NC community college leaders set immigrant vote

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina community colleges leaders have drawn up a new policy that would allow illegal immigrants into the two-year colleges.

The state Board of Community Colleges’ policy committee on Thursday drafted rules that would admit undocumented immigrants if they graduated from a U.S. high school. A vote by the full community colleges board isn’t expected until next month’s meeting.

The immigrant students would have to pay out-of-state rates of about $7,000 a year. Lawful U.S. residents would have priority when classrooms are crowded.

The country’s third-largest community college system has changed its illegal immigrant admission policy four times since 2000. The latest look comes as laid-off workers fill classrooms.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.