Thread: TX: Bill would end services for kids of illegals

http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=9f3fbeb71515e1f6

Bill would end services for kids of illegals

By Terry Hagerty
The Facts

Published January 21, 2007

A House bill that lists state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, as co-author would bar children of illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits.

Under House Bill 28, children of illegal immigrants could not receive public assistance including welfare payments, public housing, food stamps or disability payments.

Passage of the bill would be a legal challenge to federal statutes that give children born to illegal immigrants in the United States the same status as children born to U.S. citizens and legal residents.

“Illegal immigration has created a hidden tax on Texans and it’s time we stop footing the bill,” Bonnen said. “I hear from my constituents about this issue more than any other faced by the state of Texas.

“Given that the federal government has not upheld their responsibility in addressing this problem, then we must tackle it head-on at the state level, even if it means this bill will end up being challenged in the courts,” Bonnen said. “I refuse to sit back and let the feds tie our hands from addressing this growing problem.”

Bonnen said the state spent $957 million on educating undocumented students in public schools during the 2004-05 school year, and $11.2 million for higher education students, though he acknowledged the financial numbers had been disputed.

Bonnen said the state spent about $58 million for health care for undocumented immigrants in fiscal year 2005.

“The state also spent $130.6 million for incarceration of undocumented immigrants in FY 2005,” Bonnen added.

Bonnen said he and other authors of the bill expect it to be immediately challenged in court if it passes the Legislature — and that is their intent.

Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, who is one of four authors of the bill, agreed with Bonnen that the intention is to get the issue into court.

“We are hoping if it passes, we can get into federal court or the Supreme Court,” Berman said.

Since passage of the bill would be in conflict with federal mandates concerning health care and education, a court action almost is a certainty, Berman said.

In 2006, immigration-related bills introduced in legislatures numbered almost 550, compared with 300 introduced in 2005, according to a report in the Arizona Republic, citing the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Is approved, the Texas bill would follow similar measures passed in other states.

In April 2006, Georgia implemented a law requiring the state to verify the citizenship status of adults seeking some state benefits. Colorado law requires people prove their citizenship or legal residency in order to receive state benefits.

What happens over the next two years will alter the Nation's course forever. It's imperative that we choose the right path or we are forever on a collision course with national extinction.