Kobach’s callous tactics

I was disappointed to read of Kris Kobach’s litigation in the recent California court case (9/17, Local, “Kansan examines court case; The California decision could affect other states with similar tuition laws for illegal immigrants”) as well as his plans to pursue a similar lawsuit in Kansas concerning the effort to deny in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants. He may have won the court case but he lost the battle for basic human decency. He has struck a blow against one of the hallmarks of any great country: Care and concern for the poor and for the alien.

Education is the silver bullet. It is foundational to our hope to be a nation which embodies mercy and justice. It is also the best antidote to the racial/immigration strife that we experience here in Kansas. We should do everything we can do to help educate immigrants. We should be begging them to attend colleges in our state, not filing lawsuits to make it more difficult. His efforts constitute an alarming callousness toward the poor. I hope his attempt to follow a similar course in Kansas will be unsuccessful.

Tim Suttle
Olathe

Comments

[GCYL]

“You talk of making it less desirable for them to make good wages.” – solomon

This from a person who started his post with “Read in whatever you like”. My post was very clear; drastically reduce the ability of illegal immigrants to earn a wage in the US. No jobs. Period. Not even bad wages. No job, no money. No money no food, shelter and clothing. Wave “Good bye” as they move on to a more desirable place to an illegal immigrant.

“What you call for as far as fining and jailing business owners who employ illegals, IMO, will not happen, its just you expressing a desire for something that won't happen on any large scale.” - solomon

Opinions are scary. Let’s pull another solomon:

What I call for as far as fining and jailing business owners who employ illegal’s, IMO, will happen, it’s just you expressing a desire for something that you don’t won't to happen on any large scale.

[solomon]

Good evenng Engineer,

This is a perfect example that fits your often stated line...."The situation exists, whats the way to deal with it"(forgive my liberty with your words). Illegal immigration is a very big issue but I agree with you, there will be no mass deprtation in our future and it is everyones best interest to have educated individuals than the alternative.

[Engineer]

I feel illegal immigration is one of our biggest problems. However in this case I do have problems. As I remember the law it applies only to graduates of Kansas high schools who have been Kansas residents for 3 or more years. Rightly or wrongly it appears to me that it is very probable that those covered by the law are very apt to be permanent residents. In that case it would seem that it is to everyone's best interest that they be as highly educated as possible. Yes, in a more perfect, strictly legal world illegals would be returned to their country of origin. However there appears to be little chance of that being done in this case,

[solomon]

GCYL,

Read in whatever you like. I never claimed any agreement abolished residency or dealt with illegal immigration. The goals of our trade agreements would be vastly hampered by mass deportations and closed borders. If there was not a need on both sides it would not be happenng. You talk of making it less desirable for them to make good wages. What you call for as far as fining and jailing business owners who employ illegals, IMO, will not happen, its just you expressing a desire for something that won't happen on any large scale.

[GCYL]

“...and to build a fence, close the borders and show animosity to Central America is contrary to our trade agreements.” - solomon

Sorry but you really, really need to link that opinion to fact. What trade agreement has been signed expressly stating legal residency/immigration laws would be abolished in the US?

Or is this another poorly expressed post and what you really meant to say is that viable actions to reduce illegal immigrants is contrary to big business? In which case I say catch these businesses, fine them, jail time, drastically reduce the ability of illegal immigrants to earn a wage in the US.

[repete]

It's clear Tim is very confused. He uses "poor" and "immigrant" interchangeably and he thinks denying a discount in education is to deny the education itself. It appears he also doesn't know what the phrase "human decency" means.

As someone else said, why would someone who is in the US illegally have a right (rather than privilege) to attend a Kansas university at a discount when a Missouri resident isn't able to do the same thing? Is denying a Missouri resident the ability to go to the best school in the bi-state area (snicker) indecent?

[solomon]

GCYL,

Poorly expressed on my part. I did not mean the specific matter of illegals and college tuition when I spoke of lip service. I was speaking of the overall impotence the gov't has displayed in solving the problem of immigration, and calls for action have been met with words.

I believe the gov't is at odds with the desire of many Americans to keep illegals out. The very economy of the continent is the scope of our gov'ts view of the migration, and to build a fence, close the borders and show animosity to Central America is contrary to our trade agreements.

[GCYL]

“If you've noticed, bitching about the problem has not made the gov't give the issue any more than lip service.”

This issue of education and illegal’s IS being addressed, it’s the reason for the letter writer’s bitching. Such is life solomon: some complain while nothing gets done and other complain while something is getting done.

[jack]

I don't see where an illegal immigrant qualifies for anything. Hell, KS doesn't give in state rates to legal residents of Iowa. Why are legal residents of Mexico more deserving?

[Marctnts]

"Care and concern for the poor and for the alien."

Please explain how not granting IN-STATE tuition to ILLEGAL immigrants translates to a lack of care. Read the article folks. We're not talking about denying a college education, we're talking about denying the privilege of lower tuition through in-state rates, a privilege earned through the payment of taxes (including income, property, and user based taxes). There are many citizens and legal immigrants who don't get to enjoy this privilege and pay higher out-of-state rates when attending the college of their choice.

As with many things, when you look beyond the "sound-bite", the issue gets a little clearer.

[solomon]

Thats right, while their here let their kids grow up to be ignorant non educated sacks of nothing. Maybe that way we can have more criminals.

Theres no winning this one folks. They're here, for every one we send home two more come. Unless the problem of illegal immigration is solved youu have no choice but to educated their little illegal brats so they don't turn into big illegal criminals. If you've noticed, bitching about the problem has not made the gov't give the issue any more than lip service.

[GCYL]

“We should do everything we can do to help educate immigrants.” - Tim Suttle

Please tell me Timmy's pleading on behalf of legal immigrants. He isn't.

[kcstar_is_one_sided]

Tim -

Why? Why do we owe any illegal an education, especially individuals who are illegally here and may not be paying taxes to begin with? These financial problems we are having and are going to have in the future are because we give stuff away we shouldn't. If we didn't do stuff like this, illegals wouldn't come.