Baltimore Congressional Delegation Sends Letter to Department of Labor in Support of Baltimore City Schools Teachers Facing Deportation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin along with Representatives Elijah E. Cummings, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) have written a letter to Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta urging prompt consideration of the Baltimore City Public School System’s (City Schools) Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) audit. Without a timely resolution by the Department of Labor, 25 longtime City Schools teachers are at risk of deportation.
“Without a decision made on the PERM application by June 30th, these 25 individuals who have dutifully served Baltimore students for a decade will be forced to leave the community they now call home due to expired H-1B visas. It would be a loss for the Baltimore community and undercut the ability of City Schools to provide a high-quality education in important academic areas that prepare students, including those with special needs, for in-demand jobs,” the Maryland lawmakers wrote.
In the early 2000s, facing a shortage of qualified teachers, City Schools conducted international recruitment efforts and successfully hired a number of highly-skilled teachers needed to serve Baltimore students, including the 25 teachers at risk of deportation on June 30th. Since April 2013, City Schools has worked with the Department of Labor to obtain a PERM certification and start the immigration process to allow these teachers to permanently stay and work for City Schools. Despite the school system’s best efforts, the Department of Labor recently informed City Schools that their PERM application will undergo an audit, one which typically takes several months to complete, likely exceeding the June 30th deadline. Unless a faster than usual resolution is reached, the teachers face potential deportation and they and their students’ lives will be thrown into turmoil.
The full letter follows and can be found here.
June 19, 2018
The Honorable Alexander Acosta
United States Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210
Dear Secretary Acosta:
It has recently come to our attention that the Baltimore City Public School System (City Schools) may lose the services of 25 longtime teachers at the start of next school year due to City Schools’ multiple Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) reviews stretching back to 2013. We urge you to give prompt consideration to the audit of City Schools’ PERM application so our community does not lose the services of these dedicated educators.
City Schools serves more than 80,000 students and engages in concerted, ongoing efforts to recruit, train, and retain U.S. teachers. Despite these efforts, the school system faces consistent shortages of highly-qualified teachers in several high-need subject areas such as special education, mathematics and science. In an effort to acquire the highly-skilled teachers needed to serve Baltimore students, City Schools conducted international recruitment efforts in the early 2000s and these 25 teachers were among those recruited. They have worked in City Schools for 8 to 12 years, with several now serving in school leadership roles.
Since April 2013, City Schools has worked with the Department of Labor to obtain a PERM certification for these 25 individuals. Despite the school system’s best efforts, the Department has reviewed, audited, and denied the initial PERM application and recently informed City Schools that the second PERM application would undergo an audit that will take several months to complete. Without a decision made on the PERM application by June 30th, these 25 individuals who have dutifully served Baltimore students for a decade will be forced to leave the community they now call home due to expired H-1B visas. It would be a loss for the Baltimore community and undercut the ability of City Schools to provide a high-quality education in important academic areas that prepare students, including those with special needs, for in-demand jobs.
We respectfully urge you to give prompt consideration to the audit of City Schools’ PERM application, in accordance with established policies and procedures. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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