An attempt to rewrite state law to permanently bar illegal immigrants from state community colleges appears headed for failure. - North Carolina

Two bills have been introduced this legislative session. Both seek to toughen the community colleges’ new policy of excluding people from degree programs if they can’t prove legal status. The bills would bar illegal immigrants from all courses, including English as a Second Language or continuing education, and one would keep them out of the state’s universities as well.

“They’re illegal. It’s as simple as that,” said Rep. George Cleveland, a Jacksonville Republican who is sponsoring one of the bills. “The state should be doing anything it can to discourage illegal aliens from being in the state.”

But Cleveland and Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, sponsor of the second bill, said their measures appear doomed to die in committee. They said the legislature’s leadership has refused to allow them to be heard.”*

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