Skip To Main Content

Immigrant Support Resources

Santa Clara Unified School District is committed to a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every student. We know that this can be a time in which families have questions and concerns around immigration status and what federal immigration policy can mean for their lives.

We know that some families may face unique challenges, including those with loved ones who are undocumented or dealing with immigration-related issues. Our focus is on supporting and educating all of the children and young people who come to our doors.

In recognition of the vital role schools play in our communities, state law and district policy have established important protections for students and families. On January 6, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued two sets of guidance (found below on this page) to ensure the educational rights of immigrant students and their families. The first guidance advises immigrant students and their families of their educational rights and protections under the law, including the right to receive a free public education and the right to confidentiality of their personal information. Attorney General Bonta also provided guidance to assist school officials in complying with state law limiting state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities. This includes guidance relating to information requests regarding immigration status, a warrant or court order regarding immigration enforcement, and immigration agents requesting access to school grounds.

If an immigration enforcement officer arrives at a school, they will not be allowed access to the site or individuals in it except as required by law under very specific circumstances, such as being in the possession of a valid judicial warrant. If immigration enforcement officials request confidential information, including immigration or citizenship information, school officials will not share it, pursuant to FERPA protections, unless there is a valid judicial warrant or other legal requirement under very specific circumstances.

On this page, you will find a variety of compiled resources available through our district, county, and state partners. These resources include recorded webinars, Rapid Response Network support, and access to free legal resources. We will continue to update this page.

Immigrant Legal Resource Center Virtual Webinar

Legal Resources

 

Rapid Response Network

Many counties in the Bay Area, including Santa Clara, have a 24 hour multilingual hotline in place to investigate possible ICE activities in the community and to support individuals through ICE encounters. These Rapid Response Networks will send out a team of legal advocates to a location to offer legal support. If you suspect or see ICE officials in the neighborhood or at your home, advise them to call the local Rapid Response hotline at (408) 290-1144.

 

Legal Services

 

Red Cards

All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's (ILRC’s) Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. Download and Print ILRC Red Cards.

 

Family Preparedness Plan 

Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan in case of an emergency. This ILRC toolkit is divided into different sections that give guidance on family preparedness planning, regardless of immigration status, including childcare options available in case of an absent parent, where to find trusted immigration services in your community, and how to prepare to assert your constitutional rights in the presence of an immigration officer. It gives additional advice to undocumented and/or mixed status families. 

Know Your Educational Rights 

Your Child has the Right to a Free Public Education 

  • All children have a right to equal access to free public education, regardless of their or their parents’/guardians’ immigration status. 

  • All children in California: 
    • Have the right to a free public education.
    • Must be enrolled in school if they are between 6 and 18 years old. 
    • Have the right to attend safe, secure, and peaceful schools. 
    • Have a right to be in a public school learning environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, violence, and intimidation. 
    • Have equal opportunity to participate in any program or activity offered by the school without discrimination. 

Information Required for School Enrollment

  • Schools must accept a variety of documents from the student’s parent or guardian to demonstrate proof of child’s age or residency and schools are not required to keep a copy of the document used as proof of a child’s age. 

  • Information about citizenship/immigration status is never needed for school enrollment. A Social Security number is never needed for school enrollment. 

Confidentiality of Personal Information 

  • Federal and state laws protect student education records and personal information. These laws generally require that schools get written consent from parents or guardians before releasing student information, unless the release of information is for educational purposes, is already public, or is in response to a court order or subpoena. 

  • Some schools collect and provide publicly basic student “directory information.” If so, the school district must provide parents/ guardians with written notice of the directory information policy, and provide the option to refuse release of your child’s information. 

Family Safety Plans if You Are Detained or Deported 

Right to File a Complaint

  • Your child has the right to report a hate crime or file a complaint to the school district if he or she is discriminated against, harassed, intimidated or bullied because of his or her actual or perceived nationality, ethnicity, or immigration status.

California Attorney General Office Guidance

Rights at a Glance

  • Right to a Free Public Education: All children have a right to equal access to free public education, regardless of their or their parents’/guardians’ immigration status.
  • Information Required for School Enrollment: Schools must accept a variety of documents from the student’s parent or guardian to demonstrate proof of child’s age or residency and schools are not required to keep a copy of the document used as proof of a child’s age.
  • Confidentiality of Personal Information: Federal and state laws protect student education records and personal information. These laws generally require that schools obtain written consent from parents or guardians before releasing student information, unless the release of information is for educational purposes, is already public, or is in response to a court order or subpoena.

 

Complete Guides 

 

Additional Resources

County of Santa Clara Office of Immigration Relations (OIR): OIR has served as a leading resource that has helped local governments and other entities to understand the issues, needs, and contributions of immigrants. OIR has worked with local agencies on immigrant integration programs and to prepare hundreds of community members for civic engagement and cross-cultural understanding. 

Immigrant Legal Resource Center: The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit resource center that provides immigration legal trainings, technical assistance, and educational materials, and engages in advocacy and immigrant civic engagement to advance immigrant rights.
 

 

California Immigrant Guide: California funds programs at community based organizations that help immigrants and refugees who live in California. The programs offer many types of free legal services, as well as information about other services that support immigrants. These organizations can teach you about your rights and some can also give legal advice on how to change your immigration status.

 

Immigrant Defense Project: IDP engages in targeted litigation, primarily before the federal courts, in support of challenges to deportations and other adverse immigration consequences based on criminal convictions and arrests. By supporting litigants before the Supreme Court and Circuit Courts of Appeals, we seek to create good law through the judiciary to help immigrants remain in the United States with their communities and families.

Santa Clara County Office of Education Resources : The Santa Clara County Office of Education created this webpage to share information prepared by non-profit organizations that provide assistance to attorneys and community-based advocates that work with immigrants around the country.

En Espanol:

California Department of Social Services: The mission of the CDSS is to serve, aid, and protect needy and vulnerable children and adults in ways that strengthen and preserve families, encourage personal responsibility, and foster independence. CDSS is comprised of more than 4,200 employees who are responsible for the oversight and administration of programs serving California's most vulnerable residents.

Educator Resources

SCUSD strictly follows the California Attorney General's guidance for school officials: what to do if an immigration enforcement officer comes to your school. If the officer does not declare that exigent circumstances exist, respond according to the requirements of the officer’s documentation. If the immigration enforcement officer has:

  • an ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) administrative warrant or a subpoena for production of documents or other evidence, inform the officer that you cannot consent to any request without first consulting with the local educational agency’s legal counsel or other designated administrator.
  • a federal judicial warrant (search-and-seizure warrant or arrest warrant), prompt compliance with such a warrant is usually legally required. If feasible, consult with your legal counsel or designated local educational agency administrator before providing the officer access to the person or materials specified in the warrant.

Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Immigration Resources: The following resources provided by the state of California are available to help school leaders and families affected by immigration enforcement.

 

California School Boards Legal Guidance Handbook: This legal guidance is intended to give governing boards clarity regarding their responsibilities under federal and state immigration law. This guidance provides information about current law and policy as of December 2024. 

Law and Policy Resources

California Attorney General Resources: Guide for Students and Families and Quick Reference for School Officials.

Penal Code 626.7: Allows administrator or designee to remove a person from campus who is causing a disruption.

AB 49: Prohibit immigration enforcement from school campuses

SB 98: Immigration enforcement notification

ACSA Immigration Enforcement Resource Hub: ​ACSA has compiled the following resources to help schools respond to potential immigration enforcement impacting students and families in California K-12 public schools.

BP/AR 5145.13: Response To Immigration Enforcement
BP/AR 5145.3: Non-discrimination/Harassment
BP/AR 5145.9: Hate-Motivated Behavior
BP/AR 5111.1: District Residency
BP/AR 0415: Equity