Thread: Comptroller Attacks Illegal Immigration

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Comptroller attacks illegal immigration
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Len Lazarick, The Examiner
Jul 6, 2006 5:00 AM (5 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 45 of 13,882 articles

BALTIMORE - Comptroller William Donald Schaefer went on the offense against illegal immigration at a Board of Public Works meeting on Wednesday, triggered by approval of a state grant to test students taking English as a second language.


This latest in a series of comments about illegal immigrants and people who don’t speak English caused one of his primary opponents for comptroller, Del. Peter Franchot, to say they “cast serious doubts on his mental and emotional fitness for the office.”

“If they come here illegally what do we do about it — nothing,” said Schaefer. “I just get so irritated when we just open up the borders.”

Several officials from the state Department of Education were mostly silent as the comptroller went on for several minutes.

“You can’t ask the question about whether they’re illegal?” Schaefer asked.

Under federal law, it’s one question that can not be asked.

The grant approved by the board provided $1.9 million in federal funds and $372,000 in state money for testing of about 31,000 students who come to school without an ability to speak English. Most of the younger ones are born here, education officials said.

“I think the generosity of Americans is wonderful,” Schaefer said. “Nobody worries about the cost.”

The comptroller wondered where the children came from: Mexico, China, Vietnam, Korea?

At one point he mused, “Koreans — all of a sudden, they’re our friends too.” Baltimore, Howard and Montgomery counties all have large populations of Korean natives and their children.

“The best thing to do is not to say anything,” Schaefer said. “We’ll pay someday. I think it’s a shame.”

Franchot, who has often criticized Schaefer’s support of Gov. Robert Ehrlich, raised his criticism to a new level.

“The second most powerful constitutional office in the state is in the hands of someone who is not in control of himself,” Franchot said.

“I’ve often expressed admiration for the long record of William Donald Schaefer, but he’s reduced the Board of Public Works to the level of an elementary school playground,” he said.

WJZ-TV-13 contributed to this report.

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com

Examiner

Under federal law, it’s one question that can not be asked.

Anyone have any information regarding the "federal law" he commented on? If there is in fact a federal law with this stipulation - I think it needs repealed immediately!

Thank God we finally have got some people in public service who are not afraid to speak up. I say good for him. PC has stifled people for too long.

wdschaefer@comp.state.md.us

Anyone have any information regarding the "federal law" he commented on?

I think it's a Texas law decided by a Fed. judge named William or Wilson in Houston.

We had a law that did not allow bi-lingual education and kept illegals out of the classroom until that dip overturned it. That may be the one he is talking about.

Dixie

I used to live in Baltimore. I don't always agree with Schaefer (he's also the former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore) but now that he's really up there in age, he doesn't care anymore what others say about him, and he really speaks his mind! I love it! He's got to be well into his 80's now.

Alot of this started because he went into a McDonald's a couple of years ago, and the person taking his order could barely understand English, so he got really angry. That was one of the first things that woke me up to illegal immigration...this was around 2003 or 2004.

Ostrich

Originally Posted by TheOstrich

I used to live in Baltimore. I don't always agree with Schaefer (he's also the former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore) but now that he's really up there in age, he doesn't care anymore what others say about him, and he really speaks his mind! I love it! He's got to be well into his 80's now.

Alot of this started because he went into a McDonald's a couple of years ago, and the person taking his order could barely understand English, so he got really angry. That was one of the first things that woke me up to illegal immigration...this was around 2003 or 2004.

Ostrich

He does indeed speak his mind, and always has.
I remember when Schaefer made those comments,and he was speaking the truth then ,as he is now.

I live in Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. And every 4th of July event my family went to over the weekend ,was over run with illegal invaders not speaking one word of English