Immigrant Community Resources

The safety of our students, staff, and their families is always our top priority. We want to remind all of our staff, students, and their families that immigrant students are protected by law in the state of California under AB 699. YCSC will not release information to third parties for immigration enforcement purposes, except as mandated by court order.

While we are not aware of any of our school sites or non-profit partners being targets of any immigration raids, the Department of Homeland Security revoked a 2011 policy that restricted immigration agents from conducting raids on what they classified as sensitive areas, which include churches and schools.

We have already heard that the communities we serve have been impacted by ICE raids, leading to uncertainty and fear among our young people and staff. Out of an abundance of caution, we wanted to share additional information with all of you so that you understand your rights if ICE shows up at your school site.

The California Department of Justice has issued guidance to colleges and K12 schools on immigrant rights and on how to respond to immigration enforcement officers. An overview of these documents are provided in this press release from the CA DOJ. The documents are linked directly below.

"What To Do If An Immigrant Enforcement Officer Comes to Your School? in English and Spanish.
"Know Your Immigration Rights and Protection Under the Law" in English and Spanish.

Reminders of Your Rights While at School:

All students, including those who are undocumented or come from immigrant families, have the right to:

attend public school
participate in school activities
receive a quality education without discrimination

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

By law, schools are not allowed to share a student's private information without the student/family's consent. This applies to items as simple as transcripts, and it would apply to a student's immigration status as well.

Private property

Schools are private property and, as such, non-staff and non-students do not have a legal right to enter and or be on our premises without the school’s permission. That includes parents, as well law enforcement, etc.

Warrants

The only thing that would supersede the above is a court warrant signed by a judge (or, similarly, a subpoena). Just as the police (or immigration enforcement) cannot enter someone's house and arrest people and/or confiscate documents/items without a warrant, the same holds true for schools.

Immigration enforcement officers

Schools are generally prohibited from voluntarily granting immigration enforcement officers access to campus. They need a judicial warrant or court order.

Personal Information

Unless explicitly required by law, schools are prohibited from

- requesting social security numbers
- inquiring about the citizenship or immigration status of students, their parents, or guardians.

Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas

We will be distributing red cards, also known as “Know Your Rights” cards, to help people assert their rights and defend themselves if they encounter federal immigration agents.

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

Todas las personas en los Estados Unidos - sin importar su estatus migratorio - tienen derechos y protecciones bajo la constitución del país. Nuestras Tarjetas Rojas ayudan a los inmigrantes ejercer esos derechos y protegerse en muchas situaciones, como cuando agentes de inmigración visitan nuestras viviendas.

How to Use Red Cards/ Como Usar Las Tarjetas Rojas

People Over Papers: Reported ICE Sightings:

Click to view a map of current reported ICE sitings. The purpose of People Over Papers is to collect data on ICE sightings submitted by the public with the intention to inform the public and raise awareness. The reports are not confirmed sightings; however, they are reviewed by a team of moderators. Please take this information with caution and account for human error. Use this information to cross-reference with your state or local rapid response networks.

Legal Advocacy Resources and Helplines

ICE Out of California Hotline: If you or a loved one have been the victim of an ICE raid, have been directly transferred from jail to immigration detention, or are the victim of a TRUST Act violation, call toll-free:
1-844-TRUST-01 (1-844-878-7801)
Immigration Court Hotline: Call for hearing schedules w/ Immigration Court. You will need the person’s A-Number: 1-800-898-7180
Los Angeles Rapid Response Network: Use this number to report ICE activity and enforcement actions and send help in the Los Angeles Area: 888-624-4752
Free or Low-cost Legal Services
Rapid Response Helplines by County
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA) Rapid Response Line: 888-624-4752
National Immigration Legal Services Directory: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles: Call (323) 801-7989 or visit https://lafla.org/
Public Counsel - Immigrants' Rights Project: Call (213) 385-2977 ext. 296 or visit https://publiccounsel.org/
New Voice: Call (562) 788-7655 or visit https://new-voice.org/
Promesa Boyle Heights: Promesa Immigrant Rights Network: https://www.promesaboyleheights.org/promesa-immigrant-rights-network
Immigration Center for Women & Children: Call (213) 614-1165 or visit https://www.icwclaw.org/
Catholic Charities of Los Angeles - Immigration & Refugee Services (Los Angeles Office): (213) 251-3411 http://www.catholiccharitiesla.org
Central American Resource Center (Los Angeles Office): Call (213) 385-7800 or visit http://carecen-la.org/