LAUSD Just Made It Harder For ICE To Walk Onto Their School Campuses

Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez - 05/11/17 - things that matter
credit: Prayitno / Flickr / @ICEgov / Twitter

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) voted unanimously this week to guarantee sanctuary for their students while in class. The Washington Post reports that the Los Angeles School Board voted unanimously to pass a resolution that will make it harder for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to arrest students and their parents while on school property. The decision has been greeted with cheers of joy and cries of anger.

This week, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) took a strong stand against ICE agents having access to children while at school.


Federal immigration agents will now need to seek the approval from the superintendent of schools and district attorneys before being allowed onto any campus that is part of the LAUSD network, according to the resolution that was passed unanimously.

“Whereas, ICE’s longstanding policy states that it will not conduct immigration enforcement activity at any sensitive location, which includes schools, without special permission by specific federal law enforcement officials, unless exigent circumstances exist,” reads part of the resolution. “Whereas, no written state or federal law mandates that local school districts assist ICE in the enforcement of immigration laws. Whereas, the district has been a leader in championing the rights of all students to receive a public education regardless of immigration status and has passed various resolutions including the February 2016 resolution LAUSD Campuses as Safe Zones and Resource Centers, which declared that every district site will be a place of support and resources for all students and families.”

There are people who are very happy that LAUSD took this stand against easy cooperation with immigration law enforcement.


“This resolution makes me even prouder to be part of the L.A. Unified family,” Board President Steve Zimmer said in a statement according to LAist. “Today, we send a clear message to the White House: We will not cooperate with any form of immigration enforcement actions of this administration. But, we send a clearer message to our L.A. Unified students and families: Every L.A. Unified school is safe for every child and every family. We stand with you and we stand with your dreams.”

And some people see the move as a blatant slap in the face to federal immigration agents and deportation efforts.


An ICE detention made national headlines earlier this year. Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, a father of 4, was apprehended by federal immigration officials while taking his daughters to school. According to The Washington Post, this arrest is part of what prompted LAUSD to take a stronger stance in protecting the students and parents that use their schools.

A few people were asking if “Hollywood liberals” would be rushing their children into the same “sanctuary” schools.


But many students, teachers, and parents are celebrating the resolution that had unanimous support from the Los Angeles School Board.


“This is an important opportunity for LAUSD to be a model for the state and for the nation,” Sylvia Torres-Guillén, the director of education equity for ACLU of California, told LA Times.

Many are arguing that the move is necessary to keep the kids focused on their education instead of staying safe.


And many are just happy to hear the the second largest school system in the country is taking the steps necessary to create a safe environment for children.

You can read the full resolution here.


READ: He Was Taking His Children To School When ICE Stopped And Arrested Him Half A Mile From His Daughter’s School

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