America’s schools face a huge burden when it comes to illegal immigration. Despite the fact schools are supported by local taxpayers, they have their hands tied when it comes to determining who can access the educational resources provided by the community.
“Our mission is not about determining who should and shouldn’t go to school based upon their immigration status,” said Doug Thorne, the Executive Director of Personnel and Legal Services at Elkhart Community Schools. “Our mission is to educate.”
Thorne pointed to a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says schools cannot turn away any student because of their immigration status.
Federal law also says schools aren’t allowed to ask whether a student is undocumented or if they even have a social security number. State laws require parents to show a certified birth certificate or another approved document within 30 days of enrolling a child in school.
“At that point in time if they haven’t provided that information to us or if we believe the records are fraudulent, our obligation is not to stop educating that child but to refer that information to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” Thorne said.
There is no telling how big the problem is since when asked about the number of illegals in his school:
“Honestly, we don’t know that answer,” Thorne said.
Perhaps that’s how this happened
Police say 21-year-old Rigoberto Calix-Reyes – a Honduran man – forged his birth certificate to enroll in high school and became sexually involved with a 14-year-old 8th grade girl. According to court documents, the two ran away together and police later caught up with them in Texas, hours from the Mexican border.
He’s now facing federal charges for taking a minor across state lines and having sex with her.
Of course the answer is for the overburdened American taxpayer to pick up the bill.
Plymouth Superintendent Dan Tyree told WSBT 22 his employees did everything right when checking the birth certificate Reyes provided them when he enrolled.
“We can tell a birth certificate from the United States, but what does one look like from Mexico? What does one look like from Honduras? We have hired some people with experience and have them look at the paperwork we’re given,” Tyree said.
Again, the fault lies with America, not with the illegals breaking the law.
“Many people come into the United States unlawfully or without permission but that does not automatically make them a criminal,” said immigration, criminal law and family law attorney Cecelia Lopez.
Where did Cecelia Lopez get her law degree? She has a clear misunderstanding of what should be a simple concept regarding breaking the law. The Oxford Dictionary defines unlawful as “not conforming to, permitted by, or recognized by law or rules.” That would seem to be pretty straightforward and easy to understand. Don’t conform to the law you are a criminal.
