he was elected in 2010.
“Students who have spent their childhood here in Florida deserve to qualify for the same in-state tuition rate at universities their peers and classmates do,” Mr. Scott said in the joint statement. After the vote on Thursday, Mr. Lopez-Cantera, who worked with Mr. Scott and the State House speaker to help get the bill passed, called it historic.
Yet given the growing influence of Hispanics, many with little devotion to a particular ideology in a state that swings capriciously between the Democratic and Republican Parties, the question is why it took the Legislature this long to act. Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, California, Nebraska and New Jersey all voted years ago to make it easier for children brought to this country illegally to attend state universities by offering in-state tuition. Attorney General Mark R. Herring of Virginia, where the Legislature has blocked a bill on the issue, told the state’s public colleges and universities on Tuesday that these children qualified for in-state tuition. “This was touch and go at times, definitely,” he said. But, he added, “It’s about doing the right thing.”
Yet given the growing influence of Hispanics, many with little devotion to a particular ideology in a state that swings capriciously between the Democratic and Republican Parties, the question is why it took the Legislature this long to act. Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, California, Nebraska and New Jersey all voted years ago to make it easier for children brought to this country illegally to attend state universities by offering in-state tuition. This week, Virginia’s attorney general, a Democrat, overrode the state legislature to put in place a similar measure.
“What Democrats proved in 2008 and 2012 is that the way to win statewide elections in Florida is by picking up the Hispanic vote,” said Fernand Amandi, a partner in Bendixen & Amandi International, a polling and political consulting firm. “Republicans in Florida are as aware of that reality as anybody else.”“What Democrats proved in 2008 and 2012 is that the way to win statewide elections in Florida is by picking up the Hispanic vote,” said Fernand Amandi, a partner in Bendixen & Amandi International, a polling and political consulting firm. “Republicans in Florida are as aware of that reality as anybody else.”
The in-state tuition bill had been introduced off and on for more than a decade, with no success until now.The in-state tuition bill had been introduced off and on for more than a decade, with no success until now.
Some Democrats said that the legislation being voted on was a watered-down political gesture that too narrowly limited the number of students who would be granted in-state tuition. To qualify, they must attend a Florida high school for three years and graduate. They can then compete with out-of-state applicants to obtain a waiver that grants them in-state tuition. Despite the delay, Democrats praised the bill on the Senate floor, calling it an investment in Florida’s future. To qualify, students must graduate after attending a Florida high school for three years. They can then compete with out-of-state applicants to obtain a waiver that grants them in-state tuition.
“For over a decade, Florida Democrats have tried to provide in-state tuition for Dreamers,” said Christian Ulvert, political director for the Florida Democratic Party, in an email after Wednesday’s debate on the Senate floor. “It took an election year for Republicans to take up this bill, and they have weakened it almost beyond recognition.” “Let’s give them an education, then they have a career and then they become good Florida taxpayers,” Senator Maria Lorts Sachs said.
But other Democrats and students brought to the country illegally viewed the bill as progress, a law that could ease the burden of the students. The legislation has been stalled for years in large part because of the makeup of Florida’s Legislature, which is overwhelmingly Republican and more conservative than the state as a whole. Florida is not immune to the conflict over immigration that has immobilized the United States Congress, and statements made during a brief debate on Wednesday revealed those concerns.
The legislation was stalled for so long in large part because of the makeup of Florida’s Legislature, which is overwhelmingly Republican and more conservative than the state as a whole. Florida is not immune to the conflict over immigration that has immobilized the United States Congress, and statements made during a brief debate on Wednesday revealed those concerns. Senate leaders, including the president of the State Senate, Don Gaetz, who initially blocked the bill, expressed worries about its potential cost and the possibility that dangerous immigrants could benefit. Others talked about how lawbreakers should not be rewarded. “This is not about access; these kids have access,” said Senator Kelli Stargel, a Republican. But, she added: “They are not Floridians. They are not even U.S. citizens.”
Senate leaders who initially blocked the bill expressed worries about its potential cost and the possibility that immigrants who are in the United States illegally from countries that foster terrorism could benefit from it. Mr. Crist is also vulnerable to criticism on the issue. In 2006, when he was a Republican and the attorney general of Florida running for governor, he said the state Legislature did “the right thing” in rejecting a similar measure. Mr. Crist now supports the move. And recently Mr. Crist came out in opposition to the American trade embargo against Cuba, a change from his days as governor and one that is sure to anger some Cuban voters who support the 52-year-old embargo.
“I am told it is ‘good politics’ to support” the bill, said the president of the State Senate, Don Gaetz, in a guest column for the Northwest Florida Daily News. But, he added, there is a fairness issue and taxpayers should not subsidize illegal immigrants. The tug of war between Mr. Crist and Mr. Scott over the hearts and ballots of Hispanics in the state has already unleashed a string of campaign attacks. A liberal group released an ad on Wednesday that skewered Mr. Scott’s past hard-line stance on immigration. And Republicans have relentlessly criticized Mr. Crist over his flip-flops. “Charlie Crist, the human chameleon, has held at least two positions on practically every issue, including issues the Hispanic community cares about,” said Ana Navarro, a Republican political strategist.
Other senators were concerned that American citizens would be displaced by illegal immigrants in the race to attend universities. For now, some Republicans view the in-state tuition bill as a step in the right direction, one that will benefit children in vulnerable positions. “This is about upward mobility, about a subset of our population that has attended our public schools,” said State Representative Jeanette Nuñez, a Miami Republican who sponsored the bill in the House. “We have spent tens of thousands of dollars educating them and it doesn’t make sense to hold these children back.”
“A Purple Heart-receiving combat veteran could be bumped for an undocumented student,” said State Senator Jeff Brandes, a Republican, on the Senate floor.
Mr. Crist is also vulnerable to criticism on the issue. In 2006, when he was a Republican and the attorney general of Florida running for governor, he said the Legislature did “the right thing” in rejecting a similar measure. Mr. Crist now supports the move.
And recently Mr. Crist came out in opposition to the American trade embargo against Cuba, a change from his days as governor and one that is sure to anger some Cuban voters who support the 52-year-old embargo.
The tug of war between Mr. Crist and Mr. Scott over the hearts and ballots of Hispanics in the state has already unleashed a string of campaign attacks. A liberal outside group released an ad on Wednesday that skewers Mr. Scott’s past hard-line stance on immigration, asking viewers, “Cómo se dice ‘pander’?” And Republicans have relentlessly criticized Mr. Crist over his changes in position.
“Charlie Crist, the human chameleon, has held at least two positions on practically every issue, including issues the Hispanic community cares about,” said Ana Navarro, a Republican political strategist.
For now, some Republicans view the in-state tuition bill as a step in the right direction.
“This is about upward mobility, about a subset of our population that has attended our public schools,” said State Representative Jeanette Nuñez, a Miami Republican who sponsored the bill in the House. “We have spent tens of thousands of dollars educating them and it doesn’t make sense to hold these children back.”