Illegal Immigrant Attends Georgetown University on Financial Aid, Pays Only $11.50 this Semester

An illegal immigrant from Mexico is attending Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. for only $11.50 this semester, as he’s receiving financial aid to cover the more than $30,000 tuition.

Mizraim Belman Guerrero, who immigrated from Mexico to Austin, Texas with his family at age four, is attending Georgetown University as an undocumented immigrant, as reported by Circa.com.

“He qualifies for financial aid like any other student at Georgetown, and this semester he’s paying just $11.50 of the close to $33,000 tuition bill,” reports Circa’s Fernando Hurtado. “Financial aid isn’t the only resource Georgetown offers undocumented students. Earlier this year, it launched an undocumented students resource page for prospective students looking to get into the university.”

Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard — like Georgetown — don’t prevent a student from being accepted based on immigration status.

Georgetown also has a student group called UndocuHoyas, which has requested that the university keep housing open throughout the holidays so undocumented students don’t have the “risk of flying home for fear of deportation,” according to Hurtado.

Georgetown issued a statement explaining why it spends money on undocumented students.

“In keeping with our Catholic-Jesuit tradition, Georgetown has a long history of admitting students regardless of immigration status,” Georgetown responded in an email, according to Hurtado. “Georgetown University is committed to ensuring that our students have the resources they need to attend by meeting a students’ full financial need.”

Federation for American Immigration Reform president Dan Stein blasted the university, suggesting it’s “felony harboring.”

“You cannot have a university assisting in somebody remaining here illegally,” Stein stated. “Knowing they’re here illegally, this is felony harboring under the immigration law.”

Hurtado argues that there isn’t a current law for private institutions regarding undocumented students. However, he notes that pubic universities are permitted to admit undocumented immigrants, but cannot permit them to receive financial aid.