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TOP STORIES
Friday April 7 2006

Hispanics students worried about immigration bill
4/7/2006 2:44 PM
By: Gretchen Bartelt & Web Staff

(RALEIGH) - While students in California might be walking out of classrooms to protest an immigration bill, in the Triangle, nothing like that is planned.

Hispanic students in central North Carolina who were at an education summit said they are waiting quietly for answers from Capitol Hill. Many are wondering if they will be able to go on to college.

Cecilia Castillo is a senior at Cedar Ridge High School, and she considers herself one of the lucky ones. She is trying to decide where to go to college.

Hispanic students in central North Carolina who were at an education summit said they are waiting quietly for answers from Capitol Hill.

“I'm looking to see if you have accounting degrees,” she said.

In 2000, Cecilia became a United States citizen, but the majority of her friends are not that lucky. She said she is worried they will be deported under a new immigration bill.

“It would be hard to give everyone in the U.S. an opportunity, but at least they should give a chance to those that want to go to college,” Cecilia said.

In Orange County where Cecilia goes to school, only one Hispanic senior went on to higher education after graduating last year.

“It saddens me because a lot of these children have the capabilities to go on and be educated in the future,” said Wanda Rittenhouse, Orange County Schools English as a Second Language coordinator.

What stands in those students way is their immigration status.

The ESL director in Orange County said there are about 300 Hispanic students in the district. Of those, she said more than three quarters are illegal immigrants. Now they have to wait to see if Congress passes the new immigration bill.