The Modesto Bee: California leaders propose another measure to keep immigration officers away from schools
California leaders are preparing for the incoming presidential administration by introducing another measure to keep immigration enforcement efforts away from schools.
Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the legislation on Monday in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s threats of mass deportations. The bill proposes strengthening provisions already enacted under California law and prohibiting police cooperation between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within a one-mile radius of a school.
Thurmond said the measure is crucial to protecting immigrant families and preserving revenue for California schools. School funding in California is dependent on attendance.
“We think anyone would be hard pressed to be against the bill like this,” Thurmond said. “This is about preserving that revenue and keeping our schools from being robbed of needed resources to help California kids.“
Hispanic student attendance and performance dropped in areas with strict immigration enforcement during Trump’s first term, according to a 2018 Stanford study. Federal law mandates that public schools can not deny admission based on immigration status.
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“All California children deserve safe school environments that prioritize student learning, regardless of immigration status,” said Gonzalez in a statement.
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Read the full article on The Modesto Bee, here.