ICE and Schools

Education Law Center hosted a public webinar on Feb. 6th about ICE and Schools: Students’ Rights and Schools’ Legal Obligations, a presentation by Education Law Center-PA, ACLU-PA, and HIAS-PA.

This joint letter from ACLU-PA and ELC was published Feb 3 and is being sent to all PA school district superintendents, charter CEOs and intermediate unit directors describing the legal rights of immigrant students in PA schools. The letter includes a template for our recommended Welcoming Resolution and district protocol. Please feel free to share.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESOURCES TO HIGHLIGHT from Education Law Center

  • Update forms with Emergency Contacts and Permissions to Pick Up a Child: Schools should remind parents and guardians to update their emergency contact information and permissions for non-parent individuals to pick up their child from school. These forms should be circulated by schools for updates at regular intervals for all students, including now. In the alternative, parents can send an email instruction to teacher and principal.
  • Non-Parent Caregiver Enrollment and Education Decisionmaker: In the event a parent is detained or deported, Pennsylvania law allows a non-parent with whom the child is living to enroll the student in school and act as the student’s education decisionmaker, even if the non-parent does not have legal guardianship of the child. While this form should not be submitted unless custodial parent(s) are unavailable, families should consider the option and their preferred designation in advance. More information and sample forms are available from ELC in English and Spanish. 
  • Planning for Custody: An Informational Guide for Immigrant Families: Family law is state-specific. Information and sample forms under Pennsylvania law regarding child custody or temporary custodian arrangements, parent and child separation, involvement with the Department of Human Services, options for detained or deported parents, and International Travel and Relocation are available from Philadelphia Legal Assistance, https://philalegal.org/resources/planning-custody-informational-guide-immigrant-families.
  • For early ed providers on these issues of ICE contacts - This resource from CLASP is the best I’ve seen specific to early ed: https://www.clasp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2025_safespacesguide.pdf
  • And National Immigration Law Center has great resources:

-for formerly protected/sensitive locations (hospital, church, daycare): https://www.nilc.org/resources/factsheet-trumps-rescission-of-protected-areas-policies-undermines-safety-for-all/
-for employers generally: https://www.nilc.org/resources/a-guide-for-employers-what-to-do-if-immigration-comes-to-your-workplace/
-about warrant requirements: https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-Subpoenas-Warrants_.pdf