Georgia colleges begin review of illegal immigrants

ATLANTA - Several of Georgia's public colleges say they don't have many illegal immigrants taking classes.

The State Board of Regents directed its 35 colleges and universities to make sure all students from out of state, including those from out of the country, are paying out-of-state tuition.

So far, several schools say that fewer than five illegal immigrants took classes on their campuses last year.

Georgia State University tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution it enrolled 19 undocumented students in 2009.

Georgia Tech officials say they enrolled fewer than five, and the University of West Georgia says only three attended last fall. Augusta State University had just one although he has since received an appropriate visa.

The University of Georgia has not filed its report but spokesman Tom Jackson says UGA is not aware of any undocumented students enrolled for the past year. Jackson said the school expects to have very few, if any, undocumented students.

But state Senator Don Balfour of Snellville questioned the numbers noting that UGA is the state's largest public college with around 35,000 students while pointing out the 19 undocumented students Georgia State said it had enrolled in 2009.