Illegal Immigrants
May Get In-State Tuition
By Craig Ledford
The cost of in-state tuition has been at the center of controversy
in North Carolina before. Soon, it may not be the rising cost of
that tuition, but whos paying for it, that has people talking.
Theres a movement in the General Assembly to let illegal
immigrants pay in-state tuition at four-year schools in North Carolina.
State Senator William Martin chairs a committee thats investigating
the issue. He says he supports the idea of giving in-state tuition
to illegal immigrants and their children. These are children
who did actually spend most of their time attending school in North
Carolina, and graduated from North Carolina. Had it not been for
the status of their parents, they would otherwise have been eligible
for in-state tuition.
North Carolina could soon join other states, like Texas and California,
that already have laws allowing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.
At the legislature, a bill could be voted on as early as May.
Lisa Underwood is an out-of-state student at UNC-Chapel Hill who
says she doesn't think in-state tuition should be a reward for people
whove entered the country illegally. One concern of
a roommate of mine, whos also out-of-state was like, theyll
come here and go to college and get it really cheap, then maybe
leave. Then its like the state is paying for them and theyre
not going to be any benefit to them [the state] at all.
Andrea Manson is with a Latino advocacy group that disagrees. I
dont think that our youth should be punished for anything
that the industries of their parents ... the fact that their parents
are here, maybe without documents ... it doesnt mean its
the youths fault.
Manson says her group isnt looking to give illegal immigrants
a handout. She says most are hardworking people that are just trying
to support themselves and their families.
North Carolina is the fastest growing state in terms of the
Hispanic population in the country. When youre bringing a
whole community thats providing a much needed work ... we
have to be able to provide some resources back to that community.
With a budget shortfall of more than $900 million, legislators
opposed to the idea may have another reason to vote it down.
Census officials estimate more than 200,000 illegal immigrants
live in North Carolina. Theyre able to attend public universities
now by paying out-of-state tuition rates.
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