Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's testimony could affect outcome of immigrant student tuition measures

By Patrick Donges

Pittsfield, MA – To the surprise of many, Massachusetts Governor Governor Patrick appeared Wednesday afternoon at a hearing of the legislature's Joint Committee on Higher Education to advocate for the passage of two bills that would allow students living in the country illegally to pay the in-state rate of tuition at state colleges and universities.

The appearance is the second recent signal of Patrick's reaffirmation of his positions on immigration issues; in June his concerns were cited in a letter from state Secretary of Public Safety Mary Elizabeth Heffernan to federal authorities notifying them that the state would not partake in the federally mandated "Secure Communities" deportation program. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a similar statement just weeks before that letter.

In written testimony submitted to the committee Wednesday on the two bills, one introduced in the House and one in the Senate, Patrick outlined what he called three "sound public policy" reasons why he supports the bills; the importance of college graduates to the state's workforce, an increase in revenues to public institutions from new enrollees who otherwise could not afford attendance, and providing equality in accessing higher education. State Representative Alice Wolf of Cambridge is co-sponsor of the House bill.

"We have a few hundred young people every year who could be getting an education instead of hanging on street corners or being frustrated. Many of these young people have been very successful in high school."

That success is actually mandatory in the legislation; immigrant students would have to have graduated or have been attending a Massachusetts high school for at least three years, would be required to sign up for federal Selective Service if eligible, and would need to sign an affidavit stating they are already in or plan on beginning the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

Brooke Mead, program coordinator at the Berkshire Immigrant Center, which has worked as a member of the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education over the past several years in support of the policy, said she wasn't shocked by Patrick's appearance to testify Wednesday.

"The governor has always been a strong supporter of immigrant issues. The New Americans Agenda' has been proof of that."

Unveiled in 2009, Patrick's "New Americans Agenda" outlined in-state tuition for immigrant students as a key provision for improved integration of immigrants and refugees. Mead said while comprehensive national immigration reform is still the goal for most advocates, passage of these policies would be a step in the right direction.

"If we had comprehensive immigration reform we wouldn't need this state legislation/Mass being productive."

12 states have already passed similar legislation, including Texas and Utah. Mead said while she isn't embarrassed that states which have not been seen as strongholds for progressive immigration reform have passed in-state tuition before Massachusetts...

"It's just sad. Because I'm very proud of the state, I believe that we are a welcoming community here in the Berkshires, I believe that we are a welcoming and progressive state and in terms of immigration I think we have so much more positive than we have anti-immigrant sentiment."

Mead said the Berkshires legislative delegation has been consistently supportive of this legislation. Similar bills were not voted out of committee last session in what was described as a close vote.

State Senator Benjamin Downing of the Berkshires delegation said as he has done in the past, he will support the measure this year.

"They have grown up here, they have lived here, they've had to go to and graduate from a public high school and they have shown that they want to continue their time here in the Commonwealth."

"I think it's pretty clear that it's a win-win for the state. From a purely financial perspective, the Massachusetts Taxpayer's Foundation has said that passage of the bill could bring nearly $2 million in new revenue into our public higher ed system. And our campuses have said that they certainly have the seats."

Downing said while the makeup of the higher education committee has changed so much since last session that he did not have a clear picture as of yet whether the measures have the support to continue, he believes Patrick's testimony in person could be a factor.

"I think that the governor stepping forward certainly changes the dynamic and could change how the bill is addressed this year."

Wolf said she hopes the bill makes it past the committee because each year it does not pass more students miss out on an education.

"There's a certain urgency because every year there's another group of kids who are being screwed basically."