California schools are rolling out new protections for immigrant families following disturbing incidents this spring in which federal immigration agents set off flashbang grenades within earshot of schoolyards, urinated on playgrounds and attempted to contact young children without warrants or parental permission.
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the implementation of a new online toolkit for schools on Saturday, September 20, 2025, coinciding with Governor Newsom's signing of two bills designed to keep immigration enforcement off school campuses and ensure proper family notification when agents are present.
"The reckless actions of the Trump administration have sown fear and trauma throughout California school communities," said Thurmond, who co-sponsored the legislation. "As the son and grandson of immigrants, I am proud to stand with our immigrant communities to ensure school campuses are safe and accessible to all families."
The incidents since spring 2025 have also included immigration agents using school drop-off times as opportunities to detain parents, creating widespread anxiety in communities where immigrant families are prevalent.
Assembly Bill 49 now prohibits school employees from allowing immigration authorities to enter non-public areas of school sites without a valid judicial warrant, subpoena or court order. Senate Bill 98 requires schools to immediately communicate to students, families, faculty and staff if an immigration enforcement agent is present on campus.
The urgency of these protections is underscored by California's demographics. According to the Urban Institute, one in two children in California have at least one immigrant parent, while one in five children have parents whose immigration statuses differ from each other. Ninety-three percent of children in mixed-status families are United States citizens.
To support immediate implementation of the new laws, the California Department of Education has published "Our Schools: Resources for Including Immigrant Families," a comprehensive toolkit featuring family-facing posters and informational cards in multiple languages. The materials communicate that all schools must provide every child with access to education and a safe learning environment, regardless of immigration status.
The toolkit covers critical topics including protecting student and family privacy, guidance on responding to immigration agent presence, caregiver affidavit information, and tips for updating school safety plans. Schools are encouraged to display these materials prominently in offices and common areas.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District already has some protections in place for local students. The district proactively reinforced its commitment as a safe haven for immigrant families, with its board first declaring all campuses "safe zones" in 2016 and reaffirming this stance in February 2025.
At that time Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton said no immigration officer may access school grounds without proper judicial authorization and that the district remains a welcoming environment for all students.
SMMUSD has created a dedicated online Immigration Resources section on its Student Services webpage, providing know-your-rights information and preparedness materials. The district offers families practical tools including the Immigrant Legal Resource Center's "Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan" template, which helps families create emergency plans in case of immigration enforcement actions.
The district has also incorporated the state's "Our Schools" toolkit materials across all school sites, posting multilingual posters and informational cards to reassure immigrant families that campuses remain safe and accessible while informing staff how to handle encounters with immigration agents.
Under the new legislation, all local educational agencies must develop communication protocols to immediately notify families of any immigration agent presence at or near schools. Districts must also submit their updated local immigration enforcement policies to the state by March 1, 2026, following guidance from the California Attorney General.
For families seeking additional resources, the CDE's ‘Including Immigrant Families’ webpage provides comprehensive information and support materials in multiple languages: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/if/index.asp