Last week, the N.C. House Republicans filed House Bill 11, which would ban persons "not lawfully present in the United States" from attending any community college or university in North Carolina. Apparently, the Republican plan to deal with our unapproved immigrant problem is to keep innocent kids from ever getting a higher education and bettering themselves.

Contrary to their assertions, this bill will not drive these immigrants away; these kids have nowhere else to go and North Carolina is the only home they've ever known. Instead, the bill will perpetuate a less-educated immigrant underclass that's forced to live outside the rule of law and exposed to crime and abuse.

Since when is it a North Carolina value to deliberately keep people from bettering themselves with education for no other reason than their parents' violation of a law with a penalty no worse than a bad speeding ticket? Is the deliberate isolation of immigrant communities and the legal denial of education to young adults really the legacy we want to leave to the next generation?

Immigration has always been the lifeblood of America, and we need their energy and drive now more than ever. The legislature cannot fix our immigration problems, but they can avoid making things worse for North Carolina. I urge our legislators to oppose House Bill 11, and instead work to ensure that everyone in North Carolina is treated equally and fairly.

Matt Drew

Chair

Durham County Libertarian Party