**Vote in this poll by clicking on the link at the bottom:

Do you think illegal immigrants should be allowed to attend community colleges?
-Yes, education is a basic right and they should be given the same opportunities.
-No, they are not legal citizens and do not have the same rights.
-I don't know.
-None of the above.
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The Daily Tar Heel
Lawmakers looking into admissions
Illegal immigrants are focus of new bill

By: Devin Rooney, State & National Editor

Issue Date 6/5/08 Section: State & NationalI

Illegal immigrants in North Carolina could soon see a clearer path to higher education if a new bill passes the N.C. General Assembly.

N.C. representatives have proposed a bill that prohibits the UNC-system and the N.C. Community College System from considering immigration status in the admissions process.

N.C. Representatives Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, Dan Blue, D-Wake, and Paul Luebke, D-Durham, are all primary sponsors of the bill.

Audrey Bailey, spokeswoman for the N.C. Community College System, said the recent controversial policy disallowing illegal immigrants from acceptance into degree programs was made at the behest of legal advice by the N.C. Attorney General's Office.

Bailey said if the bill passes and is signed into law, the community college system would once again accept illegal immigrants but charge them out-of-state tuition.

"All we want to do is educate as many people as we legally can," she said.

"We follow the law, if the legislature changes then we will change."

Harrison said she decided to sponsor the bill because she was not happy with the policy set by Scott Ralls, the N.C. Community College System president. The policy was instituted May 13.

"I was pretty upset with the (N.C.) Attorney General and with the Community College president for instituting that policy."

Harrison added that she had previously sponsored a bill to guarantee illegal immigrants in-state tuition, which she said was greeted with "ugliness and venom."

"I was expecting it to be like that with this bill," she said.

But she said she was surprised because the responses she's received to the latest bill have been overwhelmingly positive.

Luebke said that he sponsored the bill because he believes educating illegal immigrants empowers them to give back to the state.

"It only makes sense to allow those who are wanting an education, and who are bilingual, who have much to contribute to multicultural North Carolina to get a higher education."

He added that because illegal immigrants pay out-of-state tuition, the state actually makes a profit when they take classes.

Bailey said the community college system is only trying to stop short of being a lawmaking body. She added that the federal laws don't provide much guidance on the issue.

"The problem is the law regarding immigration is very vague. It needs to be clarified; it needs to be rewritten. It needs to have strict guidelines, it doesn't," she said.

"It is frustrating but we don't set law."

When system leaders first set the new policy, they asked the N.C. Attorney General to provide federal clarification from the Department of Homeland Security. They are still waiting for clarification.

"A letter has been sent," she said. "We have to wait. We are very patient."

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