Thread: NC:Immigrant policy costly, impractical

Immigrant policy costly, impractical
May 19, 2008 - 7:59PM
THE ISSUE
The North Carolina Attorney General's Office has directed community colleges to prohibit illegal immigrants from entering curriculum degree programs

POINTS OF DEBATE
In the 2006-07 academic year, the system had 296,540 curriculum students; 112 of those students lacked proper documentation

THE STAR'S VIEW
Government officials shouldn't ignore the presence of illegal immigrants, but they should prioritize and measure benefits vs. costs before acting

Illegal immigration presents an obvious problem. Then again, so does a shortage of perspective and proportion about how the government addresses it.

Last week, the North Carolina Attorney General's Office directed community colleges to prohibit illegal immigrants from entering curriculum degree programs. During the 2006-07 academic year, the community college system had 296,540 curriculum students; 112 of those students lacked proper documentation.

In other words, the attorney general's office spent an unknown amount of time, money and other resources to research an issue involving far less than 1 percent of community college students statewide.

Likewise, the colleges will spend an unknown amount of time, money and other resources to make sure they're in compliance with this new policy involving far less than 1 percent of the student population.

By no means should government officials ignore the presence of illegal immigrants. What they should do, with illegal immigration or any other issue, is prioritize and measure benefits vs. costs before acting.

Like those government leaders, the rest of us need to maintain perspective and a sense of proportion. Otherwise, we can find ourselves drifting away from practical answers to sub-1 percent problems.
http://www.shelbystar.com/articles/ille ... culum.html

Don't governments always find a ridiculously expensive way to do nearly everything?

I'm so tired of reading only "112" illegals are registered. In reality, they have no way of knowing unless they have required documentation of legal status for everyone admitted.

Does anybody really believe illegal students would have any qualms about falsifying their applications? I don't. After all, look at the culture in which they grew up.

In the 2006-07 academic year, the system had 296,540 curriculum students; 112 of those students lacked proper documentation

No one seriously believes its only 112. They don't check for fraudulent documentation, which is how the majority of illegals "hide in the shadows".

Pretend it is 112 today. Lets stop it today while the numbers are low. Given the number of illegal aliens in NC, it will be 15,000 in ten years if we don't stop it.