Bill to Block Immigration Enforcement Officers Nearby Schools Passes Senate Committee

Sacramento Democrats want to make areas near schools sanctuaries for illegal aliens

“In addition, SB 48 would prohibit California law enforcement agencies from collaborating with, or providing any information about a pupil, pupil’s family and household, school employee, or teacher in writing, verbally, on in any other manner, to immigration authorities regarding proposed or currently underway immigration enforcement actions when the actions could be or are taking place within a radius of one mile of any school site.

However, with concerns over loopholes and the bill leaving much up to interpretation, SB 48 was heavily amended before the Committee vote late last month. The amended SB 48 removed the mile radius for officers and made it clear what the process was for immigration officers, with a valid judicial warrant or court order, to enter a school site. The new amendment also deemphasized ICE and instead said “immigration authority”.

Literally, they are making the Principal of each school a Federal felon—it is against the law to protect or encourage or support illegal aliens.  This is a crime bill, arrest a couple of principals and see if the others stop breaking the law.

Bill to Block Immigration Enforcement Officers Nearby Schools Passes Senate Committee

GOP Senators torn on support for SB 48

By Evan Symon, California Globe,  4/4/25    https://californiaglobe.com/fr/bill-to-block-immigration-enforcement-officers-nearby-schools-passes-senate-committee/

A bill to restrict local educational agencies and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement officers, and bar immigration authorities from entering schools unless they have a valid warrant or court order, was passed in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday with a 6-1 vote.

The vote on the bill, Senate Bill 48, came after only a few weeks following a major amendment to the bill that made it less restrictive than the original version. Originally, bill author Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) said that the bill would specifically prohibit school districts, county offices of education, or charter schools and their personnel from granting a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, or other federal official engaging in immigration related investigation or enforcement, permission to access a school campus without a judicial warrant.

In addition, SB 48 would prohibit California law enforcement agencies from collaborating with, or providing any information about a pupil, pupil’s family and household, school employee, or teacher in writing, verbally, on in any other manner, to immigration authorities regarding proposed or currently underway immigration enforcement actions when the actions could be or are taking place within a radius of one mile of any school site.

However, with concerns over loopholes and the bill leaving much up to interpretation, SB 48 was heavily amended before the Committee vote late last month. The amended SB 48 removed the mile radius for officers and made it clear what the process was for immigration officers, with a valid judicial warrant or court order, to enter a school site. The new amendment also deemphasized ICE and instead said “immigration authority”.

With the amendment clearing up the issues around the bill, SB 48 received back from Democrats as well as some Republicans. This was seen on the Committee vote on Wednesday when Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) voted in favor of the bill with 5 Democrats, while Senator Steven Choi (R-Irvine) was the sole vote against it.

Bogh explained her decision on Wednesday, saying that while SB 48 was a “good bill,” schools are not allowed by law to get information on if students are illegal immigrants or not.

“I just want to make sure that we have the correct information out in public because there is a lot of fear being promoted, and it has to stop,” said Bogh. “I can see why the bills are being introduced in order to protect and give that security, but that is the law that is currently already in place. To promote this notion that our students could be in peril within the school districts, I’ll leave it to your interpretations.”

SB 48 moves up in Senate

Meanwhile, Gonzalez stressed that the bill was more to do with a right to education and not have a disrupted educational experience because of immigration enforcement agents entering schools.

“The U.S. Supreme Court has long established that the Constitution guarantees a right to education regardless of immigration status, and until recently, the federal government had treated these sensitive spaces as safe zones,” Gonzalez said. “Immigration actions near schools have a chilling effect on school attendance, increased learning loss and harms student mental health.”

Despite Gonzales’ reasonings, SB 48 has been seen as one of several “Trump Proof” bills entering the legislature this year to combat against President Donald Trump’s new ICE guidelines. It has even received the backing of California Department of Education (CDE) State Superintendent and 2026 Governor candidate Tony Thurmond, who noted that immigration authorities could wind up costing schools money as a result if SB 48 isn’t there to keep authorities in check.

“We know that the fearmongering happening across our nation has disruptive impacts on children in our immigrant families, and it could cost California schools millions of dollars,” said Thurmond on Wednesday.

“All California children deserve safe school environments that prioritize student learning, regardless of immigration status,” added Gonzalez. “As Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, I’m proud to be partnering with Superintendent Tony Thurmond to author this important legislation, which will prevent disruptions to student learning, keep children in school, and prevent families from being torn apart.”