From the debate on a bill to allow children of immigrants who attend Connecticut high schools for four years and then graduate to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities - transcript of the Connecticut House of Representatives - January 3, 2007:

REP. TONG: (147^th)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of this Amendment. Like many who have spoken today, I am the son of two immigrants and of four immigrant grandparents.

And I've never been ashamed to say that, shortly after I was born, my father's immigration status was in doubt. And so for a period, I was once the child of someone who some may call, or may have called, illegal.

And after a personal appeal to President Nixon by letter, my father was allowed to stay in this country and in this state. And since then, our family has made a lifelong commitment to Connecticut.

My grandfather, an immigrant, worked for the U. S. Army for much of his career. He worked for NASA. He worked for the Colt Firearms Manufacturing Company here in Hartford.

And my parents were small business people running a Chinese restaurant in Hartford and in Avon and in Wethersfield, and now their son serves in this Chamber.

But I can tell you that I would not be here today without a quality education. The education of the schools of this state provided. As a citizen, I did not take advantage of an in-state tuition.

So to give a little perspective on what it takes for immigrant families to pay an out-of-state tuition, I wanted to share our experience. Let me tell you what it took. It took never seeing my parents. Seven days a week, 15 hours a day in a Chinese restaurant. My father had a heart attack before he was 40.

My mother continues to have chronic back pain from standing when she was pregnant with us, in a Chinese restaurant because that's what she had to do. Parents should not have to kill themselves and bankrupt themselves to provide a better life for their children in this state and in this country.

And that's what my parents had to do. And I celebrate that, but I can tell you that neither I nor my sisters nor my parents would ever wish that on anybody. And I want to focus again on the kids. We're talking about children here and the kids who would take advantage of an in-state tuition.

And I'm someone who continues to carry a crushing debt from these successive out-of-state tuitions I had to pay.

And from personal experience, I can tell you on behalf of myself and my wife, that is not something I would wish on anyone. Now, I just want to close and respond to the comments about, what about the people who have waited in line?

What about the people who did it the right way, quote, unquote. Is it fair to them? Is it fair to those people who made the tremendous sacrifices? Well, I'd say this. First, immigrants who persevere and make it here to this country, whether documented or not, they all make immeasurable sacrifices.

And I, too, have relatives who have waited for a long time and many in greater China and in Asia who continue to wait. But speaking on behalf of my family, to the immigrant families in this state, whether documented or not, I can tell you there is no resentment here. No sense of injustice. No sense of unfairness. Only hope.

Hope that they can take advantage of this great education system. Hope that they can find the same success my family found in this state. Hope that they can find a community that welcomes them as much as we've been welcomed, and that they can find a place in this state to call home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.