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GASTONIA (AP) — Two Republican state lawmakers say they'll attempt to overturn a new admissions policy that allows illegal immigrants to attend North Carolina's community colleges, arguing it's unfair to legal residents in a tough economy.

Reps. Wil Neumann and Pearl Burris-Floyd of Gaston County held a news conference Tuesday to announce they'll introduce a bill in the spring that would block enrollment of undocumented immigrants, the Gaston Gazette reported today.

The State Board of Community Colleges approved a policy Sept. 18 to enroll undocumented immigrants as long as they pay out-of-state tuition rates and have graduated from an American high school. They also can't take the place of students who are in the U.S. legally.

Although out-of-state tuition is five times the rate of in-state tuition, the policy still means legal residents will subsidize some of the costs for illegal immigrants, according to the GOP House members.

"While illegal residents do pay some taxes, their immigration status prohibits them from shouldering the same tax burden that legal residents do," Neumann said. "Extending services to them essentially compels taxpayers to subsidize lawbreakers. That's wrong."

State law gives the General Assembly the chance to disapprove the policy, which is set to take effect April 1 but first must go through an administrative procedure required of most rules approved by state agencies. The Legislature also could pass its own law barring enrollment of illegal immigrants.

Democrats control both the House and Senate. Legislative leaders of the majority party have declined to take up the enrollment issue since it gained attention in late 2007.

The community college board approved the policy as a way to help children who entered the country illegally with their parents but didn't make the decision to come to America.

System leaders say they don't expect many undocumented immigrants to enroll because of the high out-of-state tuition price — $7,721 per year for a full load — and they would receive lower priority to enter because of surging enrollment.

Neumann and Burris-Floyd said they remain worried that immigrants unlawfully in the country may eventually displace legal residents in the classroom.

"We must uphold the law of the land, and if we fail to do that, we are encouraging a lawless environment," Burris-Floyd said. "In a lawless environment, no one is protected."