NY threatens to sue schools blocking migrant students.
New York State Officials Threaten Legal Action Against Schools Blocking Enrollment of Illegal Immigrant Children
New York state officials are taking a stand against schools that hinder or prevent the registration of illegal immigrant children. Attorney General Letitia James and state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa have issued a legal threat after discovering “discriminatory” enrollment policies in certain districts, such as the requirement of a voter ID from parents.
“Policies that make it difficult or impossible for migrant children and youth to enroll in school are contrary to state education regulations and may expose schools to legal liability,” James and Rosa wrote in a letter to public school districts.
Some districts have been demanding voter registration cards from parents, which would be unattainable for illegal immigrants. Other problematic policies include the need for residency proofs less than 30 days old or repeated proofs of residency for families without a formal lease. The state also takes issue with school districts threatening home visits or reporting information about students’ living conditions if they cannot prove their residency with a formal lease.
“These discriminatory policies harm our most vulnerable students, who rely on our schools for a safe, nurturing environment where they can learn and thrive,” James and Rosa emphasized.
The letter warns all New York school districts with such policies to immediately remove them from their websites and cease enforcing them. According to the state, public schools must enroll migrant children and homeless children immediately, even if they cannot provide proof of residency, immunization records, or other usual enrollment documents. In New York, all children between the ages of 5 and 21, including migrant children, are entitled to a public school education.
Currently, nearly 19,000 kids in temporary housing, the majority of whom are migrants, are enrolled in New York City’s public school system. The city’s public school system has implemented Project Open Arms, a program launched last year, which involves over 3,000 teachers for English as a second language and nearly 2,000 bilingual instructors.
Since April of last year, over 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City, with approximately 55,000 still being housed by the city. This influx has caused New York’s homeless shelters to reach capacity, prompting the city to allocate $1.2 billion towards assisting the migrants since last summer.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has expressed frustration with the crisis, blaming various entities, including Texas, the White House, and New York’s state government, for burdening the city with the emergency. Governor Kathy Hochul has also shifted her tone towards the White House, urging President Biden to expedite work authorizations for the migrants in the city’s shelters.
“We’ve managed thus far without substantive support from Washington,” Hochul said, “but New York has shouldered this burden for far too long.”
Hochul has requested expedited migrant work permits and the use of more federal properties as emergency shelters, but the White House has yet to respond. The governor believes that this federal problem must be resolved by the federal government.
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