NC: Southern state's immigration stance stirs controversy

Southern state's immigration stance stirs controversy
Fri Dec 7, 11:57 AM ET



North Carolina's decision to order community colleges to admit illegal immigrants has stirred fresh debate over one the thorniest issues in the 2008 presidential race.

Reaction to the directive, issued by state authorities, has been overwhelmingly negative in this conservative southern state, and the five major candidates for governor -- Democrats and Republicans -- have opposed the new policy.

But North Carolina Community College System's president, Martin Lancaster defended the move.

"The vast majority of students who might pursue an educational opportunity at a community college came to this country as young children having no choice in the matter," Lancaster said.

"It is not only the right law and policy, but it is the right thing to do."

Community colleges are the state's main provider of workforce training and adult education.

But the leading Republican gubernatorial candidate, state Senator Fred Smith, sent a letter to North Carolina's attorney general arguing that the new policy flouts federal law as it could encourage people to enter the United States illegally.

The state's attorney general Roy Cooper will review state and federal law to determine the legality of the policy, his office said.

Controversy over the issue spread nationwide as conservative radio and TV hosts had a field day denouncing the policy.

Immigration consistently ranks as one of the top issues in US politics.

A comprehensive immigration reform bill that would have boosted security along the US-Mexico border and offered a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants died in the US Senate earlier this year. Opponents said the legislation would have offered "amnesty" to law-breaking immigrants.

Last month, in the face of strong outcry, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer withdrew a proposal to enable undocumented immigrants to receive driver's licenses.

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I favor allowing illegal alien students to attend public colleges. Among other things it has an even greater effect on their income if they go back to their legal home countries than stay here. Access to higher education for illegal aliens should not be done with state funds. If they want to pay for the tuition themselves at a non subsidized rate for as long as they can avoid deportation fine. There is an annoying presumption on the part of the backers of this ruling that America can not enforce it's own immigration law. Then on top of that there is the grant of a student visa to illegal aliens in preference to other foreign students who are legal applicants.

What will happen to them after graduation if they don't go home? I don't think very many of them will since their families are here. When these students receives their degrees, how will they use them? They would either work under the table or use stolen SS#s both of which are illegal. How would this benefit anybody?

I think you're right about illegal aliens having preference over other international students who have to jump through all kinds of hoops to even complete an application. This isn't fair to them either.

I have met some very impressive foreign students who are here for one purpose and one purpose only. They are earning degreees in medicine, teaching, sciences, agriculture, etc. They all want to go home and help make things better in their own country. This will shock you. They like America and Americans but they love their own countries more and their purpose does not change. Shocking isn't it?

I don't want Americans to be denied an education. I don't want these people who have a chance to make a real impact in their countries denied an education either. No American school should put illegal aliens ahead of either group. That's wrong.