Speech #960327397

Providing these resources costs an average of $2.002 per pupil during the academic year of 197980. These funds came primarily from the State tax coffers. into which hardworking Americans have contributed. As a result of the Federal Governments failure to enforce immigration lawsparticularly along the border Statesthe number of schoolaged children of undocumented aliens has increased. thereby intensifying the strain on State resources necessary for educating these children. For example. in my own State of Texas. the Texas Education Agency estimates that perhaps as many as 20.000 students in the States public schools are the children of undocumented aliens. The issue becomes: Upon whom should the cost of educating these children rest? The States are not responsible for the establishment or enforcement of our Nations immigration policy and laws. and I do not believe they should be burdened with the expense brought on by the Federal Governments failure of enforcement. The cost should be borne in principal part by the entity responsible for the problem which has arisenthat entity being an administrative agency of the Federal Government. In order to helo correct this ineauity imposed upon State governments. I today am introducing a bill to provide relief to those school districts which have increased enrollments and accompanying costs due to the failure of this administrative agency to perform its responsibilities adequately. This relief takes two forms: First. financial relief based on the number of students who are children of undocumented aliens. and second. relief from some of the regulatory requirements in school districts with a large number of these students. While this measure will not fully compensate State and local school districts for the administrations malfeasanceperhaps nonfeasanceit will provide some relief to affected school districts. I urge my colleagues favorably to consider this proposal.* By Mr.