Illegal Students Drain Resources While Citizens Pay, Says Reform Spokesman
by Jim Brown
July 13, 2004
(AgapePress) - An immigration reform advocate says because of an influx of illegal aliens enrolling in North Carolina public schools, important resources are being taken away from the dependents of American citizens.The Hispanic advocacy group El Pueblo estimates that as many as 1,450 illegal aliens graduated from North Carolina high schools this spring. Meanwhile, more than $400 million is spent on programs for English as a second language and limited English-proficient students in North Carolina schools each year.
And according to Ron Woodard of Carolinians for Immigration Reform, that is a large problem, since at least half the students in those programs are dependents of illegal aliens. "That $200 million has to come from somewhere," he says. "And it's generally coming out of the hide of the school program for all students; which means for the dependents of American citizens who have needy children, [whether] they are behind academically or whatever, that's $200 million they aren't getting."
Public universities in North Carolina do not accept applications from illegal aliens or offer them financial aid. So in effect, public money for education is being spent on students whose academic options are limited by their illegal status. "So, you see," Woodard says, "there are victims either way. And if there are going to be victims either way, I think we need to look at the law."
The immigration reform advocate is not only concerned about the growing presence of illegal aliens in North Carolina public school classrooms, but also about the drain on educational resources for American students that is resulting from this influx. "If people are breaking the law to come here," he asks, "why should they be given a privilege and the citizen be taking the hit?"
Woodard feels it is necessary to make a choice and says, "I would make the case that, as much as it might sound harsh, we should not be giving access to schools for anyone who is in the country illegally. What's happening is, the more privileges we're giving to people who break the law, the worse the problem gets."
Currently, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering a bill (H.R. 1684) that would grant residency to illegal alien students, qualifying them for in-state tuition. The proposed legislation would amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and the Immigration and Nationality Act, and would allow states to determine the residency, cancel the deportation, and adjust the status of "certain alien college-bound students who are long-term U.S. residents."
