More than 200 colleges in America knowingly admit illegal immigrants to their programs, they said in a recent survey, providing mixed responses.
Three hundred eighty-four colleges responded to the specific question out of the 613 that participated in the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers survey, spokesman Barmak Nassirian said. Although the survey does not identify names of the participants or individual responses, it shows the responses and overall number of responses to each question.
The survey, which was published March 16, has received mixed responses, because although some said illegal immigrants should not be allowed in American institutions, many said they think a student’s legal status should not be an issue when it comes to receiving an American college education.
There is not a federal law that requires institutions to verify a student’s residency or documentation status, National Association for College Admission Counseling Public Policy and Research Director David Hawkins said.
‘I think that for colleges to verify that information would in fact be asking them to do quite a bit more than they currently do,’ he said.
Of the 515 colleges that answered a question regarding student information, 96.9 percent said they sought information about students’ citizenship or residence on admissions applications.
Boston University spokesman Colin Riley said BU follows this type of student identity verification.
‘I believe students designate on their application their citizenship or the country they are coming from,’ Riley said
Ninety-four institutions said they will not enroll a student if they have reason to believe a student is undocumented, according to the survey.
However, Nassirian said illegal immigrants who had grown up in the United States should have the freedom to attend any college because they are ‘not breaking the law.’
‘These kids, when they were one year old, when they were six months old, when they were five years old, they were not in a position to make a decision to cross the border legally or illegally,’ he said.
Hawkins also said students should not be penalized for something that was outside their control.
‘They were brought here as children in most cases, and really have no legal responsibility or recourse for their lack of documentation,’ Hawkins said.
Although the survey has caused organizations and colleges to review their own policies, state laws determine students’ fate in the meantime.
College of General Studies freshman Ethan Panek said he does not think illegal immigrants should be admitted to American colleges.
‘So people that do not even have citizenship . . .’ think that they have a right to our education?’ he said.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Andrew Ma said illegal immigrants should be admitted as long as they are willing to make an effort to become a citizen.
‘I think they should maybe go through a process,’ Ma said. ‘Like they actually get a green card or a student visa or something just to study.’
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