Currently there are 8,000 Cuban migrants making their way to the United States through Central America.
The Miami-Dade School Board is making plans for accommodating incoming child migrants who will eventually need to enroll in classes.
Local leaders have not held back their concerns over incoming Cuban migrants from Central America. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado spoke about it at this week's school board meeting.
“South Florida is not going to collapse because several thousand people decided to come here,” said Regalado. “But we do know that most of these people that are crossing borders want to come to Miami. That's what they've done in the past and that's what they'll keep doing.”
Regalado has called for federal funding to help the city assist the migrants. He says the city's current budget can’t handle the 8,000 Cubans headed to the U.S. And Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho agrees.
“We are ready to teach, love and hug every one of these kids. It is our moral and legal responsibility. But the federal government cannot shirk its responsibility in terms of financially supporting their needs,” said Carvalho.
The federal government has not publicly responded to requests for financial aid.
Carvalho says he expects more than 20,000 immigrant students to enroll in Miami-Dade schools this year, which is 5,000 more than last year.
He also says that the situation is made worse because the state will take its final student count for the next school year budget before the migrants arrive.
He says that if the federal government decides not to send funds schools can expect larger class sizes and a strain on school budgets, classrooms, supplies and teachers.
