California Aims to Bar ICE from Schools

Two bills in the Legislature — AB 49 and SB 48 — seek to prevent federal agents from arresting undocumented students or their relatives on or near school grounds without a warrant. The legislation is a reaction to President-elect Donald Trump’s warning to deport undocumented immigrants, an action that could significantly impact California schools, which finance their institutions based on attendance and where 12% of students have at least one parent without legal documentation. Both proposals would complicate and prolong the process for agents to access schools or daycare facilities.

However, they can merely postpone, not prevent, arrests. AB 49, introduced by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, a Democrat representing Torrance, mandates that immigration agents must secure written approval from the superintendent prior to entering school grounds. It also prohibits agents from being in rooms where children are located. SB 48, put forward by Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach, would ban local police from collaborating with federal agents — including aiding in arrests or sharing details about families’ immigration status — within a one-mile radius of a school. It also prohibits schools from disclosing student and family information to federal agencies.