Texas Taxpayers Will Shell Out Approx. $45M to Educate Foreign Minors

HOUSTON, Texas -- As Central American illegal immigrants continue to pour across the U.S.-Mexico border, federal agents are releasing tens of thousands of them onto U.S. soil. Consequently, public schools around the nation must gear up to accommodate undocumented children. In Texas alone, around 4,800 foreign minors have been set free--assuming these minors are not immediately deported, they will be expected to enter the public school system come fall.

Many Texans have expressed concern over the cost these minors will force onto taxpayers. Due to language barriers, it will likely be more expensive to educate the immigrant children than it is to educate U.S. students.

Texas Education Agency General Counsel David Anderson reportedly said at a committee hearing, "Right now, the state pays about $7,900 per student to districts. These [foreign children] would come with certain needs, like free or reduced lunch qualification as well as bilingual or special needs, so we estimate about $9,500 per student to be paid to the districts for those students."

Assuming all 4,800 released foreign minors enter the public school system, Texas will shell out about $45.6 million to educate these children.

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