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Last week, Texas made headlines by taking on a Muslim Tribunal. Now the Lone Star State has set its sights on combating free-loading illegal immigrants, proving, once again, that Texas is not to be trifled with.
Early Tuesday, the Texas state government advanced a bill that would repeal the state’s DREAM Act and no longer allow illegals to get in-state tuition for higher education.
Texas was the first state to pass an act of this kind, but its repeal looks increasingly likely given the increased Republican presence in the state legislature after the 2014 midterm elections.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has already said that he will not veto the bill should it make it to his desk, a position in stark contrast to the position of former Gov. Rick Perry, who was in favor of the DREAM Act.
As to be expected, this new bill has drawn a lot of ire from illegal immigrants and liberal activist groups, drawing hundreds to protest at the state Capitol on Monday, the day before the initial vote on the bill.
Under the DREAM Act, any illegal who has a diploma from a Texas high school and has been a resident of the state for three or more years pays the same college tuition rate as full citizens. Anyone who takes advantage of this act must also sign a pledge to apply for legal status in the near future.
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Texas passed its DREAM Act in 2001, and since then 16 other states have enacted similar laws. If Texas repeals it, it will be the second state to do so, after Wisconsin (H/T The Daily Caller).
Democrats and other critics of the new bill argue that it will punish children who have no control over their being in the United States illegally and that the state will miss out on the economic benefits that the act is currently producing.
Backers of the bill, however, say that the DREAM Act is just one thing that draws illegals to Texas in the first place and is counter-productive to protecting the border.
With 1.7 million illegals already estimated to be living in Texas, it’s clear that something needs to be done.
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