Austin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has introduced the Senate companion to the Schools Not Shelters Act, a legislation that aims to protect and prioritize students by prohibiting K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding from being used as shelters to house illegal aliens. The bill recently passed the House with bipartisan support.

Speaking about the urgent need for this legislation, Sen. Cruz stated, “The invasion at our southern border is straining local services, overwhelming hospitals, and overcrowding schools. To make matters worse, leftist sanctuary cities are even using K-12 schools and college campuses as housing for illegal aliens. Instead of addressing the learning loss caused by Democrat COVID lockdowns, sanctuary cities are focused on diverting resources from students to house illegal aliens. Students are losing access to gyms, dorms, and other school facilities in order to accommodate illegal aliens. Housing unvetted, potentially dangerous illegal aliens in schools is a recipe for disaster. Students should feel safe and be prioritized while at school, and my bill reverses these terrible Democrat policies that have put illegal aliens ahead of students. I call on Senator Schumer to listen to New York parents and bring this bill to the Floor for a vote.”

Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.-19) expressed his support for the bill, saying, “I’m glad to see my bipartisan bill gaining momentum. As the parent of four children, I agree and share the concerns of mothers and fathers who have spoken out against housing migrants in schools. The bill affirms that schools are places for academics, athletics, community services, and places where children like mine receive vital therapy. They are not migrant shelters.”

Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) added, “The Biden border crisis is straining our country’s resources to a historic degree. Schoolchildren should not bear the brunt Joe Biden’s open border policies. That’s why I’m proud to support Senator Cruz’s bill to stop our schools from turning into shelters for illegal immigrants.”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also expressed his support, stating, “Illegal immigrants don’t belong in the United States at all—much less in our public schools. Our legislation will ensure federally-funded schools and universities remain centers of learning for American children, not overflow housing facilities for illegal immigrants.”

The Schools Not Shelters Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, is the Senate companion to Congressman Marc Molinaro’s bill, which passed the House with bipartisan support. The legislation has gained additional support from Sen. Ted Budd, Sen. Tom Cotton, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) who have cosponsored the bill.

In New York, Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul and Democrat New York City Mayor Eric Adams have used public schools to house illegal aliens instead of demanding that Joe Biden secure the border.

Using schools to house illegal aliens not only poses a significant safety risk to schoolchildren but also compromises schools’ ability to secure their own campuses and takes away resources from students. Since October 1, 2022, Border Patrol has encountered over 12,000 illegal aliens with criminal convictions. Given the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policy, it is likely that many of these criminal aliens have been released into the United States. Housing criminal aliens in schools poses an obvious risk to students.

The Schools Not Shelters Act aims to prohibit federally funded K-12 schools, colleges, and universities from housing illegal aliens. However, this prohibition does not apply when the housing is a short-term measure in response to specified disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

For more information about the Schools Not Shelters Act, please visit the official website of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.