(The Center Square) - A California Senate bill would require federal immigration enforcement to notify schools when agents are going to be on campus.
Senate Bill 98, also known as the Sending Alerts to Families in Education (SAFE) act, authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, would require a notice to public K-12 schools, California state universities, or community colleges if immigration enforcement is coming onto campus.
With the Trump administration cracking down on deportations across the country, concerns surrounding immigration rise across California as students head back to school.
“The President is not above the law, and like any other individual, must comply with court orders,” Pérez said. “I am committed to using my legislative authority to create greater protections for families sending their students back to school. I understand the deep fear families are feeling.”
The alert system proposed in SB 98 would work with the emergency response systems schools already have in place. The notice must include the date and time the immigration enforcement was confirmed, and its location.
The bill defines immigration enforcement as any efforts to investigate any federal civil immigration or criminal law that penalizes a person’s presence, entry, or reentry in the United States.
SB 98 was introduced in January and passed by the State Senate in June; it is now being considered by the Assembly.
“Of course, it's important for caregivers, parents to know when a threat like this is present,” said Kristina Lovato, Assistant Professor of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley. “So this particular senate bill provides that kind of necessity to inform parents and caregivers.”
The Los Angeles Unified School District told The Center Square that this is a current practice within its school district.
Pérez also introduced Senate Bill 805, the “No Vigilantes Act”, which would make it illegal to impersonate peace officers, including federal agents.
“The lack of transparency surrounding ICE raids fosters confusion, fear, and mistrust in communities across the state,” Pérez said. "Especially now, we must use our state’s legislative authority to respond to the troubling attacks we have seen in our communities, SB 98, the SAFE Act, and SB 805, the No Vigilantes Act, do just that.”
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