Thread: Easley: Let immigrants in colleges

Easley: Let immigrants in colleges
Allowing undocumented students to enroll in community colleges ultimately good for N.C., governor says
BENJAMIN NIOLET AND JACK BETTS
McClatchy Newspapers

http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/386153.html


The five top candidates for governor rushed this week to decry a rule allowing illegal immigrants to enroll in community colleges, but Gov. Mike Easley said Friday that allowing them to take classes is good policy.

Politicians pounced on the issue when they learned that the top lawyer for the state's community college system told its 58 campuses to admit illegal immigrants. Previously, the campuses set their own policies.

There are only about 340 such students in the 270,000-student system, but the change has dumped fuel on an explosive debate across the state and nation.

Easley said Friday that allowing illegal immigrants to go to class allows them to be productive members of society and helps the state and nation compete in the world economy.

"The people we are talking about were brought here as babies and young children through no fault of their own," he said. "They distinguished themselves throughout our K-12 system. Now, I'm not willing to grind my heel in their faces and slam the door on them."

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that states and school districts could not deny education to illegal immigrant children from kindergarten to high school. Nothing requires access to higher education for undocumented students.

Critics of the new policy pitched the argument in simple terms: The students aren't here legally and shouldn't be allowed to go to a public community college.

"There's a principle of law," said state Sen. Fred Smith, a Republican and one of five major candidates running to replace Easley. "We're never going to get it fixed if we just wink and nod at it."

Each of the 340 students currently enrolled who are illegal immigrants paid the higher out-of-state tuition, which the system said costs more than the actual cost of the education.

Bill Graham, a Salisbury lawyer and another Republican candidate for governor, said in a statement Friday that the students are a drain on taxpayers and that they take seats away from American citizens.

Nationally, community college systems have increasingly begun to deal with the issue, said Jim Hermes, senior legislative associate for the American Association of Community Colleges. Virginia requires illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition. In South Carolina, individual campuses are left to make their own decisions.

Easley said he is not surprised that the people competing for his job are taking a stand against immigration.

"I think both the Democrats and the Republicans, if they are elected governor, will revisit this issue and will view it through a totally different lens," Easley said. "Because if they set a policy that is destined to build a weaker North Carolina, then they will reap the consequences of that."


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(Raleigh) News & Observer staff writer Ryan Teague Beckwith and Observer staff writer Mark Johnson contributed.

Easley said he is not surprised that the people competing for his job are taking a stand against immigration.

These morons called Politicians just do not have a clue at how P.O. "We the People" are. I hope he is set financially, because I am pretty positive he will be un-employed after the election.

Added to Home Page
http://www.alipac.us/article2755.html

NOTE: This is an expanded and somewhat different article than the lead article at the top of this forum:

Candidates rip admissions ruling
Gubernatorial hopefuls want community colleges closed to illegal immigrants
Benjamin Niolet and Jack Betts, McClatchy Newspapers

The five top candidates for governor rushed this week to decry a rule allowing illegal immigrants to enroll in community colleges, but Gov. Mike Easley said Friday that sending them to class is good policy.
Politicians pounced on the issue when they learned that the top lawyer for the state's community college system told all 58 campuses in the system to admit illegal immigrants. Previously, the campuses set their own policies. There are only about 340 such students in the 270,000-student system, but the change has dumped fuel on an explosive debate across the state and nation.

Easley said allowing illegal immigrants to learn lets them be productive members of society and helps the state and nation compete in the world economy.

"The people we are talking about were brought here as babies and young children through no fault of their own," Easley said Friday. "They distinguished themselves throughout our K-12 system. Now, I'm not willing to grind my heel in their faces and slam the door on them."

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that states and school districts could not deny education to illegal immigrant children from kindergarten to high school. Nothing guarantees access to higher education for undocumented students.

Critics of the new policy pitched the argument in simple terms: The students aren't here legally and shouldn't be allowed to go to a public community college.

"There's a principle of law," said state Sen. Fred Smith, a Republican and one of five major candidates running to replace Easley. "We're never going to get it fixed if we just wink and nod at it."

The federal Department of Homeland Security estimates that in 2006 there were 11.6 million illegal immigrants in the nation. Immigration issues have become national frenzies, and the debates are felt acutely in North Carolina, where the Hispanic population has grown at one of the fastest rates in the nation this decade. In 2004, there were an estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants in the state, according to the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington.

The argument over North Carolina's community college issue involves less than 1 percent of students. Each of the 340 students paid the higher out-of-state tuition, which the system said more than covers the cost of education.

Bill Graham, a Salisbury lawyer and another Republican candidate for governor, said in a statement Friday that the students are a drain on taxpayers and that they take seats away from American citizens.

Marisol Jimenez McGee, advocacy director for the statewide Latino group El Pueblo, said the focus on community colleges puts the emphasis in the wrong place.

"I think the conversation we should be having is for comprehensive immigration reform," she said.

Facing the issue

Nationally, community college systems have increasingly begun to deal with the issue, said Jim Hermes, senior legislative associate for the American Association of Community Colleges. The group has pushed for legislation that would make it easier for students to earn citizenship and would allow states to decide whether to charge in-state or out-of state tuition rates for undocumented students.

Virginia requires illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition, said Jeffrey Kraus, assistant vice chancellor for public relations at Virginia's community college system. Just about every year, a state lawmaker in Virginia files a bill about the policy. One has already been filed for the session beginning in January.

In South Carolina, each campus is left to make its own decision.

Easley said he is not surprised the people competing for his job are against the new policy.

"I think both the Democrats and the Republicans, if they are elected governor, will revisit this issue and will view it through a totally different lens," Easley said. "Because if they set a policy that is destined to build a weaker North Carolina, then they will reap the [consequences] of that."

Not many candidates these days would ever say they were in favor of illegal immigration, said Andy Taylor, a political scientist at N.C. State University.

"It's easy to say you're against it," Taylor said. "The real debate now is over what do you do after that?"
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/804556.html

>From: "Governor Office" <Governor.Office@ncmail.net>
>To:
>Subject: RE: Governor's Web Site - Other
>Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:42:28 -0500
>
>Thank you for your email about the NC Community College System and the
>admission of undocumented individuals.
>
>
>
>The November 7, 2007, memo to all community college presidents was issued
>from the office of the NC Community College System President Martin
>Lancaster. Since this was a decision made solely by the Community College
>System, you should direct your concerns to President Lancaster at
>LANCASTER@ncccs.cc.nc.us or by calling 919.807.6950.
>
>
>
>The letter that has been reported and referenced by the Community College
>System Office as their basis for their most recent decision was written in
>the office of the Attorney General in 1997 and had nothing to do with
>immigration but instead dealt with the issue of whether or not a convicted
>felon could attend a community college when ordered by the court to do so.
>
>
>
>Claire Ennis
>
>Office of the Governor
>
>
>
>
>Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 3:56 PM
>To: Governor.Office@ncmail.net
>Subject: Governor's Web Site - Other
>
>>Mailing City, State Zip:
>
>Kensington, MD 20895
>>
>Subject:
>
>Other
>>
>Message:
>
>What part of ILLEGAL is confusing to you? My children will not get in state
>tuition in NC so why should people who said the heck with our laws get it.
>If they are old enough to go to college they are old enough to go home and
>apply legally.

Easley is passing the buck, paravour. Thanks for getting involved. You are a GREAT AMERICAN.