Regarding your May 11 editorial "Class and borders": Because we are a nation generous enough to give even illegal immigrants the benefits of free public primary and secondary education, you try to convince us that they should automatically be eligible for post-secondary education, even though they would (sadly) have to pay out-of-state (not "out-of-country") tuition.

It is my understanding that spaces in our universities and community colleges are limited, and, therefore, for each illegal immigrant admitted, a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant would be excluded. This is what you are favoring?

You say "punishing them for a situation not of their making is unfair." But punishing legal would-be students by admitting illegals is fair? (In the liberal lexicon, "punishment" means "failure to reward.")

You say that few of the illegals are likely to be sent back to from whence they came (if your grammar guru, James Kilpatrick, will forgive me), so this justifies their being treated just like U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. Sorry. I don't buy it.

J.E. Williams

Carrboro

(The writer is a former U.S. consular officer who issued thousands -- and denied dozens -- of visas.)