Bill Would Require Parents To Be Notified When Immigration Enforcement Is At School In California

California lawmakers have taken a decisive step to shield immigrant families from the growing climate of fear by passing a bill that requires schools to notify parents, teachers, and students when immigration enforcement shows up on campus. The measure, which now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, would remain in effect until 2031 and apply to California’s K-12 schools, state universities, and community colleges, with UC campuses strongly encouraged to participate.

“Students cannot learn unless they feel safe,” said Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, who emphasized that schools have long been understood as spaces where immigration enforcement has no place. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond echoed the sentiment: “No one should ever be afraid to go to school. But that’s what’s been created in this climate.” For families and children already living under the threat of deportation, these alerts could mean the difference between attending class or disappearing into the shadows.

The legislation also bars immigration enforcement officers from entering nonpublic areas of schools or hospitals without a warrant. Senator Sasha Renee Perez, the bill’s author, made clear why this is necessary: “The presence of immigration enforcement officers can have detrimental effects on students — especially those who may be undocumented or otherwise without permanent status.”

These protective measures arrive as Trump’s mass deportation agenda fuels raids and harassment across California. Los Angeles Unified, the second-largest school district in the nation, began its school year with added protections, serving some 30,000 immigrant students — nearly a quarter of whom lack legal status. Esther Mejia of the UC Student Association captured the urgency: “We all deserve the opportunity to pursue our education free from fear, terror and intimidation.”

Parents, too, are stepping in as first defenders. “We parents are the ones protecting our children,” said Hindera Angel of Riverside. “With these kinds of alerts, we can spread the word about what is happening.”

By contrast, anti-immigrant voices claim these alerts interfere with “the law.” But for California’s educators, parents, and students, the issue is simple: schools must remain sanctuaries where learning, not deportation, shapes young lives.

Link: ABC30