Three call for count of illegal immigrant students
Originally published October 02, 2008
By Meg Tully
News-Post Staff

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins has joined with two commissioners to ask state lawmakers to require a count of illegal immigrants who attend county schools.
The sheriff and commissioners John L. Thompson Jr. and Charles Jenkins last week sent a letter to all eight members of Frederick County's delegation of state lawmakers, asking one of them to support the proposal.

As of Wednesday, none of those lawmakers have said they would introduce it.

The two commissioners had tried to include the count in the county's list of legislative proposals, but it failed when the three other commissioners said they wanted to research the legality of Frederick County Public Schools collecting information on immigration status.

They hope an individual state lawmaker will introduce it.

All three county officials proposing the count are Republicans.

"It's important enough that this issue should not just be left by the wayside," Thompson said.

Thompson thinks asking for immigration documentation such as birth certificates or visas is legal. He proposes a formal request be made to the state Department of Education to determine whether the school system can ask about immigration status. The commissioners will discuss that request today.

Thompson thinks the Frederick County Board of Education would not want to collect the information even if they knew it was legal, and said this bill will compel them to do so.

The three county officials hope a count of students who can't prove their legal immigration status will spur federal legislators to either increase education funding or take action on immigration reform.

When the county asks for more federal funding to pay for those students, Thompson said the first question will be how serious the problem is.

"If we say, 'Well, gee, we don't have any idea,' they'll say 'Well, come back when you do,'" he said.

The proposal would not require the school board to provide names, only total numbers, he said.

It's important to look at the school system in particular, Commissioner Jenkins said, because they get the lion's share of county funding.

He thinks illegal immigrants add to overcrowded classrooms and schools.

Delegation members contacted Wednesday said they would need to examine the proposal.

Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican who has pushed for the state to deny driver's licenses to those who can't prove legal immigration status, said the proposal merits a closer look.

"The cost of undocumented students and families is high," Brinkley said. "We also recognize there is a conflict, in that the courts say you have to educate these kids, and I don't know how you tap dance with the two different issues."

Delegate Paul Stull, R-Frederick County, also wants a closer look at the proposal.

He is not sure he will sponsor it.

"They have some good ideas and I think we need to have some kind idea of just how many illegal immigrants we've got in the area," he said.
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