Tuition break for illegals lacks support
My column today:
Martin Lancaster climbed out on a shaky limb a while back. But his branch looks as sturdy as a steel girder compared to the twig Erskine Bowles perched on last week. ...
Lancaster, president of the N.C. Community College system until he retires next year, pushed for enrolling undocumented immigrants on all 58 campuses. The new policy overrides exclusionist practices at some institutions.
The move drew howls of protest, including opposition from every credible 2008 candidate for governor of both parties. Although Gov. Mike Easley spoke up for Lancaster's position, it looks politically precarious.
But it shouldn't be. Illegal immigrants already are schooled in the state's K-12 system. More significantly, since 2004 they've quietly been admitted to the University of North Carolina -- apparently without massive displacement of red-blooded, honest-to-goodness North Carolina Americans. With those doors open, it's inconsistent to shut the entrances to community colleges.
And there's additional support for Lancaster's beam: Community college students who are not legal U.S. residents are charged the full cost of their education, and then some.
"These students will have to pay $7,465 per year as full-time curriculum students, which is $2,090 more than the legislature gives the community college to educate a full-time student," Lancaster explained. "Therefore, there is no state subsidy for these students to attend a community college; these students would more than pay the cost of their community college education."
Under that scenario, not only does North Carolina theoretically gain the benefit of educating these people, who potentially will be more productive members of society, it can make money off them while they're in school.
So, although there are flaws to this policy -- for example, undocumented immigrants aren't legally entitled to employment no matter how well educated they are -- I think Lancaster has the right idea. Its advantages outweigh its costs.
Bowles, though, suddenly occupies a much more awkward spot. The Greensboro native who runs the UNC system just ordered a study of "the potential cost to North Carolina taxpayers of providing an affordable college education to undocumented students, versus the ongoing costs to the economy and well-being of North Carolina that result from the lack of higher educational attainment among undocumented students."
This assignment originated with a recommendation by the UNC Tomorrow Commission, not Bowles, who said the system won't take a position until the research is completed. But Bowles appointed the commission, and he seems to have a hand in where all this is going.
Which is into a political firestorm. With an election year right around the corner, candidates for the legislature and other state offices have just been served an easy issue: Just say no to subsidized UNC education for illegal immigrants.
Look, I can't honestly say there aren't arguments in favor of this dramatic change in state policy. And it's usually smart to find the facts. But not this time. On this issue, people have strong feelings -- and it's unwise to challenge them.
Who's going to believe it won't cost taxpayers a lot to cover the expense of a UNC education for illegal immigrants? Don't bother pointing out the supposed benefits. If illegal immigrants want to receive those benefits, critics can say, they should pay the full price just as out-of-state residents are required to do. There's limited room on UNC campuses and not enough dollars for North Carolina kids.
Both Bowles, a former White House chief of staff for President Clinton, and Lancaster, a former congressman, blame the federal government for dumping this issue on the states. Fair criticism. But that's how it is. Until Washington grants legal status to more undocumented immigrants, taxpayers will not willingly afford them more benefits.
Leaders can brave that political wind on shaky limbs at their own risk.
Contact Doug Clark at dgclark@news-record.com or 373-7039.
Comments (11)
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The spin stops here. Neither of my children could get in any big school in NC. Yet neither had any trouble getting in Va. schools at out of state tution. So what I think you are saying is illegals should take the places of working class NC people like we where. So you think Jose who just broke into our counrty should, kick white working folks out of school? Question for Lancaster how many ILLEGALS are paying out of state tution? My guess zero THE WORD ONE MORE TIME IS ILLEGAL.
IT MEANS BREAKING THE LAW. SADLY BOTH PARTIES SEEM NOT TO GIVE A DAMN ABOUT AMERICA.
Posted on December 12, 2007 5:11 AM
Look, I can't honestly say there aren't arguments in favor of this dramatic change in state policy. And it's usually smart to find the facts. But not this time. On this issue, people have strong feelings -- and it's unwise to challenge them.
I've read plenty of weak-kneed equivocation from North Carolina editorial writers over the years - most notably from Mr. Ford at the N&O. But this piece will have a special place in my Hall of Shame. Your political compass seems well-tuned. Your moral compass? Not so much.
Posted on December 12, 2007 8:55 AM
Politics trumps whatever your idea of morality is on this issue, and many other issues for that matter.
If the UNC system is the people's university in this state, the people should say who benefits.
Legislators who address this issue should heed the views of their constituents.
Posted on December 12, 2007 9:00 AM
Doug, the facts are very clear in this case. Giving tuition breaks to illegal aliens:
1. Rewards people who are breaking the law;
2. Would cost the taxpayers money to subsidize people in this country illegally;
3. Gives illegal aliens privileges that American citizens (from outside of NC) don't have;
4. Perhaps most importantly, would take away seats at the UNC schools from North Carolinians.
If our state lawmakers have any sense, they will scuttle this ill-conceived, grossly unfair plan before it can harm our law-abiding, taxpaying American citizens.
Posted on December 12, 2007 9:23 AM
When I first applied to the UNC system, back in 1987. I was told that I would have to pay out of state tuition. Mind you, that I had already established North Carolina residency requirements.
Because of my last name, and my ethnic background. I was still denied in-state tuition, even though I had the documents that were required to prove residency.
Well, needless to say, I went to a private school.
At least at a private school, I went to (DUKE), they didn't think that I wasn't a citizen of the U.S.,
and a valid NC resident without proper documentation to insure my enrollment.
So, now we are going to admit "undocumented"
persons, and assess them in-state tuition. What kind of a hypocrsiy of my "entitled" rights to higher education in the UNC system?
I guess I made the right decision to go private.
Posted on December 12, 2007 11:52 AM
On this issue, people have strong feelings -- and it's unwise to challenge them.* Doug
Really! If the founders of this country had believe that myth about the King having the people with him, You wouldn't be able to excise your 1 amendment right on this issue today.
Posted on December 12, 2007 12:51 PM
"Legislators who address this issue should heed the views of their constituents."
Said Governor Wallace...
Posted on December 12, 2007 1:51 PM
Meaning that Wallace's attempts to deny equal rights to U.S. citizens is the same as denying benefits to illegal immigrants?
Posted on December 12, 2007 1:58 PM
Doug, some immigration advocates feel that way. They truly believe someone who sneaks into this country illegally is entitled to the same benefits as law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens.
In their pretzel logic, illegal immigrants are just as entitled to their piece of the pie as those of us who were born here or are naturalized citizens. Oh, and if you question that right, you are tarred with the brush of "racism," which appears to be the implication of the above post.
Of course, the vast majority of North Carolinians - including, I suspect, most legal immigrants who came to this country the right way - don't share this misguided belief. We believe that the laws of this country should be respected and those who break the laws shouldn't be entitled to special privileges. Shocking, I know.
Posted on December 12, 2007 2:11 PM
No, meaning that legislators occasionally should do what is right, regardless of public opinion, because occasionally public opinion is wrong, and that many a political scoundrel has hidden behind public opinion.
Posted on December 12, 2007 5:24 PM
Not when public opinion is so overwhelmingly against a major change in policy and
when "what's right" can be reasonably disputed by reasonable fair-minded people.
Sometimes ideas have to prove themselves in the arena of public opinion. This is one of those issues.
Posted on December 12, 2007 5:32 PM