Augusta University one of two Ga. schools to consider immigrants without legal status (Atlanta: attorney)

[Airforceguy]

Two of Georgia’s most competitive schools — Georgia State and Augusta universities — will consider admitting immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status, starting in the spring of next year, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has learned.

That will leave three top Georgia colleges and universities that do not admit such students under a controversial state rule: the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia College & State University. Called Policy 4.1.6, the rule has prompted a series disruptive demonstrations and a federal lawsuit.

The decision follows Republican Donald Trump’s stunning upset in this month’s presidential election. Trump is proposing to crack down on illegal immigration by ramping up deportations and canceling an Obama administration program that has provided deportation deferrals and work permits for more than 741,000 immigrants across the nation, including more than 23,000 in Georgia.

The Board of Regents announced the change in a prepared statement sent exclusively to the AJC this weekend, saying it is the result of a review officials began in connection with the court battle. Augusta and Georgia State universities are making the change under the policy based on their most recent admissions data, according to the board, “because they have admitted all academically qualified applicants through general admissions during the last two years.”

Several observers questioned why the change didn’t happen sooner for Augusta and Georgia State, citing how the university system’s policy applies to schools that did not admit all academically qualified applicants “for the two most recent academic years.”

“That is a real problem,” said Victor Viramontes, an attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is suing in federal court to reverse the policy.

Asked about this concern, University System spokesman Charles Sutlive referred back to the board’s prepared statement.

Two Georgia schools to consider immigrants without legal status | www.myajc.com