Migrant Program Face Funding Challenges Show Way to Success

By Editor Ken Harvey

The war on terrorism and the military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan are draining federal funds away from migrant programs, says Roger Rosenthal, executive consultant to the National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education (NASDME).

"There really is no money left over for discretionary domestic programs," he says.

Consequently, there is a lot of pressure to cut migrant-related programs, says Mr. Rosenthal. "Programs for low-income people are way low on the list of priorities of many members of Congress."

Mr. Rosenthal and other experts reviewed the status of key migrant issues at NASDME’s National Migrant Education Conference.

CONGRESS CONSIDERS MEDICAID, TITLE I CUTS

Some good news, according to Rosenthal, was that the U.S. Senate refused recently to cut Medicaid funding for the health care of many of the nation’s migrant children.

On the other hand, Title I migrant funds may not fare so well in the 2006 fiscal year.

Since 1995 Title I migrant funds have been increased only three of the 11 years, left flat-funded for five of the years, and were cut the other three years, explains Mr. Rosenthal.

During the past three years, he says, "Congress gave money with one hand and then took it away with the other through a process called ‘recision.’"

President Bush has recommended flat funding for Title I migrant, but Mr. Rosenthal fears Congress will again use recision – this time to reduce funding.

With the rapid growth in the migrant population, however, a substantial funding increase would be needed just to keep up, he says.

EVEN START, GEARUP IN JEOPARDY

Migrant Even Start to help migrant preschoolers prepare for success in school "is a vital part of migrant education," Mr. Rosenthal says, but the administration recommended $0 funding.

GearUp, which helps migrant teen-agers prepare for college, "is another program the Bush Administration has proposed to eliminate," he says.

Congress has to decide the fate of these and other important migrant programs.

"We may not win, but we need to fight," Rosenthal says.

FLAT FUNDING FOR HEP/CAMP

The HEP (High School Equivalency Program) and the CAMP (College Assistance Migrant Program) are two more programs that have lost funding over the last few years and face possible "re-creation," says Irene Bueno, consultant to the National HEP/CAMP Association.

The HEP program is designed to help migrants who drop out of high school to prepare to pass the GED (General Educational Development) test so they can go on to college or otherwise improve their career potential.

The CAMP program provides scholarships and support services for first-year migrant college students.

Even if Pres. Bush’s recommendation for overall flat funding is approved by Congress, the impact will still be to hurt any of the programs up for re-approval this year. Some may face serious cutbacks, Ms. Bueno says.

Meanwhile, authorization for the programs lapsed last year but is being carried forward until re-authorization is approved. Some proposed changes, such as inclusion of spouses of migrant workers, are considered positive but won’t be effective without additional funding, Mrs. Bueno says.

CONGRESS EYES IMMIGRATION PLANS

Important immigration-related legislation is also under consideration by the federal government, according to Mr. Rosenthal.

Pres. Bush has recommended a form of "Guest Worker Program," notes Mr. Rosenthal, but what specifics have been outlined so far have undocumented families concerned.

Pres. Bush has suggested that workers will be allowed a three-year work visa, with a possible three-year extension. It’s not clear if families would be allowed to accompany the workers, and no accommodations have been suggested for undocumented families who have lived in and raised their children in the U.S. for many years.

"There are many undocumented workers who are very afraid, and they feel three years is better than nothing," says Mr. Rosenthal. "What they don’t understand is they will have to go back at the end of the three years, they won’t know if they will receive an extension, and the government will have their address."

The plan may also give employers leverage to abuse their workers, since a laborer has to leave the U.S. if his employer terminates his job.

"Employers can essentially blackmail their employees," Mr. Rosenthal says.

He adds, "People will have to balance out the benefits of coming out of the shadows."

AGJOBS BILL SEEN AS BETTER OPTION

The AgJobs Bill (S. 1645 and H.R. 3142) is seen by most migrant leaders as a far superior immigration plan.

"It is an amazingly important program," says Mr. Rosenthal, NASDME’s executive consultant. "We’re hoping it will move ahead quickly. The legislation would have enormous benefits."

The legislation had 63 co-sponsors in the Senate last year, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Although it never reached the floor for a vote, only 50 votes are needed to pass the measure. It also has to pass the House of Representatives, but it enjoys strong bipartisan support there, too, Mr. Rosenthal explains.

Negotiated between the United Farm Workers and major growers, the legislation would provide growers with "a larger number of foreign workers," but would also provide "protection for current workers," Mr. Rosenthal says.

Legalization would be provided those workers who have worked a certain number of days and hours within a specific 18-month period. Once they have proven their work status, farm workers would be provided legal status as long as they continue to work in agriculture.

After six years working in agricultural, they will be given a permanent green card. And as soon as a worker is accepted into the program, his family members are also protected from deportation.

"We would not have families torn apart like we do every day now," Mr. Rosenthal explains.

It is co-authored by U.S. Sens. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) in the Senate, and U.S. Reps. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.) in the House of Representatives.

"What is breath-taking about this is that it has complete bipartisan support," Mr. Rosenthal says.

PROPOSAL OFFERS ‘AMERICAN
DREAM’ TO COLLEGE STUDENTS

The DREAM Act is perhaps the most important legislation for migrant students.

The bill, whose primary sponsors are conservative Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and liberal Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), would allow undocumented students who live in the U.S. continuously for at least five years and graduate from a U.S. high school to qualify for federal financial aid and to gain a form of legal status, leading to permanent residency and eventual citizenship.

Being barred from federal aid "has been a big barrier to migrant students in our communities," Mr. Rosenthal says. "The rationale for this new legislation is that children are not responsible for their parents’ legal status."

As it is now, "migrant students may be valedictorians, but then they can’t get into or pay for college," Mr. Rosenthal says. "I call this the ‘cliff syndrome.’ No matter how successful the students are in high school, they can’t go to college. Of if they can, they can’t get a job after they graduate."