Eric Johnson: Bar children of illegal immigrants from Georgia colleges
Six weeks ago, a 21-year-old Kennesaw State University senior was stopped by a campus traffic cop – and Jessica Colotl’s secret was out.
This from the Marietta Daily Journal:
Colotl is an undocumented citizen who has lived in the U.S. since she was 7 years old. Her parents came to Atlanta illegally in 1996 from southern Mexico to escape a life of severe poverty.
While friends say the family moved around most of Colotl’s childhood, she eventually graduated from Lakeside High School in DeKalb County with a GPA of 3.8, according to Parra. She enrolled at KSU and began taking classes there in the fall of 2006 as a freshman.
For the university’s part, KSU officials said Colotl came to them not as an undocumented citizen, but as a Georgia high school graduate.
Friends said the young girl didn’t realize her lack of status until she was in high school. She was remanded to Gadsen, Ala., jail, but has since been released.
Colotl’s situation has just become a part of the Republican race for governor. Eric Johnson, the former state senator from Savannah, wants the Board of Regents to make citizen verification one of the standards for admission to the state’s universities.
Said Johnson in a press release:
“With the federal government failing to secure our borders and stem the flow of illegal immigration, it is up to states to fill the gap. Simply checking a box on a form is not enough- we should ask prospective students to provide verifiable proof of their immigration status.”
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135 comments Add your comment
H
May 11th, 2010
12:52 pm
Pandering, posturing, grandstanding. That is what our Georgia politicians are all about. That is why we are last on every list of measures of quality of life. Highest bank failure rate, near the top on foreclosures, near the bottom on high school and college graduation rates, among the lowest SAT scores, etc., etc. They are all trying to out-pander each other. It is sickening.
If you are not a 100% Native American, your ancestors were immigrants to this country. These bullying redneck politicians are all hopping on the bandwagon to harass and ruin the life of this young woman.
Mrs Adam Kornstein
May 11th, 2010
12:58 pm
Johnson- you are an idiot..
Are we supposed to believe that you think think it’s in the best interest of this state to have a young smart woman who was brought here by her parents over 10 years ago cobbled by both her immigration status and without an education?
Really? She was 7 years old, hardly able to live in Mexico by herself and now you want her unable to qualify for any job or an education?
I’m sure this plays well to your base; but it does nothing to solve this issue.
We accept students from all over the world to study here, and then force them to leave with that education because of quotas and restrictions, smart talented young people who could help this economy.
GoOx
May 11th, 2010
12:59 pm
First Johnson panders on prayer, now he panders on illegal immigration. Go check out My Man Ox’s contract with Georgia, he doesn’t pander.
Eric Blair
May 11th, 2010
1:09 pm
Just wait until one of these undocs hits your car and they have no insurance, or they get a hold of your social security number and their wages are tacked onto your income. You might change your mind then.
I am done paying for these illegals to get educations.
Veteran Educator
May 11th, 2010
1:09 pm
As a card carrying Republican and a career educator, I do not agree with Mr. Johnson. Let’s not punish the child for the decisions of her parents. Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. They do not receive any HOPE or federal/state grants. They must pay their own way through college without any financial aid. If they are willing to work so hard for the degree, then let’s allow them the right to the diploma.
Mr. Johnson needs to be a part of the day to day education process to truly understand why these type of kids, who are working so hard to escape poverty and better themselves, need an education. Just ask the educators who work with them each and every day.
Close Our Borders
May 11th, 2010
1:10 pm
Sure they are UNDOCUMENTED ! ! ! ! Because they are here ILLEGALLY …… It doesn”t matter how they got here or when they got here. They are still here ILLEGALLY. How would you feel if your son or daughter was not accepted to one of the Georgia colleges or universities only to find out that the reason they weren’t was because the laws governing ILLEGAL ALIENS is not enforced and one /several of these ILLEGAL ALIENS were allowed to enter a Georgia college or university taking a seat from someone that was born and raised here or here LEGALLY. Most likely this girl has not paid a dime of tuition. I for one do not like to think that I play the lottery so the HOPE scholarship can be given to someone here ILLEGALLY.
cmm
May 11th, 2010
1:11 pm
Whether you agree with his tactics – we should let talented legal residnets first utilize the benefits of public institutions – private schools can make any acceptance they so desire – if you or I were to study abroad we would have to live by the standards set by that nation state – why should the US cater to all the the needs of people from all over the world?
RY
May 11th, 2010
1:12 pm
DEPORT ERIC JOHNSON!
IT WILL BE A COLD DAY IN H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS BEFORE THAT MAN IS GOVERNOR!
Close Our Borders
May 11th, 2010
1:16 pm
Don’t bet on the statement that they do not get HOPE scholarship money or any other state/federal funds. Or for that fact other scholarships. The article states that she went to college as a Georgia High School graduate. Who’s checking to see if she paid tuition. Not to mention the financial drain of teaching ILLEGAL ALIENS on school systems that are strapped from funding. Get the ILLEGAL ALIENS out of our schools until they are here legally.
Close Our Borders
May 11th, 2010
1:16 pm
I agree with “Close Our Borders”. This is exactly what is wrong with our entire country.
d2
May 11th, 2010
1:16 pm
Can we ban Eric Johnson, Sonny Perdue, and Casey Cagel?
H
May 11th, 2010
1:17 pm
The smartest, most savvy, hardest working people in the world run the gauntlet to come the the U.S. While fat, lazy Americans sit on the sofa watching TV, our immigrants–legal and illegal– are trying to better themselves and this country. Yes there is a criminal element, and they should be found, punished and/or returned to their country of origin. Drug trafficking is a large part of it, but wouldn’t exist without demand. But for the most part, people who come here want to better themselves and better their country. BTW, my ancestors date back to pre-Revolutionary times. Most were good folks, some were bad.
Tony
May 11th, 2010
1:19 pm
Close Our Borders – it would eat you up wouldn’t it to find out the kid who was illegal was smarter and more qualified than your child to get into school. The school’s job is not to verify citizenship or become an enforcer of federal or state legal failures. If the kid was acedemically qualified, they accepted them based on the present criteria.
Question for the rabid “verification” crowd – would you just support a national ID card or bar code, tattoo, chip, etc. to just verify someone as an American? All Americans get a nice, non-forgeable ID to carry around sort of like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, or something out of the Left Behind series on the Anti-Christ? I mean, if you want strict means to track and enforce this, you’re more or less calling for something you despise if implemented by a Democrat – but for immigration, we might as well have it right?
GA Native
May 11th, 2010
1:21 pm
Yee Haw. Kick ‘er outa Kennesaw State to make room for our ignorant, low achieving chilen. No matter that she’s been in this country most of her life. No matter that she graduated from one of the best ITP high schools with a 3.8 gpa.
Thank God Johnson’s got the courage to take on a teenaged girl in a symbolic gesture against the illegal immigrant boogey man. What a complete D.B.
Just Nasty & Mean
May 11th, 2010
1:21 pm
I feel for the Kennesaw student…but she just happens to now be paying the price for the illegal activities of her parents.
So now you want to change the rules. Because she is smart, she should be an American citizen. Because she was young when her parents broke the law, she should be an American citizen.
Where do you liberals get off? Illegal is ILLEGAL…and there are NO EXCEPTIONS for race, status, intelligence, rich, poor….If it is illegal, it is illegal for EVERYBODY.
We are a country of laws. Not a country of 20 million exceptions to the laws.
And by the way…I don’t want to assist to pay for her college. Let her go to Mexican college if she is so smart.
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
1:22 pm
Here is a solution to the problem. For those of you that want to forgive and forget someone broke the law to be here illegally, I understand you want to do the right thing for those folks. The solution is we adopt the same immigration policy that Mexico has. That seems fair doesn’t it? If you agree I suggest you read the policy first. It makes our criminalization look like childs play.
A true liberal would be protesting tn Mexico City against Mexico’s policy. Sorry, they can’t, it’s against the law in Mexico.
DBO
May 11th, 2010
1:23 pm
Love how it is the Federal Goverment’s fault for not controlling illegals but any other time limit federal goverment’s rules and regulations or there is too much goverment. Why is there never talk about all of the illegal Russians, Croatians, Ukrainian and Belarusian and other folks that bring violence, prostitution and drugs into the country also? They fly in and never leave.
As for Mr. Blair statements- there are plenty of folks that are US citizens without insurance that can hit your car also and take your social security number. At least the ones you are talking about work instead of just stealing from me.
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
1:27 pm
DBO-
I’m sure there are illegals from every nation and yes all of them should be deported. They just aren’t protesting in the streets and hence as visable.
clem
May 11th, 2010
1:29 pm
This young woman through no fault of her own has been in this country 10 years, illegal or not. Education is the key to getting these people out of poverty.
In 8 years of Republican “leadership”, we have the 8th highest auto insurance rates in the country, the 6th highest home foreclosure rate, the most bank failures, education is in shambles, water problems, transportaion problems, and we’re worrying about a bright young woman getting a college education. Give me a break!
Erica Long
May 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
Thank you, Eric Johnson, for delivering Georgia’s growing Latino vote to the Democratic Party.
You Asked
May 11th, 2010
1:43 pm
Try reading Eric Johnsons comments not just reacting to what the blog says about them…
All he said was that he encouraged the Board of Regents to make citizenship verification part of the application process.
In this case ICE did the right thing by giving her another year to persue her education – despite the fact she gave a false address on her application.
We can be generous in granting student visas for qualified applicants, but not enforcing immigration law cheats not only Georgia citizens who’s taxes go towards these degrees but also other national and international students who are going through the proper channels to be here.
CrazyInGA
May 11th, 2010
1:43 pm
Eric Johnson is an idiot and a loser. If the child graduates from a highschool in Georgia and makes excellent grades; why should you punish the child for pursuing an education?
Only a loser would come up with an idea such as this one.
Richard
May 11th, 2010
1:44 pm
I am a Republican, but I can’t seem to get my grasp on this one. I understand everyone’s dissatisfaction with illegal immigration and the whole crossing the border thing and all that, and I believe that if people are here illegally they should be given some type of due process on staying or returning to their homeland.
Even though they are not citizens, they are still human beings and should be treated as such. Since the image of America is greatly tarnished in much of the world, if this nation continues to preach its manifesto of due process before the law, then why is it that those who are less fortunate than we are, are not given the same thing? We as a nation should bolster our image around the world of practicing what we preach. It’s no different that the hypocrisy of the 1960’s when we preached “freedom” but treated African Americans as an inferior racial group.
And if those illegal immigrants are given due process and go through the proper channels, why deny them education? I would rather have an immigrant be educated and break the cycle of poverty and the drain on the nation than have them be illiterate, uneducated, and not able to be a productive potential citizen of this country.
Base
May 11th, 2010
1:44 pm
Eric is a far right wacko,it does not solve the problem.Get real!When are we going to elect a real Governor instead of one with axes to grind.
Beeg boi
May 11th, 2010
1:44 pm
Such hostile comments from people who want others to just pull up the boot straps.
Nancy
May 11th, 2010
1:48 pm
Bet if she looked like a terrorist you people wouldn’t be on her side!
pedro
May 11th, 2010
1:53 pm
if you want to accept illegals into colleges, at least make them pay out of state tuition prices
You Asked
May 11th, 2010
1:56 pm
American students studying in Mexico need to include proof of financial solvency issued by a bank or notarized letter from parents stating applicant will receive a monthly income of $300 US dollars during his/her stay in Mexico.
I linked more information in another post that will probably be released from the filter in a few minutes…
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
1:57 pm
Richard-
You are confused with what “due process” is. I haven’t seen anyone want to deny any illlegal due process. Due process is the proceedure followed when an illegal is discovered. It is simply the path through our judicial system.
Beeg boi
May 11th, 2010
1:58 pm
The people under the Gold Dome have commited more crimes than the young college student, but no one has any outrage.
Frank
May 11th, 2010
2:00 pm
What would Jesus do ?? …or is that “Hey Zoos”
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
2:02 pm
Frank-
He would give unto Ceasar what Ceasar is due and unto God what God is due.
Lois Reitzes Stole My Breeze Card
May 11th, 2010
2:05 pm
There is no boat big enough to hold the jackas*edness of Eric Johnson. I suggest we build one as that one project alone could turn around the economy.
Frank
May 11th, 2010
2:06 pm
Enter your comments here Are you sure? really sure…?
Lumpkin resident
May 11th, 2010
2:06 pm
Close Our Borders is right. It matters not if the kid who was illegal was smarter and more qualified than your child to get into school. There are 7 billion people on the planet and a LOT of them are going to be smarter or more qualified. That doesn’t mean that Georgia’s Universities should boot Georgia students because some kid in Mexico, China or South Africa is smarter.
It is the school’s job to verify citizenship because we, as taxpayers of the state of Georgia and of the U.S., pay taxes that support those schools so that OUR children can go. There will be many illegal immigrants who are more academically qualified. That has no bearing whatsoever on this issue. All that matters is that I pay taxes that support the University System, I have paid those taxes for 35 years, and no illegal immigrant should replace my son or daughter for any reason. PERIOD. That illegal immigrant can go back to their country of origin, get a visa, apply for admission, and pay out-of-state admission to attend, just like every other foreign student.
Batman
May 11th, 2010
2:07 pm
I agree with ERIC. Whether I vote for him is not an issue. What is an issue is the law of the US of A. I do not want to teach my kids to go around breaking the law.
What really upset me is that since I traveled and worked overseas you never pick up a phone and the language is another..meaning to select another language. Here we go thru various hoops to provive others with a chance to learn what is being stated.
Another point my friends try to stay in another country or go to Mexico and want to be a citizen. You will go thru hell. No where else on the planet you simply have to have a kid to stay. Non sense!
thetime
May 11th, 2010
2:07 pm
So, because this girl is smart, she should be allowed to continue breaking the law and finish school? Has it occurred to anyone that she is smart due to the fact that she has been educated in our schools for free over the past 10 years?
What else should we give her?
Seems to me she’s already gotten quite a good deal…Better than most who are hard working, law abiding citizens. She was brought here illegally by her parents, so in return we provided her an excellent education. Included in the 1st – 12th education was probably and ESL course (English as a Second Language), and perhaps even two free school meals a day – Breakfast and lunch. All courtesy of the hard working, law abiding, tax paying citizens of this country. Also, I’m sure we provided medical care, food stamps, etc. over the course of her stay. It seems to me she has had a pretty good stay here in America and should be grateful to all of us who pay taxes! Now, the ongoing charity must stop and she must go back to her country and use her totally free and great education to make changes there or start the process to become a legal, tax paying citizen here. We have already given her so much! Why does she expect more? Not one person has said she must pay back all that we have given her and her family. We just ask that she go home and come back legally!
Would anyone say that any law breaker should be excused from prison because he/she was really smart?
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
2:09 pm
Of course I’m not positive Frank.
lmno
May 11th, 2010
2:12 pm
If given the opportunity to immigrate and work in the US legally, these people would gladly do just that.
If you want to stop illegal immigration, then legalize and normalize immigration.
If people with valuable skills would like to come here and work, contribute to society, and pay taxes, we should welcome that.
They shouldn’t be sitting on waiting lists for 10 years to get in.
The reaason that there are so many illegal immigrants is quite simply that there is not a reasonable legal alternative.
You Asked
May 11th, 2010
2:12 pm
Ahm stuck in the filter aginiiin’
my comments are all waitin’
I’d like to blog
but I’m stuck on this log
Ahm stuck in the filter agiiiiin’ ahoooooooo!
Elitist Social Justice Destroying USA
May 11th, 2010
2:15 pm
There is no equality under Elitist Social Justice. If you are intelligent, educated, or have wealth there is one set of laws and if you are uneducated, of average intelligence, and have few assets there is another set of laws. If you are of an ethnic minority or religious minority there is also a different set of laws from those who are in the religious minority or ethnic minority.
Equal justice under the law is being completely destroyed by Elitist Social Justice.
Whether or not someone is a criminal or should benefit from a criminal act is no longer judged by what the statues and laws state, but is based upon who you are.
When justice is based upon who you are and is always open to interpretation by those in the highest seats in power, it is called Tyranny.
Tyranny is the old term for social justice from the says before equality mattered, and it is what is destroying this state and nation.
J Throckmorton Malcontent
May 11th, 2010
2:16 pm
Let me explain immigration policy to all y’all.
The GOP desire is pro-business: that is, to depress wages with an unlimited amount of low paid 3rd world labor. The Stupid wing of the GOP disagrees with the Rich wing about this, but so what.
Dems aren’t going to pick on brown people.
This is powerful consensus, and we’ll wind up doing the same thing the great Socialist Ronald Reagan did–swear them all in as US citizens.
And I’m fine with that.
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
2:16 pm
lmno-
The level on immigration is national policy. Like all policy it can be changed if the elected officals choose to do so. Go out and elect those people. Until then Americans and non-americans should repect of national law (policy).
Toby Saunders
May 11th, 2010
2:17 pm
I can’t see the harm in banning illegal immigrants (workers, usually, who pay 80% of their taxes on average) from Georgia colleges unless such a person has ‘come out’, paid a fine for breaking American law, and is on a legal path to become a registered immigrant… I’m not so sure this legal pathway is available at the moment, though.
It’s hard for me to welcome illegal academic-competition (or any other illegal competition) and as much as I wish people could find asylum from poverty here, I know the US can’t afford to welcome everyone in to use our public services without question.
I must add that I am sort of a hypocrite on this issue: if I lived in poverty stricken Mexico and couldn’t afford to enter legally, and had children to look after, surely I would try to live in America if I could! It would be risky to the stability of the US economy and sort of unethical but that feels abstract compared to the poverty which must feel very feel indeed. It must be very difficult to stay away from such a great country ‘next door’ if the alternative is no running water or sanitation or protection from drug gangs, -surely anyone with a desire to live can understand that.
Still though, as an American Liberal, I say we need more border control and less military spending.
american
May 11th, 2010
2:17 pm
From my favorite Amy Ray lyric quote – to Mr. Johnson, “Hey, I think we were on that same boat back in 1694″
lmno
May 11th, 2010
2:21 pm
” if I lived in poverty stricken Mexico and couldn’t afford to enter legally, and had children to look after, surely I would try to live in America if I could! ”
Of course you would, as would any parent. And if America was smart, they would welcome your skills and contributions.
deegee
May 11th, 2010
2:21 pm
It is people like Eric Johnson that want to discourage young hispanic children from receiving higher education then disparage hispanics for dropping out of high school. It’s people like Eric Johnson that want to ensure that there is a steady supply of unskilled, low wage labor to do the work that he thinks he is too privileged to do.
Ox is a PUTZ!
May 11th, 2010
2:28 pm
If Oxendine is put in office as Governor, our state will be worse off with having Sonny Perdue was governor.
H
May 11th, 2010
2:30 pm
Don’t worry. At the rate Georgia is sliding downhill into third world status, no immigrant in his/her right mind would want to come here nowadays.. There are no jobs, no support for public education, and not much in the way of civilized amenities. Most of our politicians sought office just to line their pockets and help out their cronies. They apparently could care less if Georgia makes the bottom of every list. They want us to be uneducated simpletons, so we will be dumb enough to continue to vote them into office.
RetiredSoldier
May 11th, 2010
2:34 pm
H-
Move to sunny Calif. they have all together there. Don’t let the door hit ya in the tail on the way out. And yes H, we’ll turn the lights out for you. CYA