Bill prohibiting undocumented immigrants in community colleges brought to NC General Assembly

Undocumented students might be deterred from seeking public higher education if a bill is passed in the N.C. General Assembly.

A new bill that was introduced by Republican legislators has fueled discontent among many students who might not be able to seek a college degree from publicly-funded schools in North Carolina.

N.C. Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, filed the bill dubbed “H.B. 11.”

The bill would not apply to students who are in the middle of a program they were admitted to, or for students who are enrolled in a secondary school while taking college courses.

But if it were to pass, the future admission of undocumented immigrants into the UNC system or a N.C. community college would be prohibited.

Many student and immigrant rights groups strongly oppose the bill and plan to fight it.

Viridiana Martinez, community organizer and cofounder of the N.C. Dream Team, called this effort “revolting” and an attempt to place her generation in the “back of the bus.”

As an undocumented immigrant who was brought to the U.S. as a child, she said she would fight the measure.

Domenic Powell, the other co-founder, said the N.C. Dream Team would protest the bill.

“The bigots and poultry companies have lobbyists and we don’t, so we will walk the halls of the legislature ourselves when we need to,” he said in an e-mail.

Cleveland defended the bill in an e-mail, saying that young people should take the steps needed to become legal.

“They can attend a private university or they can go into the trades where they will probably make more than many college graduates,” he said.

Undocumented students are currently allowed to attend public universities and community colleges if they pay out-of-state tuition, in accordance with rules set forth by the N.C. Board of Community Colleges.

Megen Hoenk, the director of marketing and external affairs for the N.C. Community College system, said they would abide by any new policy.

“If the General Assembly were to establish a policy regarding the admission of undocumented immigrants we would follow their direction,” she said in an e-mail.

The Adelante Education Coalition held vigils Tuesday outside the N.C. General Assembly in Raleigh to protest the bill.

Bart Evans, the coalition’s coordinator, said about 75 students, teachers, preachers and politicians attended. Among the speakers was Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham.

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