No Higher Education for Illegal Immigrants

Intro: Illegal aliens would not be able to enroll in public institutions of higher education under a bill passed by the House into the Senate. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City. RunTime:0:33
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Republican Representative Jerry Nolte sponsored the bill with Missouri taxpayers in mind.

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Description: We need to be accountable to the taxpayers of this state, and we need to make sure that when we are putting out benefits, when we are extending higher education, that we are extending it to the families of Missouri, those that are working hard, paying the bills, paying the taxes. Those are who we owe our allegiances to. Those are the people we need to take into account.

Nolte responds to opponents who deem the bill as racist by saying it all comes down to people being 'legal' or 'illegal'.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.

Intro: A bill prohibiting illegal immigrants from attending college sparked controversy in the House but was eventually passed to the Senate for further debate. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Representative Jerry Nolte's bill ignited yelling and tears in the House chamber.

His bill was compared to the Jim Crow laws of the early 1900s that gave African Americans an inferior status.

Democratic Representative Jake Zimmerman says the bill will target anyone who is different.

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Description: We are holding up for isolation and for demonization a particular set of people in this state, and specifically at the universities of this state. And every time we do that, we not only go after the undocumented, we not only go after those who are not here legally. We also go after everyone who looks different. We go after everyone who speaks with an accent. And we send a message that our public institutions are not open to all equally.

The bill was passed with a majority vote despite opposition.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.

Intro: Illegal immigrants will be prohibited to attend college if a bill sponsored by Republican Representative Jerry Nolte makes it through the Senate. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City. RunTime:0:31
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Opponents to Nolte's bill expressed anger and emotion during House debate.

Democratic Representative Jeff Roorda says the bill is a "brown skin issue" that will make their descendents look back on it with shame.

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Description: This approach to government is nothing more than hate mongering. It's nothing more than creating wedge issues. It's not about sound public policy. It's about building on people's suspicions, and their fears and their paranoia, and I think it's shameful that we are spending so much time on it.

The bill passed with a majority vote despite the opposition.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.