fredericknewspost.com
FREDERICK, Maryland -- Commissioner Charles Jenkins proposed a law last month that would deny Frederick County-funded programs, including education and social services, to illegal immigrants.
"We're being steamrolled here, and the taxpayers cannot continue to keep paying for it," he said.
The proposal likely will be challenged, because federal courts have ruled local governments cannot deny public education on the basis of citizenship.
One major cost of educating illegal immigrants could be the county's English as a Second Language program, which has 840 Spanish-speaking students, Jenkins said. He wants to see these students' citizenship status, but county officials are not permitted to ask.
The proposed law does not apply to emergency medical care, but some federal initiatives already require proof of citizenship for services. Other federal laws require services to be provided to everyone, regardless of citizenship status.
Jenkins said he's willing to take the proposal to the Supreme Court, since Frederick County has the eighth-fastest growing Hispanic population in the country, according a USA Today report.
Posted by tyne at September 12, 2007