Oklahoma’s top education official has issued a “demand letter” to Vice President Kamala Harris, effectively billing her for the cost of the illegal immigration crisis on the state’s schools under her role in overseeing border issues.
In August, Superintendent Ryan Walters directed his department to assess the financial burden placed on Oklahoma schools by illegal immigrant minors. The result of that assessment was a staggering $474.9 million, which Walters requested in his letter to Harris.
“As the statewide elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Oklahoma and the Executive Officer of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), it is my duty to ensure that the resources allocated to our public schools are counted for and used in the most effective manner possible for the benefit of Oklahoma students’ education,” Ryan Walters wrote to Harris.
In a recent interview, Walters described the border crisis as “crippling” for Oklahoma schools, calling the financial responsibility of educating these minors “the largest unfunded mandate in the country.”
“This demand amount is, by necessity, an estimate because only your administration knows the true number of illegal immigrants crossing this nation’s borders and the actual costs of illegal immigration,” he said.
He emphasized that Oklahoma is the first state to not only calculate the educational costs of the border crisis but also directly invoice the Biden-Harris administration for the fiscal shortfall.
“Under your supervision, the costs in education due to illegal immigration have risen astronomically. Your failed oversight and efforts are a direct cause of the current crises Oklahoma and other states now face. Oklahoma taxpayers, schools, teachers, and parents should not bear the burden of your failings. They deserve better,” Walters said.
