{"id":128948,"date":"2023-06-09T00:01:50","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T04:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=128948"},"modified":"2023-06-08T13:38:59","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T17:38:59","slug":"university-of-california-plans-to-hire-illegal-immigrants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/university-of-california-plans-to-hire-illegal-immigrants\/","title":{"rendered":"University of California plans to hire illegal immigrants"},"content":{"rendered":"

One immigration law expert says it incentivizes the wrong behavior<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The University of California Board of Regents recently voted to move forward with plans to hire illegal immigrant students for campus jobs, despite federal law seeming to prohibit it.<\/p>\n

The new policy<\/a> directs a \u201cworking group\u201d to come up with implementation plans by the end of 2023.<\/p>\n

The change comes after scholars with the UCLA Center for Law and Immigration Policy, Hiroshi Motmura and Ahilan Arulanaltham, published a letter<\/a> that argued the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 does not apply to states.<\/p>\n

Arulanaltham told The College Fix<\/em> via email that he hopes to be involved in implementation of the new \u201cEquitable Student Employment Opportunities\u201d policy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe UC Regents have yet to set up their task force to pursue implementation (at least so far as know), but we are hopeful they will consult with UC students directly impacted by this proposal and me and my colleagues at the Center for Immigration Law and Policy to the extent possible,\u201d the law professor told The Fix<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The law center\u2019s \u201clegal analysis has been publicly endorsed by 29 of the most respected immigration and constitutional law professors from around the country, including the Deans of the UC Berkeley and UC Davis law schools,\u201d Arulanaltham said.<\/p>\n

The Fix<\/em> had asked what specific court cases led to the conclusion that the immigration act of 1986 did not apply to the states. The law<\/a> made it \u201cunlawful for a person or other entity\u201d to hire someone who is \u201cunauthorized to work\u201d in the country.<\/p>\n

MORE:<\/strong> Biden immigration rule will harm American college graduates<\/a><\/p>\n

Arulanaltham explained that the legal analysis covered a variety of Supreme Court cases to conclude \u201cthat state entities like the University of California are not bound by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said that there \u201care currently thousands of college students at state universities in California who cannot obtain the same educational employment opportunities as their peers solely due to their immigration status,\u201d such as \u201cwork study jobs, paid internships, student leadership positions in campus organizations\u201d and other paid opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor that reason, our proposal could serve as an important way of ensuring equal educational opportunity among all admitted students,\u201d the professor said.<\/p>\n

However, a former chief counsel for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who also advised Republicans in the U.S. House for two decades on immigration issues disagreed with the UC decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf UC officials go forward and actually knowingly hire aliens not authorized to work under federal law, the university system will face potential civil and criminal penalties, and the officials involved will face potential criminal penalties,\u201d George Fishman told The Fix<\/em> via email. He currently works as a legal fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies and previously served in President Donald Trump’s administration.<\/p>\n

Although Fishman believes these plans will not go unpunished, he says that this will depend on the federal government\u2019s willingness to pursue legal action against the university system.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether they will actually be investigated, fined, or prosecuted depends on the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security,\u201d Fishman said. \u201cIt may or may not happen under the Biden administration, but could still be pursued by a future administration.\u201c<\/p>\n

While there is a possibility that the University of California will face sanctions in the future for their plans to hire illegal immigrants, Fishman told The Fix<\/em> that the UC system’s plans will degrade immigration law and hurt Americans.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing State universities to knowingly hire and employ unauthorized aliens trivializes the immigration laws and condones and encourages future violations, to the detriment of the job opportunities and future career prospects of American students and workers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He predicted that \u201cpublic university systems\u201d in other states \u201cwould follow UC\u2019s lead either on their own initiative or that of their State governments or under pressure from students, professors, or outside groups.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE:<\/strong> Ban students from China until espionage stops, expert suggests<\/a><\/p>\n

IMAGE: Chad Zuber\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n

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