RALEIGH - The community college system will no longer admit illegal immigrants to degree programs based on an advisory letter from the Office of the Attorney General, the system announced today.

Community college officials made the decision based on a May 6 letter from the Attorney General Roy Cooper's office and a subsequent meeting with officials in the office.

"We asked the Attorney General's Office for clarification of our present policy and will abide by their advice," said System President R. Scott Ralls. "We will continue to be a primary source of economic advancement for the state by providing world-class education and workforce training to every student eligible to enroll."

Cooper's office had advised the 58 community colleges to return to a 2001 policy that prohibited illegal immigrants from degree classes. Late last year, the system's attorney had directed colleges that they could not bar such students.

The system's decision is counter to the position of federal officials, who said last week that North Carolina schools are free to decide whether or not to enroll illegal immigrants. That came in a statement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Ralls said that the community colleges have asked federal officials for clarification of the issue.

"Until we receive further clarification, we will no longer admit individuals classified as illegal or undocumented immigrants into curriculum degree programs," Ralls said.

The UNC System won't reverse its policy yet.

In a memo to chancellors and the UNC Board of Governors, UNC President Erskine Bowles said the university campuses would continue to admit illegal immigrants until there is further guidance from the federal government.

"The University of North Carolina certainly intends to abide by the law," the memo said. "In this instance, there sure seems to be considerable legal disagreement about what the relevant federal law really says."

Gov. Mike Easley has challenged the advisory letter from the Attorney General's office.

The handful of illegal immigrants who attend North Carolina's 58 community colleges and 16 public universities must pay out-of-state tuition, which the schools say more than covers the cost of their instruction.

Community College System officials say a recent survey showed that only 112 of 297,000 degree-seeking students were illegal immigrants. The University of North Carolina system says 27 of its 200,000 students are here illegally.

That attorney general's letter placed no restriction on high school students taking community college classes or on adults who attending non-college level courses, such as GED, adult high school, ESL, and continuing education classes.

Shortly before the community colleges' announcement today, 84 North Carolina community organizations announced jointly that they supported allowing illegal immigrants to attend college. The groups, which included Hispanic resource centers, religious groups, unions and think tanks, said that the state should allow higher education for all.

"We're forgetting that we're talking about people's lives here," said Tony Asion, director of the statewide advocacy group El Pueblo. "We build up their hopes and then take it all away."