Opponents of a Maryland bill that would allow some illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition have collected enough signatures to force a referendum that places the measure on hold until next year's election.
Measure opponents obtained close to 109,000 valid signatures, the Associated Press reports. Just 55,736 signatures were needed.
The measure is similar to the national DREAM Act, which has been shot down in Congress numerous times. The DREAM Act would allow illegal immigrants who graduated high school and lived in the United States for at least five years, among other provisions, to become permanent residents.
"Today marks the beginning of the end for an illegal alien benefits bill that simply does not make sense," Neil Parrott, organizer of the petition drive and Maryland General Assembly delegate, said in a statement Friday, Reuters reports.
From the Los Angeles Times:
Opponents of the law say Maryland can't afford to subsidize the college education of illegal immigrants. Supporters, who say they will challenge the petition drive in court, say that the effort used misinformation to persuade people to sign and that the law grants undocumented students only some of the rights enjoyed by other Maryland high school graduates.
Immigrant advocacy group Casa de Maryland is considering a lawsuit, The Baltimore Sun reports.
Measure opponents obtained close to 109,000 valid signatures, the Associated Press reports. Just 55,736 signatures were needed.
The measure is similar to the national DREAM Act, which has been shot down in Congress numerous times. The DREAM Act would allow illegal immigrants who graduated high school and lived in the United States for at least five years, among other provisions, to become permanent residents.
"Today marks the beginning of the end for an illegal alien benefits bill that simply does not make sense," Neil Parrott, organizer of the petition drive and Maryland General Assembly delegate, said in a statement Friday, Reuters reports.
From the Los Angeles Times:
Opponents of the law say Maryland can't afford to subsidize the college education of illegal immigrants. Supporters, who say they will challenge the petition drive in court, say that the effort used misinformation to persuade people to sign and that the law grants undocumented students only some of the rights enjoyed by other Maryland high school graduates.
Immigrant advocacy group Casa de Maryland is considering a lawsuit, The Baltimore Sun reports.
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