In my home state, North Carolina, a bill has been introduced in the N.C. House that would allow illegal immigrants to receive in-state status for lower college tuition.  The bill was introduced today by state representatives Rick Glacier of Fayetteville and John Sauls of Lee County and was supported by the former governor of the state, Jim Hunt.

I'm very disappointed in this bill in more ways than one.  I know of Glacier and Sauls both (in fact, I stay in the county right between theirs).  Of course, I would have never expected them to pander to the pro-immigration lobby and make the false statements that this would help education and improve the economy.

Taking a look at higher education today will tell you that isn't true.  Tuition has gone up at several 4-year and community colleges across the state since 2001, and a lot of schools are right at capacity.  North Carolina taxpayers spend more and more on education every year; in fact, the John Locke Foundation reports per-student spending rising 13 percent over the past 10 years.  This will be an added strain, particularly at the community college level, where the instructors are underpaid in comparison to the national average and most are having a hard time finding instructors as it is.

This isn't the first time North Carolina has had controversy over the illegal immigration issue.  North Carolina allowed illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses since 1997.  That might explain why North Carolina has the second fastest rising illegal immigrant population in the country.  Jim Hunt was on hand to see that go through, and now he wants to add another stain to his legacy with this nonsense.

At the time, people like then-state senator and former gubernatorial candidate Fern Shubert and others stood up against him, but wasn't able to stop the bills from going through.  But after 9/11 along with a number of people, black and white, seeing the effects the illegal immigrants have placed on the state, there's a lot more voices this time around.  The Americans for Legal Immigration has already announced they will do six townhalls in order to spur opposition for this bill.  Some legislators have already said they will do everything it takes to kill this bill, and rightfully so.

The illegal immigration topic isn't going to die anytime soon.  Last month, Republican legislators introduced a bill that would restrict government services for illegal immigrants and would seek reimbursement for health costs from their employers.  Human smuggling has been a problem, as 12 illegal immigrants were detained at Raleigh-Durham Airport.   Out-of-state immigrants are traveling to NC from everywhere to get driver's licenses through black market operations.  So this isn't going anywhere anytime soon.  Hopefully I will be able to keep up with it all.