Illegal Immigrants' Tuition Studied

A bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Martin, D-Guilford, that passed the N.C. General Assembly last year set up a study commission to examine the issue.

The study commission will examine the potential costs and benefits of allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition.

Illegal immigrant students are charged out-of-state tuition at all North Carolina public universities.

California and Texas already have passed legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition if they graduate from an in-state high school.

Martin said the change would allow children of illegal immigrants to become productive citizens in the state.

"The focus would be on students who attended public school (in North Carolina) with the idea that they'd stay here," he said. "(With a college education) they'd be a contributor to society and not seeing a dead end as many kids do."

Martin said the study commission will consider the restraints of federal law and legislation passed in other states to come up with the best scenario for the state.

He said that some people would support the legislation but that it might also draw plenty of critics. "It would get a mixed reaction," Martin said. "Some people would look favorably upon it and some would look very unfavorably at it."

Ron Woodard, director of North Carolinians for Lowering Immigration to Save the Environment Now, holds an unfavorable opinion of the change. He said illegal immigrants should not be given special benefits.

"They're here illegally," he said. "Why should someone be rewarded for breaking the law? Paying in-state tuition is a privilege, not a right."

Woodard said the state already is being forced to cut several programs because of the budget shortfall and that any additional money should be given to North Carolinians and not illegal immigrants.

He added that it is not right that an illegal immigrant should be given something at the expense of a legal resident.

"It smacks of unfairness," Woodard said. "'I broke the law and on top of that I want a privilege to pay for college.'"

Gretchen Bataille, UNC-system senior vice president for academic affairs, said the system has not taken an official position on the matter.

Bataille said that she does not know how many illegal immigrants are currently enrolled in system schools but that administrators are trying to find out.

Bataille said there are both benefits and problems with the proposal to give illegal immigrants in-state tuition.

"You can argue both sides," she said. "One could argue that someone should not be deprived of a chance to give back to the state that educated them. But on the other hand, we would be rewarding someone who did something illegal."

The State & National Editor can be reached stntdesk@unc.edu.