by Nancy Sep£lveda
Daily Lobo
For some who live in America, the land of opportunity becomes the land of obstacles.
Illegal immigrants face hardships under U.S. systems of higher education, said Andrew Gonzalez, a student programs specialist at El Centro de la Raza.
"Many of them don't get accepted into a university," Gonzalez said. "Those that do struggle to pay for it."
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Gonzalez said illegal immigrants have generally been granted admission to UNM, provided they meet all admissions criteria.
Admission applications require a Social Security
number.
Gonzalez said the University assigns an alternate number to illegal immigrants, called
undocumented students, when they apply for admission. They use the alternative number for records and registration.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform is a national, nonprofit organization that supports immigration policy reform.
The Web site states that allowing illegal immigrants to enroll at universities decreases other applicants' chances of being admitted.
"As state universities across the country increasingly limit enrollment, the intake of illegal immigrants will deny opportunities to United States citizens and legal immigrants," the Web site states.
Gonzalez said the University does not keep a record of undocumented students, but he estimates about 20 are admitted every year.
Student Hugo Iribarren said he was an illegal immigrant when he started at UNM in fall 2004. He obtained U.S. residency in 2005.
Iribarren's mother brought him into the United States when he was a child, he said.
Iribarren said he decided to attend UNM after a recruiter visited Albuquerque High School and told him he could apply to the University regardless of his immigration status.
Paying for school was another problem, he said.
Many undocumented students pay higher tuition rates because they do not meet residency requirements and must pay out-of-state tuition, Gonzalez said.
In-state tuition for fall 2006 was $2,180. For nonresidents, it was $7,129.
A student who graduates from a New Mexico high school and has lived in the state for at least 12 consecutive months is classified as a resident and qualifies for in-state tuition.
Gonzalez said it is difficult for undocumented students to pay for college even if they qualify for in-state tuition, because they are not eligible for federal financial aid.
"It is a federal offense for an undocumented student to complete a FAFSA," he said.
Undocumented students from New Mexico are eligible for state-funded financial aid, including the Lottery Scholarship. They cannot receive federally funded grants, loans or work study.
State Senate Bill 582 states that admission to an institution of higher education cannot be denied based on immigration status, and state-funded financial aid must be granted to all residents, regardless of immigration status.
Student Laura Hernandez, an ASUNM senator, said illegal immigrants should be allowed to receive federal and state financial aid.
"The Lottery Scholarship barely covers tuition," she said. "It's not enough to cover books and living expenses."
UNM student Veronica Martinez said illegal immigrants should not receive financial aid.
"There are already deficits in funding for financial aid," she said. "Why add to it?"
Martinez said allowing illegal immigrants to receive financial aid is unfair.
"There are actual U.S. citizens who don't qualify for financial aid because their parents make too much money," she said. "That's not a crime. Being here
illegally is."
Iribarren said many undocumented students were brought to the United States as children and didn't have a choice to
come here.
Iribarren said he appreciates UNM for allowing him to enroll before becoming a resident.
"My friends who were born in the (United) States always complain about having to go to class," he said. "I'm excited to go."
