NYC schools offer guidance to schools, immigrant parents ahead of Trump’s inauguration

New York City public schools are hosting several “know your rights” training sessions for immigrant families and staff ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration and promised “mass deportation” plan.

Principals also received an email last week from public school leadership with a reminder of the city’s policies on immigrant students. For one, public schools don’t collect students’ immigration information, the email reminded school principals. Further, a local law from 2017 largely prohibits immigration officers from entering city government property normally off-limits to the general public, such as schools, without warrants. And all students, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to go to public school, the email said.

“In this time of change, we understand that many in our community may be feeling anxious or uncertain,” Emma Vadehra, deputy chancellor for operations and finance and chief operating officer of the public school system, wrote in the email. “As always, our focus remains on ensuring that our students are receiving the highest quality education, and that schools remain safe spaces that are welcoming, inclusive and supportive.”

The action comes as the city braces for Trump’s second presidential term and his promised push for mass deportations. City officials are considering shuttering a migrant tent shelter on federal parkland, and are moving to remove National Guard troops from shelters by the end of the year, amid concerns about federal policies under Trump. An estimated 412,000 immigrants without legal residency status were residing in New York City as of 2022.

Principals don't have the authority to permit any non-local law enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, to enter a school, according to Department of Education policy. Instead, if ICE agents seek access to school facilities, students or records, school security guards should alert principals, who are directed to seek assistance from Department of Education legal counsel, according to department policy.

ICE raids and enforcement actions and schools have been "extremely rare" in recent years, according to agency guidance.

“Our schools are safe harbors for our children and nothing has changed in terms of how we operate,” Nicole Brownstein, a public school spokesperson, said in a statement. “We do not permit non-NYC law enforcement agents, including ICE, to enter schools except when absolutely required by law — and we do not ask families to disclose, nor do we track, immigration status.”

DOE is hosting know-your-rights sessions for parents and “Know Their Rights” sessions for staff with Project Rousseau, an immigrant advocacy and services group.

Naveed Hasan, parent leader at P.S. 145 on the Upper West Side, is planning to propose a resolution in the Panel for Education Policy, a local advisory group, reaffirming that schools will serve students regardless of immigration status, and reiterating that schools will follow current immigration enforcement rules.

“We’re just asking them to highlight the policies that have been in place, and make sure that all school leaders and staff are trained to know that we are not in the business of deporting children when they’re in school,” Hasan said.

Local law also prevents the city from using city resources to help federal immigration enforcement. New York City is one of more than 170 localities that have rules limiting government cooperation with ICE.

Mayor Eric Adams has sought to roll back the city’s so-called “sanctuary city” laws, suggesting that the NYPD should help to deport immigrants accused of crimes.

Local immigration advocates meanwhile say it’s imperative that the city re-train staff about the city’s existing laws prohibiting cooperation with ICE.

Yasmine Farhang, director of advocacy at the Immigrant Defense Project, said a Venezuelan mom was recently detained by ICE for a month after New York City child welfare workers inappropriately shared information about her with the immigration agency.

“We need New York City to step up and do what they can to defend and protect our communities and ensure that across the city, agencies are stepping up and actually abiding by local policies that are already in place that are going to be lifeline to many in our community,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.

Immigration advocates are urging the City Council to pass a bill that would allow immigrant New Yorkers to file lawsuits against the city when agencies violate city sanctuary laws. The measure remains pending, and has yet to receive a hearing.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Naveed Hasan and misidentified the group Immigrant Defense Project.