Illegal Immigration News

Gov. Deval Patrick released a state-sponsored report on foreign-born residents yesterday that calls for allowing illegal immigrants to apply for college financial aid, in-state tuition and, eventually, drivers' licenses.

 PDF: Read the entire New Americans report

The report, called the New Americans Agenda, was prepared by an executive branch advisory council, an immigrant advocacy group and a state agency, and is meant to better integrate immigrants and refugees into the state's social, economic and civic spheres.

Rep. John Fernandes, a Milford Democrat whose father emigrated from Portugal, said his quick scan of the study revealed that it had not addressed enforcement of existing laws and the burden his town and others have seen from illegal immigration.

"It's an advocacy document," he said. "It's not a balanced document. That was my fear and that's what I see."

Gov. Deval Patrick called the report a "values statement" but has not yet endorsed any of the recommendations, choosing to create an interagency task force to draft a plan over the next three months. Fernandes said some changes could likely be made by executive order, while others will require legislative approval.

While no decisions have been made, Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, was also quick to criticize the proposals on drivers' licenses and in-state tuition, which he said would act as a magnet for new arrivals and impose further costs on taxpayers.

"Government should strictly enforce the law, not ignore it with a wink and a nod, or even worse, pass laws that condone illegal behavior," said Brown, who is running for U.S. Senate.

The report, issued by the Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants, the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, found a diverse immigrant population representing at least 16 percent of the work force.

While 24 percent of immigrants hold at least a master's degree, as a whole the group is still more likely than the general population to lack a high school diploma.

Two-fifths are unable to speak English "very well." Roughly half are naturalized citizens, with many others here legally, the report found. Combined, immigrants pay $1.2 billion in state incomes taxes annually and $1 billion in property taxes.

Beyond the high-profile recommendations for those here illegally, the report's authors urged the state to push for comprehensive federal immigration reform, decrying a debate they feel has grown toxic at times.

"These anti-immigrant voices have created a poisonous atmosphere around the immigration debate and unfortunately have often overwhelmed legitimate public discussion on flow, status and the best way to incorporate newcomers," they wrote.

Among its 131 recommendations, the report calls for addressing the backlog in demand for English classes, estimated at 16,000 students. It proposes public funding and tax credits so those here legally can become citizens. And it suggests providing business loans to immigrant entrepreneurs and using some stimulus money for job training.

For public schools, it wants to train teachers to include immigration lessons, and to invite in foreign-born parent helpers in communities with large immigrant populations.

At state colleges and universities, it urges expanding financial aid to all immigrants, as well as in-state tuition to those living in the state for at least three years and earning a Massachusetts high school diploma or equivalent, regardless of legal status.

In public safety, it calls on cultural competency training and discouraging local police departments from joining immigration enforcement agreements, much like the one Framingham scrapped last month.

For the driver's license recommendation, the report's authors cite support from police chiefs and other safety officials over less dangerous roads, easier identification of residents and time spent on serious offenses rather than traffic cases.

The authors acknowledged that the federal Real ID act must first be repealed or changed so that other residents' licenses would not be jeopardized for use at checkpoints. Should that barrier be lifted, they say, licenses should be given to illegal immigrants who can prove residency and identity and pass the test.

During the state's transportation overhaul, Rep. Tom Sannicandro proposed a similar amendment, an ultimately unsuccessful attempt supported by fellow Democrat Rep. Pam Richardson of Framingham. Neither lawmaker could be reached for comment.

Fernandes said licensing illegal immigrants would simply validate failed immigration policy and attract more arrivals whose communities won't be able to assimilate. He said the immigration report ignored the burden illegal immigrants place on housing, schools, police and the courts.

"They leave people in my community saying, 'What about us?"' Fernandes said of the report's authors. "That's the piece that's missing."