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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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California schools could be required under new a bill to notify students and parents if federal immigration agents arrive on campus.
The measure, authored by Democratic Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, is a response to a new executive order by Donald Trump which removes restrictions preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting operations at schools and other "sensitive places."
Newsweek has contacted the White House and ICE for comment via email.
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Why It Matters
After returning to office last Monday, Trump has begun to implement his immigration agenda supported by a majority of voters. ICE raids and deportations have begun across the U.S. However, sanctuary states, including California, limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents, typically by not allowing local law enforcement agencies to assist ICE in detaining or reporting individuals based solely on their immigration status.
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What To Know
Under Pérez's bill, called the Sending Alerts to Families in Education (SAFE) Act, schools and college campuses would alert students, parents, faculty, and staff if immigration officers are on site. The emergency notification system would function similarly to those used for active shooter situations, instantly sending emails and text messages.
Pérez is considering introducing the legislation as an urgency bill, a type of legislation that goes into effect immediately once signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, according to The Sacramento Bee. The University of California Student Association (UCSA) is sponsoring this legislation.
Approximately 272,000 students enrolled in California public schools or colleges could face deportation, according to figures from the Migration Policy Institute.
As of Wednesday morning, there were no confirmed reports of immigration officers at U.S. schools or colleges since Trump took office.
It comes after Trump vowed to hold the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history. After taking the oath of office, the president began rolling out his agenda, signing more than 100 executive orders.
Trump made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign. Americans largely support immigration reform overall, but disagree about how policies such as deportations should be carried out.
A *New York Times/*Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported deportations. Eighty-eight percent supported "Deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records." Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.
On Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that "deportation flights have begun," releasing two photos of people boarding a military aircraft. She said the images sent the message that "if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences."
Tom Homan, who is in charge of carrying out the mass deportations as Trump's border czar, said ICE made 308 arrests across the country in the first two days of the new administration. An update from ICE on Tuesday said agents had apprehended more than 3,500 "criminal aliens" since Trump took office.
Homan said in recent interviews that the administration's focus would be on migrants who had committed serious or violent crimes. However, according to NBC News, of the 1,179 arrests carried out on Sunday, nearly 48 percent were for nonviolent offenders or people who have simply crossed the border illegally. Crossing the border illegally for the first time is a civil violation, not a criminal violation. However, it is considered a crime when an immigrant who was previously deported reenters the United States without permission.
At a White House press briefing on Friday, Leavitt said referred to all 3,500 migrants arrested as "criminals." However, it is not clear how many had reentered the United States for a second time or had a criminal record.
Amid the arrests, U.S. citizens, including Native Americans, have been advised to carry ID with them. Meanwhile, a hotline has been set up in Arizona to help warn people of Border Patrol activity.
What People Are Saying
Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, said in a statement: "The Trump administration has made clear that no place is safe from mass deportations. Students and parents are rightfully scared. We've already seen raids targeting average Californians and, outside the state, seen reports of American citizens, even military veterans, being detained. It's clear President Trump will not respect the sanctity of our schools. Therefore, California must take bold action to inform and empower students to make the best decisions about their safety and their family's safety."
She added: "This bill is focused on protecting immigrant students and their families on school campuses. The Trump administration continues to falsely claim that mass deportations and raids will be focused on criminals, yet they're targeting innocent students. We will not be silent."
Esther Mejia, a senior at UC Santa Barbara and UCSA's Government Relations Chair, said in a press release: "Our colleges and universities are supposed to be safe havens for every student, regardless of their immigration status. We're grateful to Senator Pérez for introducing this bill, especially as we highlight the importance of campus belonging, welcoming environments and healthy college culture to equitable student success. My own experiences with ICE raids creating fear in our community has given me a personal stake in this fight for justice for our immigrant communities."
Border Czar Tom Homan said on CNN on Monday: "When the circumstances arise, we get a national threat or significant public safety threat, we're going to go where we got to, whether it's a school, church or hospital."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing when asked how many of the 3,500 immigrants arrested have a criminal record versus those who are just in the country illegally: "All of them, because they illegally broke our nation's laws, and therefore, they are criminals as far as this administration goes. I know the last administration didn't see it that way. So it's a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal, but that's exactly what they are."
What Happens Next
The SAFE Act is expected to be considered in a committee hearing in the coming months. Meanwhile, ICE raids and deportations are expected to continue at pace under Trump's administration.
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