By Ben Stocking
School safety plans deal with an array of frightening scenarios, from shootings to bomb threats to fires. This year, Shoreline Unified, which serves communities in Marin and Sonoma counties, has added another emergency category to its handbook: ICE raids.
The plan unanimously approved by the school board in November instructs teachers, administrators and parents on what to do if immigration officials show up. The intent is to reassure immigrant parents and their children that the schools are a safe place—one that will not enable ICE to break up their families.
All indications are that message has gotten through, according to school officials. Latino parents are showing up for school events despite the fear and anxiety induced by President Trump’s immigration crackdown—sometimes in larger numbers than ever before.
Three hundred people turned out for the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at West Marin School this fall. One hundred people attended a Día de los Muertos celebration at Tomales High. Attendance at parent-teacher conferences is holding steady.
“Obviously people are very stressed out and fearful, but they’re still showing up,” said Glenda Mejia, the school’s family liaison. “That makes me feel really good, because it means they feel safe. All the families, including mine, are so grateful for this community. They feel like the whole community is protecting them.”
The school safety plan, which was formulated last spring after Trump’s inauguration, reinforces a resolution the board adopted last January that declared Shoreline Unified a sanctuary district. Their unanimous vote came just four days after Trump was sworn in for a second term.
“We will never ask about or collect information regarding a student’s immigration status,” the resolution states. “Our priority is your child’s education, not their background. We believe that no child should feel singled out or unsafe because of who they are.”
The school safety plan outlines various steps for school administrators and staff to take if immigration officers show up: request the agent’s name and badge number and the phone number of their supervisor. Ask for a federal judicial warrant or subpoena authorizing their request for access to the school. Secure written consent from a parent or guardian before releasing information about a student. If an officer enters the school without consent, document their actions but do not physically impede access.
The guidance was formulated last spring, with input from the Marin County Office of Education, which held several workshops last year for district officials seeking guidance on how to respond to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
“We’ve been doing work to make sure that this is streamlined across the county,” said Ashley DeGrano, M.C.O.E.’s director of health, safety and support. “We obviously want a coordinated effort. The very first step that we’ve advised schools to take is to contact their district immediately if ICE enforcement shows up. The second step is to make sure their requests are legal.”
Christy Stocker, principal of West Marin and Inverness Schools, said having guidance in place is reassuring for anyone facing the intimidating prospect of a visit from ICE.
“It’s good to have a consistent plan that I can follow, and that my colleagues at other sites can follow, if law enforcement comes onto campus wanting to pull children from classrooms,” she said. “We won’t be doing this alone, and people will be working behind the scenes to support us.”
The school has hosted several “Know Your Rights” workshops over the last year, offering parents advice about what to do if they are confronted by ICE. Most of those sessions have been offered in both English and Spanish, but a well-attended workshop two weeks ago was conducted exclusively in Spanish.
“There’s nothing like hearing your own language,” said Alma Sanchez, director of Abriendo Caminos, the West Marin Community Services program that sponsored the event. “It’s a lot of information, and sometimes it’s very hard for people to understand when they are receiving translation.”
About 25 people attended, and they were very engaged, according to Miosotti Tenecora, one of two attorneys who helped lead the session.
“Everyone was very attentive, because this information is very relevant to them and to their families,” said Ms. Tenecora, who works with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, a national advocacy group with an office in San Francisco. “They had a lot of questions.”
Is it safe to get a visa or apply for lawful permanent residency? Is it safe to renew a green card?
For most people, the answer is yes, according to Ms. Tenecora.
“However, the risk remains for those who have a criminal history or any other individualized risk,” she said. “That is why it is crucial for a noncitizen to get a legal consultation.”
The Immigration Advocates Network has an online directory of nonprofit legal aid organizations that offer such services.
With social media flooded by videos of ICE agents beating protesters and sweeping anyone who looks Latino off the streets—even legal immigrants and U.S. citizens—everyone is worried, Ms. Sanchez said.
“As soon as you turn on the radio, or open your phone, or turn on the TV, you see all the things that are happening, and it’s creating a lot of panic and stress for everyone,” she added.
Ms. Mejia agreed. “All of us are fearful,” she said. “I’m fearful. I carry my passport in my purse.”
She also carries a red card: a business card outlining the constitutional rights of all immigrants, starting with the right to remain silent.
“The fear and uncertainty around immigration are definitely still present,” said Marilu Cisneros, Shoreline Unified’s director of community schools. “Our district and communities have worked hard to show families that we care and support them regardless of their status.”
On a recent Thursday evening, one day after the “Know Your Rights” workshop, Abriendo Caminos hosted another event at the West Marin School, a graduation event for participants in a Latino leadership training. One after another, dozens of parents of students in the Bolinas-Stinson and Inverness Schools marched forward to receive certificates from Ms. Sanchez while their families clapped and cheered.
Maricela Barajas, who participated in the training for a second time, said the class made her feel safe and confident about asserting herself as a full member of the West Marin community, with rights protected by the U.S. Constitution.
“It’s a beautiful class,” she said. “I was so inspired the first time that I decided to do it again.”
This story is part of “Aquí Estamos/Here We Stand,” a collaborative reporting project of American Community Media and community news outlets statewide.
