6A - Letters: DREAM Act. ,~~~'
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CITY
OF
BOULDER
CITY COUNCIL OFFICE
WiIlToor, Mayor
Thomas Eldridge, Deputy Mayor
Dan Corson, Councilmember
Spenser Havhck, Counalmember
Donald Mock, Councilmember
Lisa Morzel, Councilmemter
Franqase Po~nsatte, Councllmember
Gordon R(ggle, Councdmember
Mark Ruzzin, Councilmember
November 7, 2003
The Honorable Wayne Allard
U.S. Senate
525 Dirksen Senate Office Buildmg
Washington, DC 20510
FAX. 202-224-6471
Dear Senator Allard:
I am wrrtmg on behalf of the City of Boulder to urge your support for the Development, Relief
and Education for Ahen Mmors Act (D~tEAM Act), wtuch is currently under consideration iri
the Senate •
The 2003 DREAM Act would repeal Section 505 of the Illegal I~nnugration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibihty Aet of 1996, wluch requires any state that provides m-state tuition ta
undocumented imnngrants to provide the same tuihon rate to out-of-state residents. Section 505,
therefore, discourages sCates from offenng in-state tiution rates to undocumented students who
reside in their state and thus, rts repeal would permit states to deternune state residency for •
lugher educarion purposes We believe that the State of Colorado should be able to make its own
determmation about whether to grant in-state status to uadocumented students.
The DREAM Act would not in itself place an added economic burden on taxpayers in a state.
The legislation would only remove the current federal barrier to states determining state
residency requirements for the purposes of m-state turtion for mstitunons oF higher leanung; it
would not require an ehgibihty expansion Further, because eligible beneficiaries are limited to
children o~ter 16 years of age who have lived'in the Umted States for at least frve years at the
time of enactment, staff believes any encouragement of additional illegal immin ahon would be
minimal, By and large, imm~grants do not come to ttus country for potential benefits which may
or may not be realized years hence; people enter illegally in order ta find employment -- even
illegally - that they cannot find in their home country, or that pays considerably more than m
their home eountry.
We are st~ong ~dvocates of higher education, m parC due to the outstandmg opportunities located
withm the Crty - the University of Colorado at Bouldei and Pront Range Community College
We believe that all children m this country should be afforded the opportumty to Iearn nnd reach
~heir fullest potenttal.
PO Box 791 • doulder, Colorudo 80306-0791 •(303) 441-3002 • Fax (303) 441-447& • www c~ boulder co us
Prmted nn 100% Potit Consumer Wuste Papec ~•
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Please contact our Intergovernmentat Coordmator, Amy Mueller, ~t (303) 441-3005 or via e-
mail. muellera@ci boulder co us if you have any questions or need additional informarion
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
t 1~~~~: ~ : 1 ~'°~_
Williarn R. Toor ,
Mayor
Cc: City Council
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CITY
OF
BOULDER
CITY COUNCIL OFFICE
The Hon. Ben Nighthorse Campbell
U.S. Senate
380 Russell Senate Office Building
Waslungton, DC 20510
FAX: 202-224-5852
Dear Senator Campbell.
Will Toor, Mayor
Thomas Eldndge, Depury Mayor
Dan Corson, Councdmember
Spenser Havlick, COUncilmember
Donald Mock, Councilmember
Lisa Morzel, Councllmember
Fran~oise Poinsatte, Councllmember
Gordon Riggle, Councilmembar
Mark Ruzzvr, Councdmember
I am writmg on behalf of the City of Boulder to urge your support fot the Development, Rehef
and Educafion for Alien Nlinors Act (DREAM Act), wluch is currendy under consideration in
the Senate. '
The 2003 DREAM Act would repeal Sechon 505 of the Illegal7mmigranon Reform and
Inumgrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which requires any state that provides in-state tuition to
undocumented immtgrants to provide the same tuition rate to out-of-state residents. Section 505,
therefore, discourages states from offenng in-state turtion rates to undocumentad students who
reside m thes state and thus, its repeal would pernut states Co deternune state residency for
higher education purposes. We beheve that the State of Colorado should be able to make its own
deternunarion abouT whether to grant in-state status to undocumented students.
The DREAM Act would not in itself place an added econoiruc burden on taxpayers m a state.
The legislation would only remove the current federal barrier to states determining state
residency requirements for the purposes of m-state tuition for instiYUtions of higher learnmg, it
would not require an eligibihty exgansion Further, because ehgible beneficiazies are linuted to
cluldren over 16 years of age who have hued m the United States for at least five years at the
time of enactment, staff believes any encouragement of addihonal illegal immigration Would be
nurumal By and large, immigrants do not come to tlus country for potenhal benefits which may
or may not be realized years hence; people enter illegally m order to find empioyment -- even
illegally - that they cannot find in their home country, or that pays considerably more that~ in
the~r home country. '
We are strong advocates of kugher educarion, m part due to the outstanding opportumties located
witlun Che City - the Umversity of Coloiado at Boulder and Front Range Community College.
We beheve that all ctuldren m this country should be aftorded the opportumty to learn and reach
their fullest potential.
PO I3ox 791 • Boidder, Colorado 80306-07)1 •~303) 441-3002 • Pax (303) 441-4478 • www ci.Uoulder co,us
Punted on 100% Potit Consumer Waste Paper ~~
Please contact our Intergoveinment~l Coordinatoi, Amy Mueller, at (303) 441~3005 or via e-
mail muellera@ci boulder co us if you have any questions orneed addiTional mformation
Thank you in advance for your consideiation of tlus request
Sincerely, ~ ~
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William R Toor ~
Mayor '
Ca City Council
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