U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-IL, argues Republicans have a good reason for proposing a non-binding resolution that rebukes the use of public schools or buildings to house immigrants.
“After President Biden and his administration have incentivized engagement of our southern border at a financial and social cost to us, they’re now looking to turn every community into a border community,” Miller told The Center Square. “As a member of the Freedom Caucus, we’re loud and proud about saying we have to secure our border.”
H.R. 461 seeks to deny federal funds to public schools that are used “to shelter, house or otherwise serve as a sanctuary for aliens not admitted to the United States.”
Miller, who also serves on the House Education Committee, said Republicans are electing to act now as talk of Chicago and New York being among the cities poised to use schools in such a way grow louder.
In Chicago, ChicagoBusiness.com recently reported authorities were pushing to use a shuttered south side high school as a housing center. In May, New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed an openness to use as many as 20 public school gymnasiums for the same purpose.
“I’m hoping all this debate highlights the impact that open borders are having on our schools,” Miller said. “We’ve got to regain control.”
Miller said she expects the measure to soon be on the House floor for a vote and she’s confident about what the outcome will be.
“We have the majority, so it’ll pass,” she said. “We want our kids that are being educated in public schools to be safe and not having to worry about people we don’t know much of anything about.”
Democrats remain resolute against the proposal, with members on the Education Committee blasting it as “inflammatory, provocative, uninformed and at the end of the day, pointless.”
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, the ranking Democrat on the House Rules Committee, went even further, adding “I think this is just another attempt to demonize immigrants.”
