Texas students oppose tuition break for illegal immigrants

The Student Senate at Texas A&M University last week registered its opposition to a bill in the Texas legislature that would give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.

The students voted 41 to 28 for a bill that opposes the state legislation. State lawmakers had asked for student input, according to an article in the campus newspaper.

Later in the week, the university's student body president vetoed the bill, saying the issue should be left to the state legislature.

Texas is one of 10 states that already allow in-state tuition for some illegal immigrants, according to a chart prepared last summer by the Chronicle for Higher Education.

Students from average households were expected to pay £6,360 in living expenses and tuition fees last year compared with just £1,545 in the late 80s, figures showed.

It was claimed that the rise was considerably higher than corresponding increases in family income over the same period.

The University and College Union, which represents lecturers, warned that further sharp increases in tuition fees proposed by the Coalition would represent the “final nail in the coffin of affordable university education” for many young people.