N.C.: Board backs keeping illegal immigrants out of communit

[Jean]

Board backs keeping illegal immigrants out of community colleges

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 12:00 AM
By Karissa Minn


The Rowan County Board of Commissioners heard from several people Monday about the illegal immigration resolution they later passed unanimously.

The resolution calls for the prohibition of illegal immigrants from attending the state's community colleges. It is a response to a decision by the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges in September 2009 allowing illegal immigrants to enroll. Commissioners are requesting that the N.C. General Assembly not allow this policy.

Larry Wright, a Rowan County resident, spoke in favor of the resolution during the public comment period.

"Community colleges are paid for with tax money," Wright said. "I find it very difficult to believe that illegal aliens would fully pay their way."

Salisbury resident LaShon Harris disagreed, saying many immigrants do pay taxes regardless of their legal status.

Harris said that if the goal of the resolution is accomplished, it would serve to keep illegal immigrants in poverty and degradation with no chance of bettering themselves or their community.

"Is it good, and is it right, to withhold an opportunity afforded so many of us to those who, in all reality, need it most?" he asked. "I believe that you and I would have to agree that it is not."

County resident Barbara Gainey said denying illegal immigrants an education removes students' hope for a better future.

"One student who I know is illegal graduated as one of the top students in a high school here in Rowan County," Gainey said. "At this point, he cannot do anything more."

William Henry Battermann, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Salisbury, said he also opposed the resolution.

"I think society is well-served when as many people as possible have equal access to all benefits of that society, especially those who are lowest of all," Battermann said.

He noted that commissioners used the term "illegal aliens" in the resolution.

"For some people, 'alien' is a pejorative word," he said. "However, in my field of Old Testament scholarship, it is a word that has great distinction. Aliens are put together with widows and orphans as ones who are called upon to have special privileges."

Commissioner Chad Mitchell, who is a civics teacher, said the resolution uses "illegal aliens" because it is the accepted legal and academic term for those who cross the border illegally.

"An immigrant is one who is expected to stay here either permanently or semi-permanently," Mitchell said. "An illegal alien, if our government catches them, will not be staying here. They will be deported."

A copy of the resolution was sent by Brunswick County to all other counties in the state last week. Commissioners there had approved it, and they asked the other 99 counties to do the same.

Commissioners approved a change requested by Raymond Coltrain to add a section calling for the state and federal legislative bodies to explore immigration reform.

Coltrain said that even though the laws need to be changed, until that happens, they need to be followed. He said extra help should be given only to immigrants who are trying to become citizens, or who have green cards or work visas.

"We should do all that we can to help them, but at the same time, they've got to want to help themselves by trying to follow our processes," Coltrain said.

Chairman Carl Ford also stressed the importance of following the law.

"I don't want to put anybody down, hinder anybody or hurt anybody, but I want them to do things the legal way and not put any more strain on our community colleges," Ford said.

Jeff Lowrance, director of college relations at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, said in an interview Tuesday that the effect of the policy on RCCC might not be very noticeable.

"We would not expect a great impact either way, simply because there does not seem to be a great population of undocumented immigrants who are looking to attend college here," Lowrance said.

He said that RCCC currently follows the policy that went into effect in May 2008, which prohibits illegal immigrants from attending or enrolling in degree programs.

"When the current policy went into effect, we had one undocumented immigrant as a student at that time," he said.

The policy passed in September 2009 still must go through the administrative rules process, which typically takes six to 12 months, Lowrance said.

That policy would allow illegal immigrants to attend as long as they are graduates of a U.S. high school, pay out-of-state tuition and don't displace a North Carolina or U.S. resident from a class or program.

www.salisburypost.com

[jonhaloi]

"One student who I know is illegal graduated as one of the top students in a high school here in Rowan County," Gainey said. "At this point, he cannot do anything more."


Yes, he can. He can get the hell out of our country.

[ReggieMay]

Harris said that if the goal of the resolution is accomplished, it would serve to keep illegal immigrants in poverty and degradation with no chance of bettering themselves or their community.

With the excellent K-12 education they received for free, courtesy of the American taxpayer, they could certainly find a good job in Mexico and improve their home communities.

[GaPatriot]

Hopefully with the money from his new job in Mexico, he can reimburse the taxpayers of NC for schooling and healthcare costs while he was on the backs of taxpayers.

[Judy]

Good for Rowan County and I hope the other 99 counties pass the same resolution unanimously as well.

Wake Up North Carolina!

It's time for illegal aliens to go home. Stop the magnets, stop the pandering, stop the benefits, stop the employers, and send them home to their land of citizenship.