Protesters gathered outside Florida Sen. Steve Oelrich's office Friday evening to confront the senator for voting against a bill that would have allowed some children of undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition.
The Senate Higher Education Committee turned down the measure on Jan. 31.
Oelrich is the chair of that committee.
The bill, SB 1018, would have allowed students who attended Florida high schools for at least two consecutive years to pay in-state tuition if they enrolled within 12 months of their high school graduation.
This would have included children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants.
Victor Yengle, a 23-year-old economics junior, said he organized the vigil as an attempt to change the senator's mind after Oelrich killed the bill.
"They've managed to turn this into us versus them," he said. "Illegals versus people."
Oelrich greeted the 19 protesters and defended his position.
He said it is a tradition in Florida for the parents' origin to determine residency.
He gave an example of his son, who paid out-of-state tuition in Colorado because his parents lived in Florida.
"I've yet to see why this is a bad system," Oelrich said.
The comment rustled the group, prompting some passionate counterarguments before Oelrich rushed to another meeting.
One remark came from Gainesville City Commissioner Randy Wells, who addressed the senator directly.
"The system is creating two citizenship classes," he said. "Don't visit the sins of the father on the son."
Linguistics junior David Sleeth, 20, and business senior Maria Novoa, 21, listen to Sen. Steve Oelrich comment about his rejection of a bill that would have granted U.S citizens of undocumented parents in-state tuition at a candlelight vigil on Friday.
