EDITORIAL: Immigration bill punishes students, state

Whatever is driving the anti-immigration sentiment in the Indiana General Assembly – whether it’s a sincere concern for the state’s economic well-being or a belief that undocumented residents should be punished – it threatens to set the state back by decades.

In targeting students striving to reach academic goals, the proposal represents a mean-spirited and backward approach as Indiana struggles to raise educational achievement and per-capita earnings.

Senate Bill 590, authored by Carmel Republican Michael Delph and modeled after Arizona’s controversial immigration law, includes provisions aimed at restricting education opportunities for immigrants. Without proper documentation, students wouldn’t be eligible for in-state tuition or state aid.