This letter to the editor appeared in the April 27, 2018 edition of the Asbury Park Press.
The recent Asbury Park Press editorial opposing state financial aid for New Jersey students with undocumented status — an essential resource to ensure they have the opportunity to earn a college degree and contribute to the Garden State — uses divisive arguments to portray undocumented New Jerseyans as “takers” who do not belong in our communities or in our colleges.
First, let’s be clear — many of these kids came in their parents’ arms to the United States. Once here, they graduated from our public schools and now face the prospect of living their lives in the shadows instead of continuing the educations that will give them a fighting chance to gain a college degree that welcomes them into our economy. The editors want to treat undocumented families as criminals who don’t deserve a chance to contribute to New Jersey, even though more than half of them have been here for more than a decade.
Second, undocumented immigrants do not live separately from us. They are vitally entwined throughout New Jersey’s communities, assets to our state and contributors to our culture, our economy and our prosperity. They are far from being the “other” and framing them as such only enforces an “us-versus- them” mentality that falsely presumes that if someone is gaining then someone else must be losing.
Third, parents in undocumented families, like the rest of us, work hard and pay taxes to give their kids a better shot at success than they had themselves. By seeking access to state financial aid, undocumented students and their families are not asking to cut to the front of the financial aid line. They are simply asking for a chance to stand in line with the rest of their classmates and help make New Jersey better.
Fourth, the argument that New Jersey will become a magnet state due to this policy is not only false but dangerously misleading. This is the same argument that was used when in-state tuition rates were approved for undocumented students, an absurd warning that never came to fruition. What is true is that the main reason immigrants — documented or undocumented — choose to settle in a state is the significant level of demand that exists for their labor.
Lastly, we all benefit from having a more educated community and workforce. These young folks aren’t going anywhere. Cutting the rungs off the ladder of opportunity would only build a permanent underclass, a negative outcome that helps no one. And cost isn’t even an issue, as the editorial itself notes that New Jersey could implement this policy without breaking the bank.
So, let’s end all of this talk that divides communities and pits hardworking people who just want what’s best for their children against one another. New Jersey has an important opportunity to take a big step towards improving the education outcomes of its residents and helping them — whether they be undocumented or not — build a life here that contributes to our economy and strengthens our communities. Speaking negatively about those who are our neighbors, friends, co-workers and students only fans the flames of hatred and division, and New Jersey deserves so much better than such a dismal and hopeless perspective. Let’s look forward to the future and work together to make the Garden State as productive and welcoming as we know it can be for everyone.
