Easley: colleges misread letter leading to new immigrant policy

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Gov. Mike Easley says state community college officials misread a letter that led them to require all campuses to admit illegal immigrants. But the Democrat won’t say
whether he supports that policy.

Earlier this month, a system attorney told all 58 community colleges they must enroll undocumented individuals. The lawyer in part cited a 1997 letter written by Easley’s office when he was attorney general.

Easley told The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday the letter had nothing to do with illegal immigrants. The letter said a campus couldn’t prevent someone with a past criminal record from being admitted.

Before the memo was sent, the campuses had discretion on whether to enroll illegal immigrants. Nearly two-thirds did so.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)