Activist Wants Illegal Immigrants Banned From Public Schools
YUCAIPA (CBSLA.com) — Joseph Turner says it's time to fight back against illegal immigration, and he wants to start with the public school system. He says since public schools are funded by taxpayers, only the children of U.S. citizens should be allowed to attend them.
"You can't put illegal aliens first and American children second," Turner, founder of American Children First, said.
"I think I'm standing up for our children, our American children who deserve the best education possible," he added. "If illegal aliens don't like it, they can go back to where they came from and join their schools there."
Turner is trying to get the American Children First initiative on the ballot in Yucaipa and Calimesa. Even though he doesn't live in the school district, he thinks people in the small, conservative region will support his effort.
"Am I cherry picking at an opportune nice spot to do the initiative? Absolutely."
We asked parents to weigh in. Shawn Melvin says Yucaipa Public Schools have become overcrowded, and he does think illegal immigration is part of the problem.
"You can't always think about everyone else. That's what everyone else does now, it's a bleeding-heart situation," Melvin said.
But other parents say there's no reason to punish children, when it's their parents who brought them here.
"Focus on other ideas, leave the kids alone, leave the families alone," Pablo Castillo said. "If they're not committing crimes, just leave them alone."