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Race for governor gets first attack
McCrory assails Perdue over policy on which they concur
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Published: May 10, 2008
RALEIGH - The Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, Pat McCrory, in his first attack of the general-election campaign, slammed his Democratic rival yesterday for supporting a policy that allows illegal immigrants to attend the state's community colleges.
There's only one problem: His opponent, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, a Democrat, shares McCrory's opinion on the issue.
Perdue has made it clear that she opposes a community-college policy that orders all 58 campuses to admit illegal immigrants who are 18 years old and high-school graduates. Gov. Mike Easley supports it.
"I think the policy is ill-conceived for North Carolina, although I'm very respectful of it," Perdue said in an April interview with The Associated Press. "I know that resources are limited and that opportunity to have educational services for folks who can work legally in North Carolina has to be the priority if you're picking and choosing.
"I would hope that our community-college system would hear me and hear the voice of North Carolina saying that," she said
McCrory echoed those remarks in a statement, saying that it makes no sense to prepare students who are legally unemployable.
"Every seat taken by an illegal immigrant could potentially deny a citizen a chance for higher education," he said.
The statement, which refers to the "Easley-Perdue" administration, continues: "It is obvious that Beverly Perdue and I have a completely different opinion on the approach state government should take when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration."
When asked about the discrepancy, McCrory's political strategist, Jack Hawke, said that Perdue had failed to take action to reverse the policy in her capacity as president pro tem of the Senate or as a member of the community-college board.
"If she took a stand today, it's a stand that appears to be in conflict with all of the actions she's taken up until this point," Hawke said.
But the community colleges' decision to change its policy and admit illegal immigrants came in November, after the legislature had adjourned for 2007.
And Perdue immediately condemned the policy, as did the rest of the leading candidates for governor. Forsyth Technical Community College admits illegal immigrants.
"It's unfortunate that less than a week into a general election, Pat McCrory would stoop to twisting the facts about Bev Perdue," said Perdue spokesman David Kochman. "We had hoped for a more honest dialogue on the issues in this campaign."
Andy Taylor, who teaches political science at N.C. State University, said that McCrory may be trying to color Perdue with Easley's policy positions. But he cautioned that McCrory is entering a dangerous territory against a candidate such as Perdue, who has the campaign resources to defend herself.
"If you can get away with it, you're OK. If you can't, it makes it look like you're trying to twist language," Taylor said. "Or it makes you look incompetent or wrong."
Attorney General Roy Cooper recommended this week that the state community-college system drop the policy, but he also called on the federal government to provide clarity on what is legal. The next day, Easley called on the system to continue enrolling illegal immigrants.
Federal immigration officials said that there is no law prohibiting the state from educating illegal immigrants at public colleges and universities. In a statement provided to the Raleigh News & Observer, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that it is up to the schools on whether to enroll illegal immigrants.
"The Department of Homeland Security does not require any school to determine a student's status," the statement said.
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