MIAMI (WSVN) - As the conversation around immigration grows more heated, Miami-Dade County Public Schools made the difficult decision to end free citizenship classes for immigrants due to cuts in federal funding.
For years the district had offered the service, known as Fast Track to Citizenship, for free, supporting thousands of lawful permanent residents in South Florida. The program later charged a $43 fee.
The Miami-Dade superintendent told 7News that the county will be unable to continue to offer the free courses due to the federal budget cuts. In recent years, however, the classes have seen lower enrollment, with around 30 people per class.
MDCPS, in collaboration with Catholic Legal Services and the Archdiocese of Miami, has offered classes for thousands of immigrants for years, including help with the 20-page naturalization application in preparation for the exam. Just last week, he spoke up about Alligator Alcatraz, the new migrant detention facility in the middle of the Everglades.
“Mass deportations are not going to be a solution that will ultimately benefit our country,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archdiocese of Miami. “When we see people making light of the sufferings of other people by making jokes about the pythons, or the alligators, or the boa constrictors, it really is demeaning.”
The courses will still be offered at technical colleges and other adult centers for a fee.
“We are going to do whatever we need to do to adjust and make sure that we are able to provide for the students’ needs,” said Dr. Jose L. Dotres. “Right now, the federal funds that we heavily rely on for some of these student populations are up for review. And, depending on what the review brings in, we will prioritize which programs are most important to students in every category.”
Meanwhile, in the fight against Alligator Alcatraz, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida has joined in an environmental lawsuit against the state. Having already condemned the facility, the filing on Monday signals a new level of opposition by the tribe, a major political donor.
“If a hurricane comes, because this is Florida and that’s a given, they have a lot of fuel going on inside; they said they’re going to house 5000 people,” said Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee Tribe member. “So what are their evacuation plans? Are they going to leave them stranded here? What’s going to happen to all that waste if it goes into the environment?”
The federal lawsuit seeks to stop the project until it undergoes an environmental review process as is required by federal and state law.
“We don’t want golf courses out here. We don’t want several thousand homes out here. Because it will disrupt the ecosystem,” Betty said. “So, it’s a really big concern that I have.”
As the fight continues, Florida Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar introduced the Dignity Immigration Act on Tuesday, which would protect those who have been in the country for over five years.
“They did break the law,” she said. “They are illegal. They are undocumented. But they have been here for over five years contributing to the economy. No path to citizenship in my law. No amnesty. No path, ever. Just bring them out of the shadows and make them pay a fine for seven years. That is billions of dollars to the treasury. Make them give us one percent of their salary over seven years. No federal programs. No health insurance. Then, they can go back home for Christmas. They can come back, continue working, buying homes, paying taxes, and continue contributing to the economy.”
The bill is a bipartisan one, co-sponsored by a Texas Democrat; seeing as though it was only introduced Tuesday, it still has to go through the congressional process.
As for the education class, a letter from the Department of Homeland Security stated that the classes no longer align with the department’s priorities, hence the funding being cut.
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