Speech #960300998

Mr. Speaker. I have today introduced a bill. the Alien Education Impact Aid Act of 1980. that would provide financial relief to school districts that are ordered by Federal courts to admit undocumented alien children as students. On July 21. 1980. the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision requiring Texas school districts to admit undocumented alien children. The courts order has been stayed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Under our Constitution. States have no power to influence the flow of people across international borders. Immigration is a national responsibility. But the Federal Government has. in effect. failed to enforce its own immigration laws. This Federal inaction has resulted in the presence of large numbers of undocumented aliens in our country. If we are realistic. we must admit that the children of undocumented aliens are likely to be here for a long time. It is only prudent that they be provided with an education. To ignore their educational needs would be to invite social problems in the future. But since these children are here as a result of national policy decisionsor. perhaps more precisely. as a result of the Federal Governments inability or unwillingness to enforce its own immigration policyit seems only fair that