Illegals busting education budget

WND ^ | 8-24-03 | Jon Dougherty

[JustPiper]

COMING TO AMERICA

$7.4 billion expense hurting American kids, group says

An immigration reform group says in a new study it costs states more than $7.4 billion a year to educate illegal aliens, with budget-busted California spending more than any other.

Worse, warns the Federation for American Immigration Reform report, the extra expenditures are taking funds away from American children at a time when "public schools throughout the country are facing some of the most significant decreases in state education funding in decades."

Many Mexican children cross into U.S. from Mexico daily to go to school. (Jon Dougherty/WND photo)

"With state budgets in crisis and children taking the hit, communities' limited tax dollars are being diverted to accommodate mass illegal immigration," said the report. "In some states, the amount of money spent to educate illegal alien children accounts for a substantial portion of the state budget shortfall; in New Jersey, for instance, it accounts for 28 percent of the total state budget deficit."

FAIR says almost two-thirds of states either have cut back or proposed reductions in their child care and early childhood programs.

"In some states, drastic cuts mean lay-offs for teachers, larger class sizes, fewer textbooks, and eliminating sports, language programs and after-school activities," the report noted.

The total cost, FAIR says, is "enough to buy a computer for every junior high student nationwide."

Other immigration reformists have said the cost of providing education and other public services to illegals has steadily been on the rise.

Adding to those costs, says Jim Boulet, Jr., head of English First, a group pushing English as the nation's official language, are translation costs to schools that must hire interpreters for Spanish-only immigrant students.

Plus, Boulet told WorldNetDaily, "Cuban Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, Chicano Spanish, and additional forms of Spanish all exist within the borders of the U.S., creating vast potential for cross-cultural confusion" and, of course, extra expense, despite "California being an official English state."

According to the FAIR report, California spends the most – $2.2 billion – to educate illegal immigrant children. Ranking second and third, respectively, are Texas and New York.

FAIR analysts said each state's per-pupil expenditure was reported by the U.S. Department of Education. The group said it based its figures on the Urban Institute's estimate of 1.1 million school-aged illegal immigrant children currently residing in the U.S.

The report also says there are efforts underway in several states and Congress to allow illegal aliens to pay deeply discounted, in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities – rates not available to American citizens from out of state.

"As states cut school funding left and right, all of our children – native-born and immigrants alike – are receiving a poorer education as a result of the federal government passing its immigration law enforcement failures on to the states," the report concluded. "The implications for the coming generations of workers, our future economy and our long-term competitiveness in the world cannot be ignored."

Supporters of immigration say the cost to educate immigrant children – legal or otherwise – is a non-issue.

"Regardless of what the dollar figure is, these children have a right to an education," Jim Ferg-Cadima, legislative staff lawyer at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, told The Washington Times. "The issue was litigated all the way to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court decided on the issue."

In the high court's 1982 decision, Plyler v. Doe, justices said in a 5-4 decision the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment forbade public schools from prohibiting any children, regardless of citizenship status, an education.

Other supporters say the cost of educating illegals is minimal compared to the overall $700 billion annual cost of public education. And, they say it is the nation's best interests to educate illegal alien children rather than ignore them.

Still, the costs are continuing to rise and they come at a time when more Americans have become fed up with providing benefits to illegal immigrants.

An Aug. 30, 2001, Harris Interactive poll found 60 percent of Americans opposed a new plan to grant illegals amnesty.

"By decisive margins, the American public believes that illegal immigration is a net drain on public resources and that granting amnesty to illegal immigrants will encourage even more people to migrate illegally," the survey said.

A RoperASW poll in March found three in four Americans would reduce the number of immigrants allowed into the country annually. Fifty-eight percent would limit legal immigration to 300,000 a year, and 85 percent viewed illegal immigration as a "serious" problem.

"Illegal immigration is no free lunch," Dan Stein, executive director of FAIR, told the Times. "It's about shifting burdens – lowering labor costs at a tremendous cost not only to American taxpayers but to American kids."

Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for Immigration Studies, said U.S. and state governments could reduce costs by enforcing laws on the books.

"The solution is to start enforcing the law – not just at the border, which is politically easy, but also inside the country," he told WorldNetDaily.

Added FAIR spokesman David Ray: "If illegal immigration is not stopped at the border, its negative consequences, including bankrupt emergency rooms and overcrowded schools, quickly become everyone's financial burden."

[Porterville]

Income for California public education, K-12 (2000-01)*

Property Taxes $ 11,784,693,666 21.27%

State Sources 31,392,549,317 56.67%

Federal Sources 4,159,512,909 7.51%

Other Sources 8,059,233,325 14.55%

Total $ 55,395,989,217 100.00%

[Myrddin]

You don't know this. No one does.

Baloney. Now you're flogging me with the "nobody knows" argument. There are plenty of studies around that document the cost of illegals vs their contributions in taxes.

[Porterville]

So, "$7.4 billion expense hurting American kids, group says" is bull it barely makes up 20% of California's total budget. With 49 other states in the Union that is barely a speed bump... Look to liberal waste and greed for the true problems.

[txdoda]

Your understanding of economics and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Any day.>>>>>>>

Yeah, well check our your economics (and CA pols who think like you).

Run a search on CA census 1990-2000. You'll find poverty rate grew in CA during our "booming" 1990's. Taxpaying citizens left the state and immigrants & illegals moved in thus adding to the 38 BILLION deficit CA now has.

[Porterville]

It is the Unions hardly the illegal aliens. Think about it... seriously, 90% wages as of retirement for all state employees!!! 30% benefits on top of current salary!!! fat bloated systems protected by unions to keep the ambitious out and preserve the wasteful useless teachers and administrators at budget busting salary levels!!!!

How could an unruly mob of illegal aliens destroy the state??? It is the enemy within that always destroys… it is the cancer in the marrow of the bones that kills the body, not the parasites that live on the host.

[Myrddin]

You go look in the produce section of your local market and think about this. If there were no illegal immigrants, there would be no produce section.

More BS from you. Most of the farmers in my area of Idaho don't depend on illegals. They harvest using large farm machinery. There are lots of kids who don't have jobs because of illegals. The illegals have taken the jobs "that americans won't do". More BS. It is people like you who hire illegals and pay them cash that perpetuate the problem. It's like leaving food out for stray cats.

I'll be your ex-juniper bush is laying in a neighbor's yard nearby, instead of properly shredded and placed in a landfill. The responsiblity for properly dealing with your garden problems is now another person's headache. But, you saved money.

[m1-lightning]

Stop the illegals! Restore America

[Myrddin]

Your comments address how the state government is misdirecting massive amounts of taxpayer revenues. What is does not address is the real problem of illegals packing the schools and emergency rooms. That problem is just as real. When I was still in San Diego, one of my co-workers had to put her son in a private school. There were so many illegals packing the public school (for which she was handsomely taxed on her expensive residence), that there were not enough desks and rooms to accomodate her son. I believe this is another reason California will never see vouchers for education. It would allow the actual taxpayers to ensure that the money they pay is used to educate their own children instead of the hordes of illegals.

[Porterville]

It is a problem, but it is like comparing a mouse to an elephant.

[Myrddin]

It is a problem, but it is like comparing a mouse to an elephant.

I disagree. Fortunately, I moved to Idaho at the end of 2000, so I don't have to continue to finance illegals and corrupt politicians in California. Hispanics are less than 5% in my city. Their major contribution is adding to property crime statistics and giving the local police department a justification for continued existence.

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

http://millionamericanmarch.com

[JustPiper]

Hire American Citizens
Bank Of America Protest, Concord CA.
America's best paying jobs should be held by American Citizens.



Congress sold our high-tech jobs to foreigners and industry lobbyists. Companies continue to import foreigners at the same time they are laying-off Americans.

Be American… Hire American!
Replace H-1B Workers With Citizens!

WHO:
This protest is open to anyone. If you are unable to participate in this event, you can still help by donating to help defray the expenses. See the donate button in the HELP WANTED section below.
If you are planning on attending this Protest, RSVP PLEASE to llperry@earthlink.net

WHAT:
We are protesting Bank of America for replacing American Citizens with Cheap foreign labor, and sending local jobs overseas!

This is a protest planned at the Bank of America IT building in Concord, CA on Labor Day, from 9 am to noon. This is where Kevin Flanagan took his life after training his foreign replacement and then receiving his pink slip earlier this year.

There is plenty of shade, and BART is two blocks away. Two blocks beyond the Fall Fest is taking place with an expected 3-day attendance of 10-15k. A local reporter has been apprised of the plan, and a reporter at the Denver Post has been notified. We may be able to use an adjacent building's outdoor eating area for a picnic or BBQ after the event. Suggested picket signs are at the end of this webpage. We are attempting to schedule Rep. George Miller as a participant. He is ranking member of Education and Workforce committee.

WHEN:
9:00am – NOON
Monday, September 1, 2003

A candlelight vigil for Kevin Flanagan is being planned for the night prior to the protest. Details TBA

WHERE:
Bank of America
Information Technology Building
1765 Grant Street
Concord, California

You can see the building from the North end of the BART parking lot.

Parking:
There is ample parking at BART a couple of blocks away.

8:00 AM Pre Action Meeting - Meeting point TBA
9:00 AM Protest starts
NOON Protest ends

Travel/Lodging Information:
Oakland airport is closest to the protest, followed by San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento. You need a car for San Jose and Sacramento since BART connects with Oakland and SFO. If you plan to use BART from airport, try to avoid commute hours. Concord is adjacent to the towns of Pittsburg, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek in order of increasing cost. You can fly into Sact'o and take the train down to Martinez. It's about 6 miles to Concord or Pleasant Hill from there.

Name, [Rating], Price (for 1P), Phone

Summerfield Suites [?] $79 - 259 934-3343 Too new to rate, but great location. Try here first

Concord Best Western Heritage [**] $89 - 129 925-686-4466

Concord Hilton [***] $89 - 219 827-2000

Economy Inn [**] $64 - 84 682-7850 (don't leave purse in room)

Pleasant Hill Mariott Courtyard [***] $159 - 179 691-1444


Protest organizers:
Lee Perry email: llperry@earthlink.net

HELP WANTED:
Need volunteers to organize a candlelight vigil for Kevin Flanagan at the BofA IT site on Labor Day eve. Needs to contact Kevin's father for appearance, if possible. Needs to contact media coverage. Needs to provide spokesperson. Needs to promote protest the following day (Labor Day). Needs to provide flyers for distribution at nearby Fall Fest.

Need help with costs - materials for flyers, candles, pickets, signs, etc. If you would like to help with the costs, you can make a donation by clicking on this button. Please donate what you can, $5, 10, $20, or any amount you choose.



Bump Dana and thanx for the info and the great links that keep going and going!

[JustPiper]

Million American March

Labor Day
September 6, 2004
Washington, D.C.

Dana? Are there different marches that day, different days, how many cities?

[JustPiper]

Have you told our President that? I say we organize a one day 'phone-in' of Freepers, choose the date and flood the switchboard to the white House or to our individual congress critter's. Once they are back in session. Maybe right after the March?

[JustPiper]

So not only are you admitting breaking the law hiring them, your also admitting you 'used' them.

[JustPiper]

Excellent link M1!

[JustPiper]

Many moved in the past 5 years from CA to Idaho, Washington State, and Oregon!

[The Other Harry]

So not only are you admitting breaking the law hiring them, your also admitting you 'used' them.

I paid them. They agreed to the deal.