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OPINION

Editorial: Revised policy ignores law for illegal workers

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Comments (11)

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

(Updated 3:00 am)

Let's say someone who is in this country illegally enrolls in a state community college and gets a degree. Then what?

The contradiction in the State Board of Community Colleges policy approved last week that allows illegal immigrants to enroll in community colleges is that federal law prohibits employers from hiring undocumented workers.

And that's not about to change until Congress tackles the seemingly intractable issue of how to deal with the nation's undocumented population, which numbers in the millions.

Backers of the board's revision say it's wrong to keep in limbo young people trying to better themselves while politicians dither over reform. Many of these potential students, they point out, are Americans in every way -- except under the law.

Some were brought here as infants or youngsters and have no ties to their parents' homeland. But that conveniently overlooks their illegal status.

As for their education, North Carolina, like other states, operates under a confusing patchwork of contradictory rules. Here, public schools -- kindergarten through grade 12 -- must educate all students, including illegal immigrants. The UNC system admits them if they've graduated from a U.S. high school and agree to pay higher out-of-state tuition.

But the constraints approved by the community college board appear to be so restrictive that few young people here illegally probably will sign up for classes on the system's 58 campuses anyway. When illegal immigrants were last permitted to enroll in state community colleges two years ago, the numbers were negligible -- only 112 out of an estimated 200,000 took college-credit classes.

That isn't expected to change much, if at all, when the new policy takes effect no sooner than fall 2010.

Under the new rules, not only will tuition five times the in-state rate be assessed, but those accepted for study will be denied financial aid and won't be allowed to take classes leading to a skill that requires state licensing. Also, legal residents will have priority if class space is limited.

Under such tough restrictions, who would apply? Who could?

While no doubt well-intended, the board's policy rewrite comes off more as window-dressing than substance. As written, it won't affect many students and will have little impact on a recessionary job market.

Granted, some high school graduates here illegally may not now be able to reach their full potential. Even so, Congress first needs to pass comprehensive reform defining legal status -- including paths to an education and ultimately a job.

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Doug Johnson

September 23, 2009 - 6:29 am EDT

Once again folks are awarded for breaking the law.
We should be enforcing our laws!
With NC unemployment rate over 10% ,
the state should be cracking down on illegals.
Sounds to me these people are aiding and abetting crooks.
However, I am sure they accomplished their goal, more votes for democrats.

JP

September 23, 2009 - 6:03 pm EDT

So, why not crackdown on all the 'small businessmen" picking up undocumented workers in front of Home Depot for contracting work? We create demand for these worker then make their life miserable when they come to work. And we blame them without looking at our neighbors.

Badgolfer1

September 23, 2009 - 8:22 pm EDT

You are correct. Some businesses like contractors have ways of not reporting work done, so as to subvert tax or hiring laws, such as in accepting cash for work done or paying off their workers in cash. The News / Record shows its liberal bias with this editorial. Most all responses I see here are negative to the paper's expressed viewpoint.

DelawareBob

September 23, 2009 - 6:42 am EDT

You have made a very bad mistake, there North Carolina. Instead of passing a law to allow illegal aliens to go to college, you should be passing a State Illegal Immigration Law to get rid of the illegal aliens. What are you thinking? Other States are passing State Illegal Immigration Laws, Rhode Island, Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia and a few other States. Illegal aliens are a big part of the problems we have here in America, healthcare, economy, jobs and many other things, and there you are pandering to these illegal aliens. Let them go back to their own Country for an education. All I can say is SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, on you North Carolina. You are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Interested

September 23, 2009 - 7:16 am EDT

There are already laws against them being in the country - federal laws. Passing additional laws will not change the situation - enforcement of existing laws is what is necessary.

Panacea

September 23, 2009 - 12:08 pm EDT

The state laws address issues the federal laws don't, like housing. Landlords face big fines for renting to illegals under the state immigration laws in Arizona. The laws also put big penalties on employers for hiring them; they can lose their business licenses.

The effect of these laws has been to drive illegals to states without such laws, and it's an open question as to whether the courts will allow the laws to stand. Some of these laws have been struck down.

Interested

September 23, 2009 - 1:44 pm EDT

Agreed, housing laws do add an additional layer. But whose duty is it to enforce them? As far as laws concerning their hire, those already do exist. But little is done in terms of enforcement. A close friend called authorities three times (local, state, and federal) concerning a gentleman trying to find employment with his company whose documents he believed to be forged. Everyone passed the buck. The message was the same each time. They really weren't concerned with a lone individual. They were primarily concerned with employers hiring large numbers of "illegals." No one ever came out to look into this situation. So I understand that people feel like passing more laws will address the problem. But again I would point out that laws without enforcement is like a dog with no teeth - not much to worry about.

Get A Clue

September 23, 2009 - 1:20 pm EDT

You either support the local, state and federal laws on the books or you don't.
There are laws for students, those on visas, tourists and those on a track towards citizenship.
The rest are illegal, undocumented and therefore breaking the law.
It really is that simple.
If I get caught speeding I have no alibi. If you get caught here without proper documentation, neither do you.

Dogwood

September 23, 2009 - 6:38 pm EDT

Reform means not only the hispanics. Reform would include every parent that had a tourist visa and did not leave and took years of free school for free. I am talking about Pakistan, continental African, Serbia, outer Mongolia and the list is too long to mark the need to enforce laws in place first. Enforce laws with wisdom and teach there is no free lunch.

seashore

September 23, 2009 - 7:32 pm EDT

Thanks to the Bush Administration the illegals in our country have contributed greatly to the economic woes we now have. The community college personnel who voted to allow illegls in their schools should be fired. Although, the community colleges would be a good place for the immigration services to round up a busload of illegals to deport every semester. Being illegal means being in this country without permission and without any right to access the services of our country. If they paid taxes and worked towards being citizens they would have a right to stay here. However, currently, they are parasites feeding off the lifeblood of our country, making us weaker by the day.