Issue Position: In-State Tuition and Illegal Benefits

Issue Position

Nothing is putting more of a strain on our state's budget than illegal immigration. The corrupt Oligarchy that is the Mexican government is exploiting their own people, and as a result millions are looking for a better life elsewhere. But we are a nation of laws and as such we reserve the right to choose who we allow to enter our country. The type of unchecked migration that currently exists, especially for a border state like Texas, is unsustainable.

Allowing a country like Mexico with one hundred million people to export their poverty problem to the United States, puts a tremendous and unacceptable strain on our schools and on our health care system, especially Medicaid. The best estimates have Texas spending upwards of $5 billion a year to educate illegal immigrants in our K-12 public education system.

Additionally, more than 14,000 non-citizens are attending our public universities and benefiting from in-state tuition rates subsidized by Texas taxpayers. This issue must be addressed and I would encourage everyone to demand the federal government muster the will to fix this problem and finally secure our borders.

We need to focus on finding real solutions:
In the meantime there are some common sense measures we can pass into law here in Texas to remove incentives for those that choose to break our laws.

Stop providing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants
Ban sanctuary cities across our state
Require all governments (city, county, state, ISD's) to use E-Verify when hiring
If you put me to work in the Texas Senate, I will submit bills to that help make these measures reality -- Just like I have in the Texas House of Representatives. I believe we can send a strong message that we Texans welcome immigrants to our great state, but our warm welcome is reserved for those who come here legally and show respect for our laws.

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