Oklahoma Education Official Sends Invoice To VP Harris For Border Crisis Costs

U.S. VP Harris travels to South Carolina

Oklahoma's top elected education official recently sent a 'demand letter' to Vice President Kamala Harris, essentially serving as an invoice for the costs incurred by Sooner State schools due to the illegal immigration crisis under her oversight of the border.

In the letter, Ryan Walters, the statewide elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of Oklahoma, highlighted the need to ensure that resources allocated to public schools are effectively utilized for the benefit of students' education.

Ryan Walters highlights the financial burden on schools and urges accurate cost assessment.

Oklahoma's education official demands reimbursement for costs from illegal immigration crisis.

He describes the border crisis as 'crippling' for Oklahoma schools.

Walters tasked the Oklahoma State Department of Education to collaborate with school districts to calculate the financial impact of illegal immigrant minors on taxpayers. The analysis estimated the cost at $474.9 million, which he demanded from Harris.

He emphasized that the demand amount is an estimate, urging the administration to provide a more accurate accounting of the costs incurred by Oklahoma schools due to illegal immigration.

Walters described the border crisis as 'crippling' Oklahoma schools, stating that funding education for these minors represents the 'largest unfunded mandate in the country.'

He noted that Oklahoma is the first state to calculate and bill the Biden-Harris administration for the fiscal disparity resulting from the border crisis. Walters encouraged other states to follow suit in assessing the real costs of illegal immigration to demonstrate the crisis's broader impact.

While expressing skepticism about receiving a response or remittance from the administration, Walters criticized the lack of responsiveness to the needs of Americans, particularly regarding the border crisis and its effects on various aspects of society.

He underscored the importance of holding the administration accountable for the consequences of open borders, emphasizing the detrimental impact on schools, families, and society at large.

Walters' initiative to invoice the administration for the costs of illegal immigration on Oklahoma schools reflects a growing trend among states seeking to quantify and address the financial implications of the border crisis on education and public services.