CSBA President Bettye Lusk reacts to federal immigration directive

CSBA President Bettye Lusk reacts to federal immigration directive<_sc3a_dot _xmlns3a_sc="http://www.sitecore.net/sc">

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2025) - On Jan. 20, the Trump Administration rescinded the federal government's "sensitive locations" policy. The sensitive locations guidance was issued in 2021 and expanded on 2011 guidance issued by the federal government. This guidance limited immigration enforcement activities at or near schools, child care centers, churches and hospitals unless there was an immediate public safety threat. The statement issued by the Trump Administration states that it trusts immigration officers to use common sense to determine where to conduct immigration enforcement. (The full memorandum from Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman was not yet available at the time of this publication.)

The federal government is the ultimate authority on immigration matters and schoolboards and school staff must comply with the directives of its law enforcement agencies. This does not and should not prevent schools from providing every student - documented or otherwise - with a free public education as established by the 1982 United States Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe. Nor should it dissuade schools from providing every student, regardless of immigration status, with a welcoming environment for academic and personal growth. Immigration status is not a consideration for enrollment in public schools or for the services a student receives once enrolled, and state law prohibits discrimination on the basis of immigration status.

In times of change or uncertainty, schools must reaffirm their role as centers of community and offer safe and nurturing climates for all students. CSBA will continue to produce guidance and resources that help school districts and county offices of education fulfill their obligation to provide every student with a quality education.