Today is Citizenship Day, which commemorates the events of Sept. 17, 1787, when 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the United States Constitution.
In the wake of a California appellate court ruling earlier this week, we the people of the United States have another reason to celebrate. The court ruled that California is violating federal law, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, by offering a benefit to illegal immigrants that is not available to U.S. citizens.
While California has a $17 billion budget deficit, taxpayers are subsidizing the college education of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who pay in-state tuition. Meanwhile, out-of-state citizens pay the higher nonresident tuition at California’s public universities and colleges.
In a unanimous opinion, Justice Rick Sims wrote:
Finally, state law is preempted to the extent that it actually conflicts with federal law. Thus, the Court has found preemption where it is impossible for a private party to comply with both state and federal requirements…or where state law “stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress.”
In plain English, what part of illegal don’t UC regents understand?
Prof. Kris Kobach, an attorney for the students who brought the class action lawsuit, predicts:
It has a huge impact. This is going to bring a halt to the law that has been giving in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.
Now that's cause for celebration. If you believe in the rule of law, wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care.
