wsoctv.com
RALEIGH, North Carolina -- North Carolina's community college system said Tuesday it will no longer admit new illegal immigrants into degree programs, following the advice of the state Attorney General's Office.
Last year, the system said it would enroll illegal immigrants who are 18 years old and high school graduates at all of its 58 campuses. That change was supported by (Democrat) Gov. Mike Easley, but it provoked heavy criticism -- especially from the leading candidates running to replace the outgoing governor.
The system later asked North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper for guidance on whether the admissions policy was legal under federal law.
Last week, Cooper's office suggested the system drop the open admissions policy for illegal immigrants it adopted last November and that clarification would be sought from federal immigration officials. Cooper's office said that under federal law the state would have to pass a law to allow the admissions.
This week, the system's general counsel, Shante Martin, said in a memo to all campuses that the system would return to its policy set in 2001. That policy said illegal immigrants weren't eligible under federal law "for most state or local public benefits. Post-secondary education (college) is one of those benefits that undocumented or illegal aliens are not eligible to receive."
Posted by tyne at May 14, 2008