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.