"For an illegal immigrant, getting into UCLA was the easy part," lamented the headline for a Groundhog Day article by Los Angeles Times's Jason Song.
"A San Pedro girl's undocumented status means no financial aid. Money is tight, classes are tough, and just getting to campus takes 2 1/2 hours," reads the subheader for Song's February 2 Column One story.
Yes, despite the national and state economies in recession and California in a major budget crunch, the L.A. Times has the chutzpah to lament the obstacles to a taxpayer-subsidized college education for an illegal immigrant.
It seems considering legal immigrants and American citizens the victims of the high social and governmental costs of illegal immigration just isn't in Song's liberal hymnal. Apparently Song's aim was to paint one Karina De La Cruz as a downtrodden Cinderella in need of a beneficent fairy godmother (emphasis mine):
Story Continues Below Ad ↓Karina De La Cruz wakes up in the dark on her first day of classes at UCLA.
Pushing herself off a two-seat couch in the living room of a San Pedro apartment this September morning, she tries not to wake a brother sleeping in a twin bed next to her, or another dozing with his wife and baby daughter in the bedroom. De La Cruz dresses quickly and briefly considers taking her skateboard, then thinks of how her mother rolls her eyes whenever she rides it. She leaves it behind.
"I want to look right, I want to act right," she says later.She hurries to the corner to catch the bus, clutching her last $5. She scans the road -- she can't be late, can't do anything that would hurt her chances of maintaining a B average. The first in her family to attend college, De La Cruz believes that a 3.0 is her way out of a crowded apartment and into a life with new opportunities.
De La Cruz faces fairy tale odds. She's an illegal immigrant, so she isn't eligible for most forms of state and federal financial aid. The University of California system, by policy, does not require applicants to disclose their citizenship status: Officials say their goal is to find the best students, not to enforce immigration law. UCLA officials say they aren't even sure how many undocumented students are on their campus.
The 18-year-old De La Cruz graduated barely in the top 20% of her San Pedro High class and is competing against students with much higher GPAs and test scores. She probably doesn't have enough money to finish her first year of classes.
She has almost no safety net: She doesn't know her father, and her mother, who lives across the street, didn't get up to wish her good luck. She met a few people during orientation but doesn't have anyone she would consider a friend.
UCLA officials acknowledge that some freshmen are admitted for reasons other than their grades and test scores, that some students come from dramatically different backgrounds than many of their peers but show academic promise. They say there are programs on campus to help these students But De La Cruz isn't aware of them.
"To have a chance to thrive here, students like that need an advocate," said Charles Alexander, UCLA's associate vice provost for student diversity.
The rest of Song's article reads like a dreary dirge, noting that De La Cruz faces dim employment and higher education prospects given her major and her illegal status:
Weeks of riding the bus and struggling through classes had taken its toll. As she rattled north toward campus, De La Cruz realized that her chances of getting a job as a psychologist were tiny even if she were to graduate with a B average because she probably can't afford graduate school and most companies won't hire illegal immigrants.
"I guess I'm going to have to put my diploma up on the wall and that'll be all," she said.
Of course, there are community colleges and other educational options open to De La Cruz much closer to her apartment and more affordable than UCLA, even as an illegal immigrant.
But why let a little thing such as personal responsibility get in the way of writing a one-sided Column One story?
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
You missed this important part of the article
February 2, 2009 - 19:05 ET by jeffinsac"The average UCLA freshman boasted a 4.22 GPA in 10th and 11th grades,
according to the most recent data posted by the school, and De La Cruz
had a 3.365 at San Pedro High when she applied. She got a 21 out of a
possible 36 on the ACT college admissions exam, ranking her in the 48th
percentile in California. She scored 380 out of a possible 800 on an
SAT subject test, putting her in the third percentile nationwide.
But on March 8, De La Cruz opened an e-mail from UCLA, and a
congratulatory banner popped up. She screamed and asked a friend to
look."
I would love to know how exactly she got accepted in the first place with scores like that?
Not to mention, if she's SO
February 2, 2009 - 20:13 ET by Anniee451Not to mention, if she's SO WORRIED about it, why doesn't she study, maybe, oh, I don't know, SOMETHING USEFUL? I mean, there's such a huge market for second and third rate psychology students in the real world, right?
Girlfriend needs to get her head on straight, embark on a USEFUL and PROFITABLE course of study, and start working towards LEGAL immigration status. Then again, she's got the victim thing down pat already, she fits right in with leftist America doesn't she?
You're talking about California
February 2, 2009 - 20:23 ET by ProssShe got in because she is of hispanic descent. More importantly she is an ILLEGAL immigrant that adds to the "diversity" of the school. Affirmative action my friend.
It's times like this that I am ashamed to call California home.
"We will not tire, We will no falter, We will not fail." President George W. Bush, October 26, 2001
4.22?
February 3, 2009 - 03:30 ET by m1xramWhat kind of system do they use? I understood 4.0 to be a perfect score.
AP classes are on a 5 point
February 3, 2009 - 09:50 ET by ThatDudeAP classes are on a 5 point scale. So basically the students have to take a large number of college level courses in order to attain those scores.
Karina De La Cruz should be
February 2, 2009 - 19:23 ET by R D HelmKarina De La Cruz should be on the next ICE bus to Tijuana.
Problem solved.
-Dave
Our clueless political leaders are about to drive us all over a cliff. The time to HITM is now-before we go over.
Maybe she should make other choices
February 2, 2009 - 19:28 ET by baseballmavenBaseballmaven
First of all, how did she, with barely a 3.0 get into UCLA when students having 4.0s rarely get in? That aside, as you say, there are more affordable choices--for example, the Cal State University campuses--several of which are closer to her (e.g. CSULA, CSUDH). I can understand that, as a first in her family to go to college student, she wants to go directly into a 4 year school--much better graduation statistics for her demographic)--however, UCs are quite expensive compared to the CSU colleges.
I hope she knows also that in our lovely state of CA, if she went to 3 years of high school in the USA, she gets IN STATE TUITION which makes the CSU campuses VERY affordable (e.g. 3700 at CSUDH)--plus, once she's in college, she can compete for scholarships based on her academics.
I really bristled at the last quotation from the article (and the student)--what a croc. Maybe she should apply for LEGAL status?
Does or doesn't make sense
February 2, 2009 - 19:43 ET by klchadwickThe other choices which you outlined all make perfectly good sense. They are logical, economically viable and quite simple. HOWEVER, why would this student do anything that makes sense when she has already been shown that she doesn't have to play by the rules. Also, would it really matter if she did anything to help her future when it seems that she plans on using her diploma as a dustcatcher?
So while the other options available make sense...good common sense, to this girl it seems to be nonsense.
I guess the guy who wrote it
February 2, 2009 - 19:58 ET by thebutlerdiditwas hoping Angelina or Madonna would adopt her. Then he could take credit. Since the reporter identified her, shouldn't be any problem for the ICE folks to find her. I am sure her mother, and the whole family she lives with, are illegals, so bus 'em all out. I know how she got into college, and so do all of you. Sorry,very smart,white boy, you can't get in! You are the wrong color and sex. Plus, you aren't illegal.
Bringing the government in to run Wall Street is like saying, "Dad burned the dinner, let's get the dog to cook." PJ O'Rourke
I went to the University of
February 2, 2009 - 20:15 ET by mostlymoderateI went to the University of California, Davis for both my bachelor's and my law degree. The campus was 60% + Asian (many illegal from other countries like Vietnam, Laos, etc). These were fantastic students, very nice and driven; however, I often wonder why the U.C's don't concentrate on actual CITIZENS of California and the U.S. rather than foreign students. Is it our duty to educate the entire World?
California Budget, US Chamber of Commerce and Illegal Immigratio
February 2, 2009 - 20:16 ET by BrittanicusDon't let the US Chamber of Commerce, the special Interest
groups or political corruption destroy
the most effective
government program to fight illegal immigration?
The E-Verify system needs to be mandatory for every business in the
United States. We need it now to stop parasite employers stealing jobs
from American workers. Call these phone numbers below to demand that
the E-Verify is not killed. It might be your job--NEXT? YES! They
illegal immigrants do pay some taxes but not enough to replenish the
Federal and
state treasuries for the massive government benefits they gain.
California is one of the worst offenders as a 'Sanctuary states.' Proposition 187 was killed by Gov. Gray Davis,
so it never reached the highest court in the land. Voters
demanded it, to stop millions of illegal aliens getting public
benefits, that goes on to this day..
MIND BOGGLING AS IT SEEMS? As unemployment zooms in the millions, the
Chamber of Commerce is fighting a provision that says "BUY AMERICAN."
goods. It has seem to forget our imports are costing us around $600
Billion dollars.Making China, Mexico and other countries rich.
IT is a fact that America settles roughly 3 million legal immigrants
annually, seems to have been forgotten by the national press.
Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
To find your Senator: http://www.senate.gov/
To find the Representative: http://www.house.gov/
More ugly truths, not lies found at www.judicialwatch.org,
www.numbersusa.com
and www.americanpatrol.com
I tried to read all the way
February 2, 2009 - 21:19 ET by ThisnThatI tried to read all the way thru -- but then the tears started flowing. I only got to "clutching her last $5".
* Sob * &Boo-hoo& **Sniff**
___________________________________
The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices - Sarah Palin, State of the State of Alaska speech
Why is it people who come
February 2, 2009 - 22:08 ET by rbosqueWhy is it people who come here think they're entitled to a house, food, free medical and free education? She and whoever else is here illegally should be deported. That way she can burden her OWN country.
Illegals are costing us California taxpayers close to 10 BILLION dollars a year.
GEE, I WONDER WHY OUR STATE IS GOING BANKRUPT???
It doesn't matter what she studies.
February 2, 2009 - 22:32 ET by mizflame98She can play the victim as long as possible and ride the affirmative action gravy train to gain a minimum degree. Then lie on her application by boosting her education and make up a few degrees in order to become a college professor. That way she can become an activist professor and teach things that she was never trained for. You know, spend 2 years studying psychology and then teach hispanics studies. Yeah, she can do it the way Ward Churchill and many of the other professors chronicled in David Horowitz's book did it. Problem solved for poor Karina.
"Not to be a republican at twenty is proof of want of heart; to be one at thirty is proof of want of head." - Francois Guisot
beautiful summation of
February 3, 2009 - 11:24 ET by maggieqpublicbeautiful summation of conditions at our ‘elite’ universities
feeling sorry
February 3, 2009 - 03:41 ET by m1xramI guess we could feel sorry for her situation if she wasn't taking an entrance position from a citizen. It truly boggles the mind to think the LAT is upset that she can't also steal funds for her schooling from citizens. That level of hate toward America is impressive. Congratulations LAT.
Truely Sad
February 3, 2009 - 10:27 ET by UtherpendWhen I graduated from high school in 1983 I discussed going to college and how to pay for it with my parents. My mother point out that since we were half Native American that there were a lot of programs out there that would pay for my college. But not having grown up on a reservation or even speaking the Apache language I felt it wasn't right to take from someone else who was a true Native, so I worked full time and my parents helped.
Today I see all the colleges basically helping students to scam money from the federal governement and it makes me sick. How is the college not being held libel for allowing illegals to be in classes?
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you".
Get a citizenship, moron
February 3, 2009 - 10:37 ET by CobraManIf you want to act right, then you first need to become a CITIZEN! You can never "act right" when you're living in this country ILLEGALLY!
And these are the type of "smart" people we're sending to college these days?
Obama: My job is above my pay grade
I don't know about you...
February 3, 2009 - 10:50 ET by CobraMan... but I wouldn't want to be "treated" by a psychologist who can't even understand the difference between right and wrong, differentiate between legal and illegal activities. Living in this country illegally is wrong, and no amount of college education is going to change that.
I also wouldn't want to be "treated' by a psychologist who isn't honest. I highly doubt you would be eligible for a license to practice, even in the Sanctuary State of California, unless you LIE on your application. If the only way you can get a job is to LIE about your residency status, if you can't be honest about who you are, then you are already a bad influence, hence a bad psychologist.
Obama: My job is above my pay grade
Maybe CA found it's source for educational funding
February 3, 2009 - 11:27 ET by IndyAdamIf the LAT feels so strongly about this woman's -and all other illegal's - situation, perhaps they should pony up the cash!
She can just write the university an IOU
February 3, 2009 - 14:08 ET by mizflame98If the state of Ca. can get away with doing that for everyone's tax returns, why not the illegal college students?
"Not to be a republican at twenty is proof of want of heart; to be one at thirty is proof of want of head." - Francois Guisot