Speech #1030136364

I thought that we were here to discuss the improvement of our schools. I thought that we were voting on the hard work and commitment of my colleagues on the Education and Labor Committee. Instead. this amendment drags us through yet another ugly debate on immigration. Here we are again being forced to respond to misperceptions. half truths. and crude generalizations. When will this stop? When will we stop singling out immigrants for all the ills of our Nation? When will we again appreciate the blood. sweat. and tears that Immigrants contribute to this country? When will that beautiful statue in the New York harbor again be a source of pride. and not a reminder of how far we have fallen? This amendment is not only immoral. it directly contradicts one of the most enlightened and humane decisions of the Supreme Court. In Plyler versus Doe. the Court concluded that it was abhorrent to our great Constitution to deny an education to innocent children because of their immigration status. All students are entitled to a public education. The Court was right then and it is still right today. The kids in our schools. immigrant and native born alike. are our future. Denying some immigrant children an education outright. or creating a fearful atmosphere that would keep them from coming to the classroom. denies them their future and in turn denies this country its future. By depriving them of an education. these immigrants will never be able to become tomorrows hardworking citizens and taxpayers. Instead. they would become tomorrows unemployed and destitute. We as a nation cannot afford to squander our human resources. We cannot throw away our immigrant children. I ask my colleagues to defeat this shameful amendment.