Following President Donald Trump’s executive orders on undocumented immigrants, which have led to thousands of arrests nationally, Sacramento City Unified School District is reaffirming its commitment as a safe haven district.
School board members, union leaders, and community organizers from Spanish-speaking, South Asian, Hmong, and Black communities coalesced to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, deportations at school sites.
Jasjit Singh, trustee and president of the school board, emphasized that ICE agents will not be permitted on any district campus without a valid court order.
“Our message to our undocumented families is clear,” said Singh. “We will continue to protect the right of every student to receive access to a public education regardless of their immigration status.”
However, with the appropriate documentation, ICE agents can still enter school sites. Singh confirmed the district is working with an attorney to put other protections in place to mitigate harm if immigration agents have official court orders — though specifics are currently unclear.
Community organizations have also voiced their support for SCUSD’s stance. Nora Barraza, a representative from Sacramento Area Congregations Together, a multi-faith equity-focused group, acknowledged the district’s role in alleviating anxiety among immigrant families and their students.
Speaking in Spanish, Barraza thanked the district on behalf of families like hers, highlighting the peace of mind that the safe haven designation provides.
“Yo como madre inmigrante, muchas gracias por darme también paz mental a mí y no no se olviden, sino también a los padres de familia que he estado conviviendo con ellos durante,” she said.
Maria Garcia, a parent advocate with the group, has children enrolled in Yolo County schools. She wants the same level of commitment extended to immigrant families in her community.
“They don't need to feel afraid, they need to feel free,” said Garcia. “With what’s happening right now, that's not possible.”
The NAACP vice president Lamills Garrett mentions reports of neighboring counties where the protections offered at Sacramento City Unified are absent.
“We challenge you, to look at the politicians they have in place, to look at the things that they do that cause those students and families within their communities to be threatened,” he said.
Mandeep Singh, a representative from the Jakara Movement — a community-based advocacy organization focused on the Punjabi Sikh population, is familiar with stories of those who are feeling threatened. He pointed to calls his organization received of South Asians being affected by immigration enforcement.
“In Bakersfield, we have Punjabi Sikh teachers that said they've seen a drop in attendance with Punjabi kids because their families are afraid,” Singh said.
His organization has been distributing “Know Your Rights” cards to students and families, equipping them with legal knowledge in case they encounter immigration agents.
Speaking in Punjabi, he told families that the district will not let ICE agents onto their campus and that schools are a safe place for their kids.
“ਅੱਜ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਬਿਆਨ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਆ ਬਈ ਜਿਹੜੇ ਵੀ ਰੇਡ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਆ ਇਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਦੇ, ਬਾਰਡਰ ਪੈਟਰੋਲ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਦੇ, ਅਤੇ ICE ਦੇ, ਇਹ ਯੂਰੋਫਾਈਡ ਡਿਸਟ੍ਰਿਕਟ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਉਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੇਣੀ। ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਬੱਚੇ ਸੇਫ ਆ,” he said.
A 2019 study found that South Asians are among the fastest-growing undocumented populations in the U.S.
California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is pushing for broader protections statewide,
proposing legislation that would require all school districts in California to function as safe havens for students.
For more information about your rights, NorCal Resist has compiled resources for asylum seekers and hosts events to help community members prepare for immigration agents.
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