I can't believe I'm saying this, but Rick Perry did something right. According to the website Inside Higher Education, in 2001, Governor Rick Perry signed the Noriega Act in Texas into law, which grants in-state tuition rates at Texas' public universities to some students who are illegal aliens.

And while I can't believe I'm praising Perry for something, his decision makes sense. In a campaign so based on ultra-conservative values, this seems surprisingly progressive for Perry.

While Texas was the first state to enact this kind of law, it isn't alone; other states such as California and New York have also enacted laws that allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

Other Republican presidential candidates have picked up on this topic as a source of contention in Perry's campaign. Inside Higher Education quoted former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as saying at a debate, "I've got be honest with you, I don't see how … to go to the University of Texas, if you're an illegal alien, you get an in-state tuition discount."

I don't understand what Romney's problem is. It seems only natural to me that students would be encouraged to go to a college within their state of residence.

Yes, these aren't American citizens, but they are students who want to learn and want to get an education. They may not be American citizens now, but they can make a large contribution to our society and economy if they ever do get citizenship. And this contribution will only be enhanced by their possession of a degree. After all, many of these students have come to the United States with hopes for their future, for the possibility of having a better life in America.

Just as they want to have a better future in America, America has the possibility for a better future with educated immigrants. A basic necessity for a professional career in our economy is some sort of degree from a post-secondary-level institution. It doesn't help us as a country to dissuade people who want to go to college from going to college.

These people want to make something of themselves, and they have the potential to help restart our broken economy.

While the intricacies of the reasons behind illegal immigration are beyond the scope of this article, it is important to realize that people aren't immigrating illegally for the sake of it—they feel they have no choice. Giving them access to education will help them contribute to the country they so desperately want to be a part of.

According to the Inside Higher Education article, "During the 2009-10 academic year, 16,476 students in Texas were granted in-state tuition rates as a result of the Noriega Act, according to the most recent figures available from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board." That's almost 17,000 people who now have the resources and the knowledge to go out and make something of themselves, who have the degree that will allow them to get further in the workplace. By forcing illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition, almost twice the cost of in-state tuition, we are turning away people who may not be able to afford higher education but have a real desire to go to school and further their education.

What's really disappointing is that, partially because of Perry's stance on in-state tuition, his place in the polls has dipped. This isn't to say that I want Perry to be ahead in the polls by any means.

Rather, I don't understand how Perry can be lauded for supporting the teaching of Creationism in public schools, but when he claims to support giving immigrants a chance at a college education he becomes demonized in the eyes of the voters.

According to a recent Huffington Post article, Perry defended his stance by attributing the issue to a states' rights debate, saying that it made sense in Texas but that he wouldn't want the policy to be something mandated in all states.

He also said that the reason behind the decision was that "it was in our best interest as a state, economically and otherwise, to have those young people in our institutions of higher learning and becoming educated as part of our skilled workforce."

Perry's stance on immigration has not been entirely consistent. After sponsoring the Noriega Act, he then opposed the DREAM Act, which would give permanent residency to certain immigrant students without documentation.

According to MSNBC's website, "[Perry's] team has not done a good job of explaining exactly what the differences are between the bill he signed into law and the one Obama supports." There seems to be no cause for the discrepancy.

Still, I do have to give credit where credit is due—I respect Perry slightly more for understanding that the right to education should not be determined by whether or not you are an immigrant.