RALEIGH, N.C. — The president of the state community college system won’t back down from a new policy that allows Undocumented Immigrants to enroll on all campuses, saying that doing otherwise runs counter to a nearly 50-year-old tradition of open admissions.

Martin Lancaster, who will soon retire from his post, defended the change in a 1,200-word statement sent to reporters Tuesday. He said children of people who entered the country illegally shouldn’t be punished after attending public schools by being denied the opportunity to better their lives through education.

“They were brought here by their parents, often as babes in arms,” Lancaster wrote. “How can these children be considered lawbreakers intent on taking advantage of our community college programs illegally?”

The new rule overrides a 2004 policy that gave the state’s 58 community colleges discretion whether to admit undocumented immigrants, and nearly two-thirds of the campuses chose to do so. About 340 students who fall into the category are currently enrolled.

The change is opposed by the five leading major-party candidates for governor.

One of the candidates, Republican state Sen. Fred Smith, asked the state Attorney General’s Office to review the policy, saying it contradicts federal and state laws, and any such change needs to be approved by the state Legislature.

Lancaster said he asked a community college attorney to review the previous policy after questions were raised about it, including some from Duke University students researching the matter.

The lawyer determined the change was necessary based on a 1997 letter, which was sent to a community college by two state prosecutors, that said colleges couldn’t set nonacademic requirements on prospective students. The decision was released last week.

“There could be no basis in either policy or law to deny anyone access under our open-door policy,” Lancaster said, adding that community colleges have been open to all since the 1958 founding of the first Industrial Education Center, the community college system’s predecessor.