Fresno State student body president acknowledges he is an illegal immigrant, refuses to step down

[The Straight Story]

Fresno State student body president acknowledges he is an illegal immigrant, refuses to step down


Illegal Pedro Ramirez, Fresno State University's student body president, is an undocumented immigrant serving in the position without pay.

Ramirez, 23, attends school on scholarships and pays in-state tuition. California is one of 10 states that permit undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition -- a position that was upheld by the state Supreme Court this week.

After his election last June, he told the administration he would serve without pay -- a $9,000 stipend -- because he could not lie on employment papers. On Tuesday, an anonymous tip to the college newspaper forced Ramirez to go public.

Ramirez, who came to U.S. at the age of 3, said he did not know he was not a citizen until he was a senior in high school. As long as he can remember, he said, his parents -- a maid and a restaurant worker -- have told him he must work hard and achieve the American dream. He said they did not tell him he was not born in this country until he began applying to universities.


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/fresno-state-student-body-president-acknowledges-he-is-an-illegal-immigrant-but-he-refuses-to-step-d.html

[John Q. Citizen]

1. He's a brave soul.

[DBoon]

2. He needs to be brave

He now has a bull's eye on his back for all the freepers

[pinboy3niner]

3. "Refuses to step down"

Who has demanded that he step down? There is no indication of that in the story, nor is there any indication that holding citizenship or legal residency is a requirement for holding that office.

The headline suggests an issue that isn't supported by the story. When the CSUF Collegian broke the story yesterday, this was the headline: "BREAKING NEWS: ASI president an undocumented immigrant, serves without pay."

http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2010/11/16/breaking-news-asi-president-an-undocumented-immigrant-serves-without-pay/

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. The Dream Act would solve this problem.

Hopefully it will pass soon.

[pinboy3niner]

5. +1

The CSUF Collegian also reported:

"Ramirez is trying to coordinate an event in the Free Speech Area this Friday from 11a.m. to 1p.m. to support the DREAM Act. He hopes to have several university officials in attendance."

http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2010/11/16/breaking-news-asi-president-an-undocumented-immigrant-serves-without-pay/

[hunter]

6. There's a whole lotta people here who'd punish kids for the omissions of their parents...

... and the look-the-other-way policies of U.S. employers.

There's no reason that someone who grew up in the USA should not to be a citizen. For kids like Ramirez obtaining U.S. citizenship ought to be easy.