Speech #1030135712

I want to specifically note my adamant opposition to three: the Rohrabacher amendments and the Roth amendment. The Rohrabacher amendments would impose a massive unfunded Federal mandate on State and local governments. The first amendment would require school districts to train educators as Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] officials so they can identify undocumented students. The second amendment would deny the use of Federal funds to educate these students even though the Supreme Court has ruled that the school districts have an obligation to provide an education to all students. including the undocumented. I unequivocally oppose these amendments because I do not think that educators should have to take time away from their primary task. education. to hold due process hearings. Furthermore. funding for immigration control and for the education of undocumented students is clearly a Federal responsibility. since State and local governments can do nothing to control undocumented immigration. The Roth amendment would eliminate Federal funding for bilingual education services for students. an extremely shortsighted idea. Children who speak a language other than English make up the fastest growing segment of the K through 12 population.