Hillsborough schools and city reaffirm sanctuary‑city stance, publish resources for families

School district and city officials used their April 1 joint meeting to outline steps they have taken to reassure families and staff about immigration‑related enforcement and to describe a set of resources and training they say clarify what the district and city can and cannot do.

Beth Grazer, communications officer for the Hillsborough School District, said the district chose to anchor its guidance to federal law, Supreme Court precedent and state law, and brought a one‑page set of guidance to the school board in January. “We wanted to anchor to things that were codified in federal law, in Supreme Court precedent, in our own state law as it relates to school districts’ responsibility and privilege to serve all students regardless of immigration status,” Grazer said.

Assistant City Manager Simone Brooks said the city and district coordinated early outreach after the 2024 election cycle and have met with community groups and the school district’s educational equity advisory committee. Brooks described planned community webinars and trifold materials from the police department that explain how to identify a Hillsborough police uniform and vehicle so residents can better distinguish local officers from other agencies.

Staff described practical resources already available: a district web page at /safe-and-welcoming-schools with multilingual materials and “know your rights” cards (ILRC red cards), planning packets for families (emergency contacts and caregiving instructions), and links to legal and community assistance. District and city staff also said they have provided building‑level training for registrars, office managers, family outreach liaisons and other staff on what local agencies can and cannot be compelled to do.

Officials stressed that some families had been too fearful to send children to school during earlier enforcement‑related scares and that clear information had helped restore attendance for some. Grazer said the district experienced “some families that were too fearful to send their children to school for a period of time” and described the district’s efforts to reduce those fears through outreach and training.

City and district officials said further outreach — including a webinar planned for May or June and ongoing work with community organizations that serve immigrant and refugee communities — is planned. No new city ordinance or change to state law was enacted at the joint meeting; officials framed the actions as communication, staff training and community partnership work to implement existing federal and state rules.