The Washington House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a measure making young illegal immigrants eligible for state college financial aid.
The Washington House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a measure making young illegal immigrants eligible for state college financial aid.
The measure's bipartisan 77-20 vote was highlighted by impassioned speeches by Republicans who broke ranks with their party to vote in favor of the bill.
"People will seek this nation out from all over the world. They want a life of opportunity," said Republican Rep. Charles Ross of Naches. "These kids, I want them to someday go to Cornell, to be a state lawmaker or more."
House lawmakers amended the bill on the floor to open college aid to all young illegal immigrants. The bill has undergone several changes since it was introduced earlier this year.
The bill's previous version made only young immigrants who had qualified for the Obama Administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program eligible for the State Needs Grant. That federal program provides young immigrants who arrived in the United States as children a legal way to live in the country on renewable two-year stays, if they meet certain age and non-criminal history criteria.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where a similar bill did not get a hearing. But advocates are optimistic.
"I think that this is a perfect bipartisan issue for a bipartisan-led Senate. And I think the chances are pretty good," said Emily Murphy of OneAmerica, an immigrant advocacy group.
Republican Sen. Barbara Bailey, who chairs the higher education committee, said she would try to set a hearing for the bill.
"It is worth a discussion," Bailey said.
Opponents said the measure promises financial aid in a time when the state doesn't have enough money for all students in need. One lawmaker opposed the bill because of he said illegal immigrants don't follow the law.
"We're a nation and state of laws and because we are, we're governed by the rule of law, and as much of a humanitarian issue as this is, as much compassion that folks in my own caucus and my friends across the aisle have shown, it doesn't change the fact we have to address, the foundation of this conversation and that is the rule of law," said Republican Rep. Jason Overstreet of Blaine.
华盛顿众议院周三通过了一项议案，让年轻的非法移民也有资格申请州立大学的助学金。
两党对该议案的赞成票和反对票为77比20，共和党议员们和自己的党派唱反调，投了赞成票，还发表了慷慨激昂的演说，吸引了众多目光。
来自纳奇斯的共和党议员查尔斯•罗斯说：“全世界的人们都会奔着这个国家而来。他们想要有机遇的人生。这些孩子，我希望他们有一天能上康奈尔大学，成为州议员或更了不起的人。”
众议院议员在议院对法案进行了修改，对所有年轻非法移民开放大学助学金。自从今年年初推出这一法案以来，已经对其进行了几次改动。
该法案的早期版本只允许那些有资格参与奥巴马政府的儿童移民延期行动项目的年轻移民得到华盛顿州特需补助。该联邦政府项目为来到美国的年轻移民提供在美国生活的合法渠道，每两年更新一次居住许可证，前提是他们符合一定的年龄限制，而且没有犯罪史。
该法案现在已提交参议院，此前在参议院有一个类似法案没有获得听证机会。不过拥护者们对此持乐观态度。
移民权益倡导组织OneAmerica的艾米丽•墨菲说：“我认为这对于由两党领导的参议院是一个完美的两党议题。我认为这是一个绝佳的机会。”
高等教育委员会主席、共和党参议员芭芭拉•贝利说她会努力为该议案争取开听证会的机会。
贝利说：“这一议案值得讨论。”
反对者称，这一议案承诺发放补助金，但当前华盛顿州并没有足够的钱让所有贫困学生都拿到助学金。一位议员反对这一议案，他说因为非法移民并不遵守法律。
来自布莱恩市的共和党众议员杰森•奥福斯特利特说：“我们的国家是一个法治国家，我们的州是法治之州，正因如此，我们受法律管辖；不管这是怎样的一 个人道主义问题，不管我们核心小组的成员和对立党派的朋友们表现出多大的同情心，这并不能改变我们所必须面对的事实和这一对话的基础，这就是法治。”