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Board approves first reading of updated immigration-enforcement policy amid questions over wording and outreach
Summary
The board approved the first reading of draft BP 1445 (response to immigration enforcement) to align with recent state law and Attorney General model language; trustees requested wording changes and staff said the policy will be posted and translated for families.
David Halcomb, Senior Director of Child Welfare and Attendance, presented the first reading of proposed replacement board policy BP 1445 and administrative regulation on the district's response to immigration enforcement, explaining the update is required after federal and state changes earlier in 2025 and amendments to Education Code section 234.7.
Halcomb told the board the policy follows revised California Attorney General model language and CSBA sample policy and that districts must upload updated policies to the California Department of Education portal. "In early 2025, the United States Department of Homeland Security rescinded its long standing policy limiting immigration enforcement in schools," Halcomb said, and the district is aligning its policies with the amended Education Code.
Trustee Lopez asked that language explicitly include ‘‘all students, families and staff irrespective of their citizenship or immigration status,’’ urging reinsertion of the word "all" into the opening paragraph; the chair instructed staff to add that wording. Student representative Juliana Garcia asked how the district will communicate protections to families; Halcomb and other staff said the policy and parent-facing guidance will be posted on the district website and distributed via ParentSquare and community partners, with materials available in Spanish and other languages.
Trust questions focused on on-campus interactions with law enforcement. Trustee Tour expressed concern about a draft sentence that said district staff "shall not obstruct, interfere with, or otherwise impede an officer or employee of an agency conducting immigration enforcement." Halcomb responded that officers must have judicial warrants to lawfully enter a school and advised staff to notify district administrators (mentioned by name in the presentation) and not to obstruct a peace officer; administrators will respond and go to the site as needed.
After discussion and the addition of Trustee Lopez's suggested wording, Trustee Lopez moved to approve the first reading; student representative Garcia seconded the motion and the board approved the first reading unanimously.
Next steps: the policy will be posted on the district website and included in outreach to families; staff said they will confirm whether an administrative regulation number exists and will incorporate dissemination plans into site communications.
