California State University announced in late August a systemwide implementation of immigration legal services for current students and staff.

Contracted providers will supply specialized immigration legal aid to students and staff, located in all but one CSU campuses, according to a CSU news release. Seven million dollars in funding is being provided annually from the state budget to fulfill demand. According to Cal State's website, undergraduate tuition 2019-2020 academic school year is $5,742, meaning that the $7 million per year that CSU currently spends on legal fees for illegal alien students and staff would cover annual tuition costs for about 1,219 students.



The announcement indicated that attorneys and other representatives from the providers will visit CSU campuses for DACA renewals, general consultations, and aid completing forms like family-based petitions.



[Related: Columbia offers illegal immigrant students free legal help, ‘stress management’]

“This is ultimately a display of political pageantry"

“I am delighted that we will be able to increase the availability of immigration legal services to the California State University community," CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said in the news release. “We remain committed to ensuring that all CSU students have the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals regardless of their country of origin. This inclusive foundation extends to our employees, who demonstrate their dedication to student achievement and success on a daily basis.”

“These thousands of Californians are pursuing their dreams for a better future every day on CSU campuses. The expanded services and resources that will soon be available will bring support, legal guidance and some peace of mind to enable our students and employees to focus on academic and professional pursuits."

The Cal State system estimates that roughly 9,500 illegal alien students are currently enrolled across its campuses, noting that illegal alien students will “receive priority in scheduling of appointments and receiving legal assistance, followed by students with other legal immigration questions and then staff.”

[Related: UC Berkeley teaches illegal aliens how to ‘fight back’ against ICE]

Campus Reform discussed the decision with Tanner Sevcik, president of CSU Channel Islands’ College Republicans chapter.

“I think that the annual seven million dollars in taxpayer money should be funneled into something more beneficial to Californian citizens,” Sevcik said. “This is ultimately a display of political pageantry on behalf of the ideologically biased state colleges. State schools shouldn't be using tax money to give non-citizens free legal services.”

Michael Curry, president of CSU Chico College Republicans, told Campus Reform “we do not support the CSU system allocating funding or resources towards legal services for those who broke the law.”

“We do understand that many of the undocumented students were brought to the country illegally by their parents and had no control of their immigration status as minors,” he continued. “We, however, maintain the belief that the CSU system should not and is not responsible for assisting any student with a legal problem. Programs like these are partisan and political and we do not see a need for our tax dollars and tuition to go towards someone else playing politics.”

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