A bill banning illegal immigrants from attending public universities passed in the House of Delegates this week and now awaits approval by the Virginia Senate.
According to a survey by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 11 of Virginia's 15 senior colleges and universities have policies denying illegal aliens from gaining admittance. If passed by the Senate, the bill, proposed by Del. Christopher Peace, R-Mechanicsville, would leave undocumented students with the sole option of attending private universities.
According to University Dean of Admissions John Blackburn, the University does not admit undocumented students in accordance with the opinion of the commonwealth's attorney general that illegal immigrants should not be enrolled in Virginia public institutes of higher education.
Although Blackburn said it is very unusual for an undocumented student to apply to the University, SCHEV estimates that 800 to 1,000 illegal aliens are enrolled in various Virginia colleges and universities.
Virginia Tech, Radford University, Old Dominion University and George Mason University are the four Virginia schools that do not bar illegal immigrants from applying, according to a press release from Peace's office. Of Virginia's 23 public community colleges, 12 allow illegal aliens to enroll. These undocumented students are charged out-of-state tuition.
"Institutions of higher education that allow admission of illegal aliens are endorsing a practice that is in violation of our national interest and a burden [on] the hard-working citizens and immigrants who have become proud U.S. citizens through a long and legal process," Peace stated in a press release. "We should end the practice of giving spots in our colleges to illegal immigrants and instead create more room for our sons and daughters."
The bill passed with a bipartisan majority in the House and has been assigned to the Senate Education and Health Committee, in which Democrats hold a 10-5 majority.
David Clementson, deputy director of communications for Attorney General Bob McDonnell said the attorney general "supports the legislation because he believes that individuals who are in Virginia illegally should not get the benefits of Virginia citizenship."
Although Blackburn would not comment on whether the University supported the legislation, he did say the University will continue denying admission to undocumented aliens even if the bill does not pass in the Senate.
"That's our policy," Blackburn said. "The bill won't change anything here"
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