Speech #980227841

California had a minority enrollment of 27.6 percent in 1972. By 1982. the minority enrollment had increased nearly 46 percent. These are only two examples of the dramatic demographic changes documented over the last decadechanges which have no doubt been influenced by the failed immigration policies of recent years. A Texas education survey for the 1982 to 1983 schoolyear estimates that there were more that 29.000 children of undocumented aliens enrolled in public schools across the State. The cost to the taxpayers of Texas during that year alone was nearly $76 millionmuch of which was borne by school districts in counties along the Mexican border where limited tax bases make it nearly impossible to raise needed revenue. In Cameron County. an estimated 2.000 undocumented alien children have pushed total enrollment past 50.000. in Hidalgo County. where public school enrollment is approaching 80.000. illegal alien children number more than 3.000. And most of the illegal alien enrollment is clustered in the lower grades. causing pupil/teacher ratios to rise and resulting in overcrowded conditions at most elementary grades. Mr. President. it is in the Nations best interest to provide these children with the educational opportunities that will permit them to acquire the skills needed to compete as full members of the economic community.