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How do you prepare for the possibility that immigration officers will detain you as an undocumented worker while your child is away attending school, unaware of what has happened or who will take care of them if you are deported?
That was one of the many questions addressed in a town hall meeting at San Juan Elementary School on Feb. 25, hosted by the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District and featuring educators, local government officials and representatives of law enforcement and legal defense.
“It has been a time of uncertainty, fear and many unanswered questions,” said Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga. “We want you to know that we are here because we love your students. Our mission is to provide all of them with a free public education, as is their right.”
The panel consisted of Dill-Varga, District Board President Anissa Dizon, 29th District Assemblymember Robert Rivas’ field representative Andres Rodriquez, Mayor Leslie Jordan, City Councilmember Jose Aranda, County Sheriff Commander Adam Lobdell (representing Sheriff Eric Taylor), Latino Coalition President Mickey Luna and immigration attorney Lizette Rodriguez Peña.
The district had a list of questions for the panel members. Attendance at the school’s multi-use room was sparse, but many people watched online, at home or at hosted Zoom gatherings.
The first question concerned what had changed in the state since the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, which was addressed by Rodriquez, speaking on behalf of Rivas. Rodriquez said that Rivas has been proactive in combating actions from the new administration which target undocumented individuals.
Rodriquez reported that two bills had been passed in a special session of the legislature. SBX1-1 provides $25 million to California’s Justice Department to pay for litigation, with 12 lawsuits filed currently. SBX2-1 provides $25 million for legal services and social service programs.
Rodriquez also said there has been “a big cut of resources and funding to a lot of states that might not align with the administration,” and recommended that immigrant-focused nonprofits that rely on federal funds apply for some of the funds from the second bill.
Dill-Varga addressed the next question, regarding what rights students have, to attorney Peña, who said that the flurry of executive orders has been overwhelming.
“The Constitution applies to everyone,” she said. “So as students you have the right to the Fifth, Fourth, and Sixth Amendment, which are the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney and the right for privacy. Students also have a right to an education, which gives schools some legal status.”
Dill-Varga answered the third question, regarding what the district has been doing to support students with undocumented parents. She said they are reviewing policies to ensure they are up to date, and have consulted with the school district’s attorney to determine what protocols needed to be followed if immigration authorities came to a school.
She said the district had created a page for parents on its website, with links to resources from the California Department of Justice, California Department of Education, as well as the district board’s policies which speak to the issues.
Among the resources, in English and Spanish, are a child preparedness plan, which would go into effect in case of detention or deportation; information on rapid response networks; childcare safety plans; and links to local resources.
The fourth question, on what can be done to prepare for being detained, was addressed to Luna, who said she and her staff compiled 45 pages of relevant information in English and Spanish that she would share on the district’s resource page.
Lobdell answered the fifth question, which was about the role of local law enforcement in federal enforcement actions. He said that Senate Bill 54, known as the “California Values Act,” seriously restricts local law enforcement from assisting federal law enforcement. However, he said, “the federal government does not need our help.”
He said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is required to notify the county if they are coming, and that the Sheriff’s Department would still, under some circumstances, be legally obligated to help them.
“We are still dedicated to public safety,” Lobdell said. “If they have a life-and-death situation that requires us to assist them, we will assist them. If they’re running operations in the county and just doing a random sweep, we will not assist them in any way. We will not communicate. We won’t provide them with any information.”
Following the panel discussion there was a round of audience questions about legal processes and the district’s preparedness. Dill-Varga said, “I feel like it’s been five years since January 20th, but I don’t want you to walk away thinking we are not going to pay attention to these things.”
“We’re trying to go through it in a meaningful fashion and tackle the things that we have to do right away to keep our kids safe. Our board is extremely supportive, and this is not something we’re taking lightly.”
After the meeting, Aranda told BenitoLink he found it informative and was hoping there could be a similar town hall for the residents of San Juan Bautista. A Zoom recording of the meeting will be posted to the ASJUSD website.
Resources cited at the meeting
Childcare Safety Plan
Plan de Preparacion Familiar
Immigration Enforcement Actions at California Schools
ASJUSD Immigration Guidelines
Resources provided to BenitoLink by Mickey Luna
Toll free information flier (English)
Toll free information (Spanish)
Latino Coalition Of SBC Emergency Planning Toolkit (English)
Latino Coalition of SBC Plan De Emergencia (Spanish)
Latino Coalition of SBC Preparedness Plan (English)
Latino Coalition of SBC Plan De Preparacion Familiar (Spanish)
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