Thread: NC: UNC will keep admitting illegals

UNC will keep admitting illegal immigrants
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ


The University of North Carolina will continue to admit illegal immigrants at its 16 campuses until the Attorney General receives further clarification of federal statutes relating to the admission of undocumented students.
Erskine Bowles, UNC president, responded this afternoon to today's decision by the state community college system to no longer admit illegal immigrants to degree programs, based on an advisory letter from Attorney General's office.

"This advisory letter (not a formal Attorney General's opinion) was based on one lawyer's in the Attorney General's Office interpretation of federal statutes, the enforcement and administration of which rests with the Secretary of Homeland Security," Bowles wrote in a letter to the UNC Board of Governors.

Gov. Mike Easley also questioned the state community college system.

"It is odd the Community Colleges would ask for clarification on the law and then change the policy before they get the clarification," he said in a statement.

Last November, the North Carolina Community College System issued a directive that all 58 community colleges admit undocumented immigrants under the system's "open door" policy. Subsequently, the community college system asked the Attorney General to clarify the legality of this position.

On May 6, the Attorney General's Office advised that restricting the admission of illegal immigrants "would more likely withstand judicial scrutiny."

"We asked the Attorney General's Office for clarification of our present policy and will abide by their advice," said System President R. Scott Ralls. "We will continue to be a primary source of economic advancement for the state by providing world-class education and workforce training to every student eligible to enroll."

Community College System officials say only 112 of 297,000 degree-seeking students were illegal immigrants.

http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/622305.html

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http://www.alipac.us/ftopic-115327-0.html