Certain generous rich persons and institutions of northern California think that illegal aliens attending an elite university deserve financial help. It’s sad to see the prominent Haas family drawn to such an unworthy cause, the promotion of lawbreaking. Their grants have leaned toward diversity do-goodery, although with worthwhile efforts like support of local parks. However, becoming an enabler of foreign lawbreakers is certainly a step beyond.

Specifically, the Walter and Elise Haas Foundation has given UC Berkeley (home of the Haas School of Business) $1 million so the illegal alien students there won’t have to struggle.

In addition, Elise Haas recently donated $300,000 to help set up the new Robert D. Haas Dreamers Resource Center which will provide support services for illegal alien students.

It would seem the already existing Initiative for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity could adequately coddle the alien students’ whims, given the office’s staff of 150 and budget of $17 million. But apparently the alien kiddies require even more special treatment.

The number given for illegal alien students at UC Berkeley is estimated at 200 — which means 200 worthy citizen students were displaced. The University of California is financially supported by the tax dollars of state residents for the benefit of our own young people, which explains why in-state tuition is cheaper for residents than it is for auslanders.

Yet lawbreaking foreigners in California get the taxpayer-subsidized in-state tuition while out-of-state Americans do not. Such is the looking-glass universe of the modern USA where it is more advantageous to be a foreign lawbreaker than a citizen.

Assembly Member Tim Donnelly (an opponent of illegal alien pampering) noted on Facebook:

Thanks to the California Dream Act (Part B: AB130), illegal aliens can receive private scholarships to go to taxpayer subsidized colleges and universities. It is amazing to me that those of us who pay more than our fair share of taxes to keep those schools open, whose kids can barely get enough classes to graduate, who have had our students denied CalGrants ($54 million cut to California students who attend private schools) while we set aside $65 million for illegals to take their place are not protesting on the campus of UC Berkeley right now. They just raised our taxes to keep the education complex afloat.

While Gov. Jerry Brown insists the DREAMers are economically valuable, you have to wonder about how useful an education the kiddies are choosing. Ethnic studies appears to be a popular major, although figures are not available. America has quite enough raza organizers already, one would think.

Below, Alejandro Jimenez majored in ethnic studies while he was a student at UC Berkeley. His wall decor indicates a fondness for open-borders socialism.

KGO of San Francisco at least presented brief remarks from Glynn Custard as a contrary voice:

Cal creates $1M fund for undocumented students, KGO TV San Francisco, December 11, 2012

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) — A new million dollar scholarship fund established at UC Berkeley will offer financial aid to undocumented students. It’s the first of its kind in the nation and it’s not without controversy.

Uriel Rivera escaped from the violence of his hometown in Mexico when he was only 16. He landed in Los Angeles. A few years later, Rivera graduated with honors and was the only student at his high school to get into UC Berkeley.

“Everyone was happy except me because I was like, ‘Yeah I got in, but how am I going to go,’” he said. “I won’t be able to go. How am I going to pay for it?”

Because he is undocumented, Rivera is not eligible for any federal aid, including Pell grants. He’s had to take on odd jobs to help pay for college. But that hasn’t been enough.

“Many of us decided to drop out, to say we are no longer able to be students,” Rivera said.

Rivera and others reached out to Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. Birgeneau decided to spearhead a scholarship program with the help of The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, which just donated $1 million. About 200 undocumented students at Cal will receive a portion of the private money.

“It’s an investment in them, their futures and what they will do for this state and this country over time,” fund spokesperson Ira Hirschfield said.

Another $300,000 was recently donated by Elise Haas to help create the Robert D. Haas Dreamers Resource Center, where undocumented students get the support services they need.

“It provides student access to a UC Berkeley education and tells the students and family, ‘If you get into UC Berkeley, we are going to support you,’” program coordinator Meng So said.

In 2011, the California legislature passed a bill giving undocumented students access to state grants starting next fall. AB 131 has always been controversial.

Glynn Custred co-authored Proposition 209, which ended affirmative action preferences in the public sector.

“The state of California turns around and says we will ignore the federal law and the federal government doesn’t seem to do anything about it,” Custred said.

“Some people feel that if anyone didn’t go through the process that they don’t belong here, that’s a political view and I can’t do anything about that; these are extraordinary, talented people and furthermore in the current era with all of the challenges we have in California, we cannot afford to waste this kind of talent,” Birgeneau said.

Ju Hong, an undocumented student from South Korea, is taking that to heart.
“Education is the only way to help my family and help myself and to contribute to our society,” Hong said.

About 200 students will benefit from the scholarship. It will cover only a portion of their fees, about $5,000.

Other universities like Texas and Michigan like what they see at Berkeley. They too want to start a similar scholarship program.