Overview

• Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Safe Schools for All Act, which bars denying public education based on immigration status, restricts disclosure of immigration information, and requires schools to set procedures for handling law-enforcement requests, taking effect Jan. 1, 2026.
• Chicago Public Schools instructs staff to deny entry to immigration agents without a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge and to route any inquiries through the district’s law department, with student records shared only by court order or parental consent.
• Los Angeles Unified launched new guidance and campus protections, with its police working alongside local law enforcement, as Superintendent Alberto Carvalho pledged safe spaces for students regardless of immigration status.
• The Department of Homeland Security rescinded prior ‘sensitive locations’ limits in January, but a DHS official said ICE has made no on-campus arrests at K-12 schools this term and most arrests involve people with criminal convictions or pending charges.
• Educators and advocates report heightened anxiety leading to absenteeism, unenrollment, and parents avoiding school events in immigrant communities from Chicago to Texas as the new school year begins.