This past Sunday, my church’s Spanish service felt eerily quiet. The benches were half-empty. The usual warmth and laughter were replaced with heavy silence. Many families chose to stay home, terrified that ICE would show up and tear them apart.

Every parent wants their children to be able to worship, go to school, and get medical care safely. But right now, Trump and his MAGA Republican supporters are spreading fear and sowing division based on what we look like or where we come from to hand billionaires like Elon Musk and corporations the wealth our work creates.  

Speak out to protect all our kids and families! Tell your Members of Congress to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act.

Right now, many families in our communities across the country are having to prepare for the unthinkable, making contingency plans with relatives and friends to care for their children [1] in case they’re suddenly torn away from their homes through detention and deportation. The emotional toll is immense, especially for children who now fear the possibility of immigration raids at school — a place that should feel secure and welcoming. Even non-immigrant children are feeling the effects of this fear.

“My kindergartener comes home daily telling me about friends who aren’t going to school because they are scared of ICE. My six year old - SIX YEARS OLD - is scared that ICE agents will come in and take her friends away. Kids shouldn’t have to worry that the government is going to come in and take them or their friends away. Kids should be playing, learning, and growing. My child’s biggest worry in life should be her homework and making friends. Not scared that school isn't safe anymore.”  

– A Florida MomsRising member

Healthcare providers report that patients are skipping appointments [2], avoiding critical medical procedures out of fear that ICE officers might appear. Even places of worship, long considered sanctuaries, are now on high alert, their sense of safety under threat.

Take action for immigrant children and families and tell your Members of Congress to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act.

This law would make it illegal for immigration officials to target places like schools, hospitals, and places of worship—ensuring these spaces are safe for children and families. 

What’s happening? Since 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has upheld the Sensitive Locations policy—also known as the protected areas policy [3]—which prohibited immigration enforcement in spaces that offer essential services critical to individuals’ health, safety, and well-being. However, on January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration rescinded [4] the Protected Areas policy, allowing ICE to conduct raids in spaces previously designated as protected areas. [5] This decision has devastated immigrant families and sent shockwaves through schools and communities. Now, just weeks into the Trump Administration, ICE is targeting places that were once considered safe—schools, hospitals, and churches and other faith communities. These are not just buildings; they are lifelines for our communities and safe spaces for all our children.

Now is the time to join together across races, places, and backgrounds to protect safe spaces for our children and families and ensure that our children, communities, and the economy can thrive. Add your name to our letter urging Congress to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act. Now is the time for Congress to act!

P.S. Know your rights—click here for resources to protect yourself and your loved ones [Here’s the Spanish version]

P.P.S. Here are excellent resources for educators and school administrators from the American Federation of Teachers.

References:

[1] Facing deportation fear in schools, hospitals and places of worship

[2] When ICE shows up at your clinic or hospital

[3] What Are Protected Areas?

[4] Statement from a DHS Spokesperson on Directives Expanding Law Enforcement and Ending the Abuse of Humanitarian Parole

[5] What Are Protected Areas?