NC Democrats want illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition

North Carolina Democrats want to expand in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants living in the state under a bill titled In-State Tuition Equity.

Senate Bill 691 would allow undocumented immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition at the University of North Carolina (UNC) system and community colleges if they graduated from a North Carolina high school and attended North Carolina schools for at least two years.

The bill is sponsored by Sens. Mujtaba Mohammed, D-Mecklenburg, Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, and Sen. Natalie Murdock, D-Durham.

One of the bill’s key provisions is that undocumented immigrant would need to submit an affidavit affirming they intend to legalize their immigration status when eligible. Additionally, the bill includes a provision ensuring that any information submitted during the in-state tuition application process will remain confidential and is not considered public record.

NC Democrats waited until the filing deadline chaos to quietly introduce SB 691—a bill that would give illegal immigrants in-state tuition at NC colleges. They don’t want you to notice, but we did. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/KBBiE0PlWH

— Rep. Brenden Jones (@BrendenJonesNC) March 26, 2025

Though no action is expected on the bill, Democrats have filed an array of controversial items in recent days as the bill filing deadlines draw near. The Senate filing deadline was on Tuesday, and the House filing deadline is next Thursday.

Other noteworthy bills include Senate Bill 404, which would allocate $500,000 to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for a 2025-2026 study on establishing a professional wrestling museum in North Carolina. Notably, the proposal was filed by both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.

On the House side, House Bill 339 has gained media attention in recent days as Democrats rally to raise North Carolina’s minimum wage to $22 per hour. While reports suggest the bill has the potential to succeed, Democrats are in the minority in both chambers, and the bill is unlikely to move.

The post NC Democrats want illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition first appeared on Carolina Journal.