If there’s one thing we moms know, it’s that every child deserves to feel safe and supported at school. But right now, across the country, schools are being targeted by immigration agencies - creating an environment of fear and uncertainty that impacts all children.

“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

As parents, we have the power to create a more welcoming and safe environment for all students to learn, including children from immigrant families.  Here are five meaningful ways we can make a difference in our school communities:

1. Share Resources with Schools, School Districts and Childcare Providers

Schools are at the heart of our children’s world and need the right tools to support every student. With so much uncertainty around immigration and enforcement, parents can share valuable resources with teachers and staff to help them create a more inclusive and safe environment.

Please consider sharing these resources with your local school, childcare, and/or school district:

• Family Preparedness Plan from the American Federation of Teachers: A guide for families to ensure kids are cared for no matter what.

• One-page fact sheet on how staff can help protect immigrant children and families: A concise document for school staff to understand how they can protect immigrant children and families. 

• A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childcare Programs from CLASP: This guide, updated to reflect 2025 changes, provides practitioners, advocates, and policymakers with information and resources to design and implement “safe space” policies that safeguard early childhood programs against immigration enforcement.

At this link, you can find additional resources created by the American Federation of Teachers for parents, educators, and school support staff.  

2. Advocate for Safe School Policies

Every child should feel secure walking through their school doors. One way to make this happen is by pushing for “safe zones”, designated areas where students are protected from immigration enforcement while at school.

Parents can work with teachers and administrators to implement protective policies, such as:

• Confidentiality guidelines for student records

• Clear staff protocols for handling immigration-related concerns

• Safe space designations in schools

• Emergency communication plans

The National Education Association has a fantastic framework to help schools create safe zones, including a template policy that can be adapted for your local schools. Read more here.

3. Share “Know Your Rights” Information with Families

Knowledge is power, and immigrant families need to be equipped with the right information to make sure they and their families are safe. Parents can help by sharing bilingual resources that explain what to do if they or their children face immigration enforcement situations. Find these crucial resources here!

Additionally, these business-card-sized materials describe immigrants’ rights in 4 sentences and are available to print free at home in 16 languages. Know Your Rights Red Cards from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) 

4. Work with School Districts to Develop a Safe Campus Resolution

Parents can encourage schools to adopt a Safe Campus Resolution, which outlines how they’ll protect immigrant students.

This type of resolution can:

• Provide legal assistance partnerships for families

• Establish clear protocols for staff in case of enforcement actions

• Ensure students have access to support services

You can find a sample resolution from the National Immigration Law Center at this link. 

As parents, we can be a force for good in our local school communities by helping to create a more welcoming and secure environment for all kids. Together, we can ensure that our schools are safe and that all of our children have an opportunity to learn and thrive.

5. Resources on policies that address school safety more broadly 

Parents can also encourage schools and school boards to ensure schools are safe and welcoming for students of all races, ethnicities, immigration status, genders, and diverse abilities. 

• Use this letter to send to the principal of your child’s school, local superintendent, or school board, urging them to affirm their commitment to ALL students and to ensure schools are safe and welcoming. 

• Here is a helpful factsheet, developed by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, explaining the statutory prohibitions on interfering with the curriculum. Please feel free to use and share broadly as you see fit.  

P.S. If you haven’t already, please sign on here to join us in calling on Congress to protect our schools, hospitals, and churches from ICE policing and pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act!