The Florida House of Judiciary Committee killed a bill April 14 that would have denied financial assistance to foreign students from six of seven countries which the United States has named “sponsors of terrorism.”
The proposed bill sought to block state funds to students from North Korea, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Cuba was also on the state department’s list but was taken out of the bill, according to wire reports, because of Florida’s high Cuban population.
Chancellor Mark Emmert said he was not aware of the Florida bill but said there has been no discussion about implementing a similar bill in Louisiana.
Emmert said he was in favor of tighter controls of student and non-student immigration for safety reasons.
However, Emmert said providing foreign students with the opportunity to study in America provides them with the opportunity to understand who Americans are as people, and the students go back with higher understanding and a positive view of America.
Florida Representative Dick Kravitz, who sponsored the proposal, said taxpayers’ money should go to help Florida students and not to foreign students who might return to regimes opposing America.
According to wire reports, Kravitz also said foreign students from the “terrorist nations” do not need financial aid and could be related to government leaders.
“It is naive to think that any of them are not well-to-do or connected to the regime in power,” Kravitz said, according to wire reports.
Harald Leder, manager of the International Cultural Center said he thought making it more difficult for foreign students to attend Florida colleges and universities might hurt the state more.
“If we want to spread democracy, bring [foreign students] in and show them what the U.S. is about,” he said.
The Florida Department of Education reported that state universities and community colleges used $308,717 to give financial aid to 822 students from the original seven countries on the 2001 and 2002 list.