On Jan. 21, the administration of President Donald Trump rescinded guidelines that limited immigration enforcement officers to enter sensitive locations such as schools – a break from past practice in which officials have not targeted schools and churches.
This change has people in West Contra Costa communities concerned and scared about an uncertain future.
“With Trump being in charge once again, it has me worried what enforced laws he’s willing to make and at what levels he’s willing to go,’’ said Liliana Reyes, a site director at Lake Elementary, adding that hard-working parents and hard-working students shouldn’t have to be in fear day to day.
Reyes, currently a site director at Lake Elementary, has been working with Love Learn Success (LLS), a nonprofit that provides after-school enrichment, for seven years, including five as a director and two as an after school program instructor at Peres. Those schools are composed of many immigrant parents and students who are non English speakers.
Some administrators and leaders of after school programs have said they will aim to protect students from being picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers if they show up on a campus, emphasizing that only authorized people can pick up children from the school.
“If somehow there was a chance ICE somehow got on school campus and detained a student, there’s no way they’re taking that kid without me fighting for the parent to get there or with the knowledge that the parents know what’s happening,’’ Reyes explained.
One mother of a third grade boy who was born in Mexico is afraid of the possibility of being separated, since she was born in the U.S. The mother, who works as a custodian at West Contra Costa Unified, expressed fear about the changing immigration orders. She said others are similarly worried, even keeping their children home from school because of it.
“I’ve noticed the attendance dropped substantially during the end of January and beginning of February,” she said. “I’m at a majority Latin community school so it makes sense as parents have fear. The schools will be affected badly if bad attendance keep going on.”
As a custodian for a little over six years, she emphatically notes that the majority of schools she’s been at are made up by people who do not speak English as their first language.
“Hard working students with hard working parents just trying to have a better future for themselves,” said the custodian.
The WhiteHouse.gov executive order published on Jan. 20, establishes its plan to protect American people against “invasion.” According to section 2 of the order titled “Protecting The m\Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, “It is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people.’’
Section 1 states, “The privilege of United States citizenship is a priceless and profound gift. The Fourteenth Amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
“School districts across the country have been educating teachers about the law,’’ said Alexis Bill, who has worked for Love Learn Success since 2018 as a program instructor, site director and now assistant director.
Bill, who previously worked at school sites in Oakland, is now working in West Contra Costa, and has been doing her part to have the parents informed. During after school program dismissals, she gives out cards to parents that outline their legal rights around immigration.
“If ICE was to show up to any school with LLS during ASP, they can’t take a kid, as we have an authorization pick up list which has the names of individuals who can pick up certain kids, so they’d be breaking the law if they were to take a kid,” said Bill.
She’s working to get her degree for Human rights and law, as she believes the steps that historically have been taken to illegal migrants are unjust and inhumane.
“Kids being in cages without their parents, all alone, without warmth, treated terribly, is one of the most inhumane things you can do to their mental health,’’ said Bill.