House Republicans passed a resolution Thursday condemning the housing of illegal immigrants in taxpayer-funded schools.
The resolution, which passed, 223 to 201, with seven Democrats voting with the GOP, states that:
- Housing illegal immigrants in schools “diverts critical resources away from students.”
- Housing adult, unvetted illegal immigrants in public schools poses a safety risk to children.
- Schools should not be “the sacrificial lamb” for the Biden administration’s failed progressive policies.
“With the passage of my resolution, this Congress agrees that we will not tolerate officials at the state and local level using taxpayer-funded schools and facilities to play cleanup for President Biden and the progressive left’s broken border policies,” Rep. Brandon Williams, New York Republican and co-sponsor of the bill, said.
Democrats said the resolution unfairly depicted migrants.
“It’s Republicans spending time — and taxpayer dollars — to trot out stereotypes of migrants as dangerous and dirty and who knows what else,” Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of Illinois said during a floor speech.
“Let’s remember who Republicans are targeting with this language,” he said. “They’re targeting migrants — many of them asylum seekers who come to this country, who risk their lives — and to our cities seeking safety and stability.”
Republicans cited parents in New York City who complained that city officials were considering using school gyms as temporary housing for migrants as the city ran out of shelter space to accommodate newcomers.
Rep. Claudia Tenney, New York Republican, said communities in upstate New York are paying the price for leaders in New York City who failed to plan adequately for the influx of migrants and the Biden administration’s failed border policies.
She noted that Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering housing migrants in State University of New York dormitories and other facilities throughout upstate New York.
“Our schools and educational resources should be dedicated to our children, not diverted to support unvetted migrants who are entering our country illegally,” Ms. Tenney said. “Governor Hochul should not be risking the safety of upstate New Yorkers by using our schools and educational resources to cover for the Biden administration’s negligence at the border. By passing this resolution, the House of Representatives is sending a clear message: we will not tolerate unvetted and unverified migrants taking valuable resources away from our children and communities. We must secure the border now and hold President Joe Biden accountable for his dereliction of duty.”
The resolution said 300 illegal immigrants were sheltered in current or former public school gymnasiums in New York City in May, and Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to use “as many as 20 public school gymnasiums as overflow housing for such aliens.”
Democrats pointed the finger at GOP border governors, who have for several months bused migrants to Democratic regions without warning city officials of their pending arrival.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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