Can immigration agents come to my child's school? What parents can do

We know this question keeps parents up at night. Here is the truth, and here is what you can do. This page is general information, not legal advice. It is written for parents. School staff can read What schools and child care centers should do if immigration agents arrive.

Can immigration agents come to a school?

Yes. For years, federal policy told immigration officers to avoid schools, churches and hospitals in most cases. On January 20, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security canceled that policy. ICE now says officers decide case by case, using their own judgment (checked October 19, 2026, on ICE's protected areas page).

So there is no federal rule that keeps agents away from schools. That is hard news. But it is not the whole story.

California law is strong here. It controls what your child's school, its staff and its records can do. Agents may come near a school, but the school cannot open its doors, hand over your child's file, or let agents question your child just because they ask.

Does my child still have the right to go to school?

Yes. Every child in the United States has the right to a free public education, whatever their immigration status or their parents' status. The U.S. Supreme Court decided this in 1982 in Plyler v. Doe, and it is still the law.

In California, children from 6 to 18 generally must be enrolled in school. Schools may not ask for immigration papers or a Social Security number to enroll your child. For enrollment steps, see Every child can go to public school.

What must my child's school do?

California's rules are in Education Code section 234.7. Two laws made them stronger on January 1, 2026: AB 49 and AB 495. The California Attorney General explains them in guidance for schools (December 2025). Here is what that means for your family.

If an immigration officer comes to the school, staff should:

• Tell the principal or district office right away.
• Ask to see the officer's ID and note the name and badge number.
• Not agree to let the officer search areas closed to the public, like classrooms and offices, unless the officer has a warrant signed by a judge or a court order.
• Not physically block the officer, but write down what happens.

Your child cannot be questioned without you. School staff must get consent from a parent or guardian before an immigration officer interviews or searches a student. The only exception is a valid warrant signed by a judge, or a valid court order.

You must be told. The school must notify you right away if an officer asks for access to your child for immigration enforcement, or gets it. The only exception is when a judge's warrant or court order says the school may not tell you. If the school releases a student to a law enforcement officer to take them off campus, it must also tell the parent right away.

Your child's records are protected. The school should not give student or family information to immigration officers without a judge's warrant, a judicial subpoena or a court order. An ICE administrative warrant does not let officers search school records. School directory information cannot include national origin, citizenship or immigration status.

The school may not collect your status. California schools may not collect information about a student's or family's citizenship or immigration status, except where state or federal law requires it.

These rules tell school staff what they may allow in the parts of a school that are closed to the public (Education Code 234.7; Attorney General guide). They say nothing about public streets and sidewalks near a school. Plan for drop off and pick up too.

Will the school tell all parents if agents come?

Every K to 12 school must have a plan for this. A 2025 law, SB 98, requires school safety plans to say how the school will notify parents, guardians and staff when immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus. Schools had to add this to their plans by March 1, 2026.

Ask your school two questions:

1. "How will you tell parents if immigration agents come to campus? Text, call, email or the parent app?"
2. "Is my phone number correct in your system?"

Then make sure you get the school's messages in the language you read best.

Who picks up my child if I cannot?

This is the most important step you can take today. If you are detained, or stuck somewhere, the school needs to know who can take your child home.

California law now backs you up. When a school learns a parent is not available, it must first follow the instructions on your emergency contact card. It should not call child protective services unless it cannot arrange care that way. Since January 1, 2026, licensed child care centers and state preschools must follow the same rule.

Do this now:

1. Ask the school office for the emergency contact form, or update it in the parent portal.
2. List two trusted adults who live nearby and can answer the phone during the school day. Write their full names and phone numbers.
3. Write who may pick up your child, and who may not.
4. Tell those adults they are on the list. Make sure they can show a photo ID at the office.
5. Do the same at child care, after school programs and sports.
6. Check the card again every fall and any time a phone number changes.

Think about a caregiver form. A signed Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit lets a trusted adult enroll your child in school and handle school matters. It does not give legal custody, and it does not take away your rights as a parent. Our page How to fill out the caregiver form walks you through it. For longer term choices, read Who can care for my children if I am detained.

Make a full family plan. The Attorney General recommends a family safety plan that names a trusted adult. Keep it where your child knows to find it. Our step by step plan is at Make a family preparedness plan.

What should I tell my child?

Keep it calm and simple. Children do best with a clear plan and adults who stay steady.

• Tell your child who will pick them up if you are late or cannot come. Use names they know.
• Have them learn one phone number by heart, or keep it in their backpack.
• Tell them that if anyone they don't know asks questions about their family, they can say they want their parent there. Everyone in the U.S. has the right to stay silent, whatever their status.
• Tell them to stay with their teacher and follow school staff during any emergency.
• Remind them that school is a place for them, and that they belong there.

Don't share more than your child needs. A young child can carry a simple plan. A teen may want to talk more. For help with fear and worry, see When your children are afraid of immigration raids.

Should I keep my child home from school?

That choice is yours, and we know it can feel safer. But missing school can make fear grow and put your child behind. California law requires children 6 to 18 to be enrolled in school, with some exceptions.

Before you decide, talk with the principal or counselor about your worries. Ask what the school is doing to keep students safe and how it will reach you. Many families find that a strong plan, an updated emergency card and a trusted adult nearby let them keep their children in class.

What if I see agents at or near the school?

Stay calm and keep yourself and your children safe.

• Don't run and don't block the agents. Keep your distance.
• Call your county rapid response line to report what you see: San Mateo County (203) 666-4472, Santa Clara County (408) 290-1144. Both answer 24 hours.
• Call the school office to ask what is happening and whether students are safe.
• Write down the time, place, what you saw and any vehicle details.
• If agents question you, you have the right to stay silent. Don't sign anything before you talk with a lawyer.

For what to do in other places, see If immigration agents come and How to report ICE activity.

What if the school does not follow these rules?

You can speak up, and you should.

1. Start with the principal or district office. Ask for the district's written policy on immigration enforcement and student privacy. Schools must share the Attorney General's guidance with families.
2. Write down what happened: dates, names, what was said or shared.
3. Contact the California Attorney General's Bureau of Children's Justice: (800) 952-5225, BCJ@doj.ca.gov, or the online form at oag.ca.gov/bcj/complaint. The Bureau may send single cases to another state office, such as the Civil Rights Department.
4. Get legal help if your child was questioned or your family's information was shared. See the list below.

See also How to file a discrimination complaint against a school.

What mistakes should we avoid?

• An old emergency card. A wrong number or a person who moved away can leave your child waiting.
• No backup adult. One person is not enough. Name two.
• Telling your child too much. Children need a plan, not every detail of your case.
• Sharing your status with school staff. The school does not need it and may not collect it.
• Trusting rumors. Social media posts about raids at schools are often wrong. Check with your rapid response line or the school.
• Paying someone for "protection papers." No paper makes a child immune from enforcement. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Who can help?

These are free or low cost public offices and nonprofits. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline: (203) 666-4472, 24 hours. County rapid response page
• Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network: (408) 290-1144, 24 hours
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: (650) 326-6440
• Ravenswood City School District (transitional kindergarten to 8th grade, East Palo Alto): (650) 329-2800
• Sequoia Union High School District (9th to 12th grade): (650) 369-1411
• California Attorney General, Bureau of Children's Justice: (800) 952-5225
• More free legal help: Free legal help in the Bay Area or dial 211

Only an attorney or a DOJ accredited representative can give you legal advice about your case.

Questions parents ask

Can ICE take my child from school? California schools need a judge's warrant or a court order before an officer may interview or search a student without your consent, and the school must tell you right away if an officer asks for your child. A judge's warrant can change that. If you are worried about a specific risk for your child, talk to a lawyer.

Will the school tell ICE my address? The school should not share student or family information with immigration officers without a judge's warrant, a judicial subpoena or a court order. An ICE administrative warrant is not enough.

Can I volunteer or visit the school without papers? California schools may not collect your immigration status, except where the law requires it. Ask the office what it asks of every volunteer.

Does this apply to preschool and child care? Licensed child care centers and state preschools may not collect immigration information, must report enforcement requests, and must follow your emergency contact instructions first. That rule began January 1, 2026.

Does this apply to private schools? The rules on this page are written for public schools and charter schools. Ask a private school for its own policy.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Yes. Take it to the school office.

You are doing the right thing by planning ahead. Your children are not alone, and neither are you.