LOCAL CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD VOTES TO CHARGE FOREIGN NATIONS COST OF EDUCATING UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN

A local school board in Anaheim, California recently passed a resolution that would move the costs of educating children of undocumented immigrants to their country of nationality. The measure was approved during a vote in late August by a 4-1 margin.

Part of the resolution requires the INS to determine the number of undocumented children in Anaheim schools as well as their country of nationality. It then demands that the federal government pay for the cost of educating these children. The federal government would then be free to discuss with the children’s countries of nationality ways to recover the money.

There was one board member who voted against the resolution, calling it "thoughtless." According to the INS, about 2 million of the 3.9 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. live in California. There is no official number of how many undocumented children attend California schools, but it is estimated that as many as one in every six students is undocumented.

The INS says it is unlikely they will enforce the resolution. Nonetheless, school districts in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico and Washington state are considering similar measures. Similar resolutions have failed in some Texas districts, but are being considered again.

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