Children of immigrants, many in the United States illegally, make up the bulk of students in 700 of the biggest school areas, a huge and unexpected wave that is changing education and society in America, according to a groundbreaking new report.

Using Census Bureau statistics and Google Maps, the Center for Immigration Studies found that in areas including northern Virginia, New York City and Houston, children of immigrants made up to 93 percent of all students.



"The number of children from immigrant households in schools is now so high in some areas that it raises profound questions about assimilation," said the report provided to Secrets.

"What's more, immigration has added enormously to the number of public school students who are in poverty and the number who speak a foreign language. This cannot help but to create significant challenges for schools, often in areas already struggling to educate students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds," it added.

The interactive report allows users to drill down to counties and cities to see the immigrant numbers in the "Public Use Micro Areas" used in Census studies. It focuses on PUMAs of 20,600 students or more.



Overall, 23 percent of all public school students were from an immigrant household in 2015. In 1990 it was 11 percent, and in 1980 it was 7 percent.

And, said the CIS report, "between one-fourth and one-third of public school students from immigrant households were the children of illegal immigrants."

Report author Steven Camarota said, "Of course, we must educate the children of immigrants." But, added the Center's director of research, "the key question moving forward is whether it makes sense to continue to admit 1 million new legal permanent immigrants each year and tolerating illegal immigration without regard to the absorption capacity of our schools in terms of both educating students and assimilating them."

On a state level, he found that California has the biggest percentage of immigrant students in public schools, 48 percent, followed by Nevada, 35 percent, New Jersey and New York at 34 percent, and Texas, 31 percent.

The bulk have Mexican or El Salvadoran parents.

He also found that many immigrant families are poor, which cuts the tax base schools have to tap for funds.

Those areas with the most immigrant students are:

— 93 percent in Northeast Dade County, North Central Hialeah City.

— 91 percent in Jackson in Heights and North Corona New York City.

— 85 percent in Westpark Tollway Houston, TX.

— 83 percent in El Monte and South El Monte Cities, CA.

— 78 percent in Annandale & West Falls Church, VA.

— 74 percent in Fort Lee, Cliffside Park & Palisades Park, N.J.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com