Congress

LAUSD Gets Influx of Undocumented Children

The Los Angeles Unified School District is legally required to provide an education regardless of immigration status

Hundreds of undocumented children shuttled to immigrant facilities across Southern California have enrolled in LAUSD schools, and the district superintendent has vowed responsibility for their care.

Several hundred children have admitted to being recent arrivals from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and they're among the tens of thousands of unaccompanied children who have survived the cross-border trek.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is legally required to provide an education regardless of immigration status, but Superintendent John Deasy told NBC4 on Friday that even without that requirement, the district wouldn't turn away any prospective student.

"We are about caring," he said. "We are not on a political spectrum of right or left, we're "C" for center for caring. We are responsible for the care and unconditional regard and concern for any youth who crosses our threshold."

Many of the children have already visited the district's intake center, where students get vaccinations, and physical and mental health check-ups.

Deasy discounted the notion that the increase of students puts pressure on the school district's budget, which is flush compared to previous years.

Funding for the future requires action from Congress, he said.

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"I'm sure that there are wise people in both the federal government and the state government who can compromise on reasonable immigration reform, and with that would come support," Deady said.

The district has already planned to accept about 1,000 immigrant students from Central America for this school year.

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