Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 49, the California Safe Haven Schools Act, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, alongside Latino Caucus Chair Senator Lena Gonzalez, Vice Chair Assemblymember Liz Ortega, and Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez. This new law enhances protections for students and families by prohibiting immigration enforcement officers from entering school campuses without proper identification and a valid judicial warrant or court order. It also forbids local education agencies from sharing personal information about students, their families, teachers, or school staff with immigration authorities.
Key highlights and responses:
- Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi emphasized that AB 49 reaffirms every student’s constitutional right to education regardless of immigration status, ensuring students can learn without fear of deportation or family separation.
- Senator Lena Gonzalez highlighted that the law provides greater safeguards against deportation attempts on campuses, recognizing the challenges immigrant families face amid federal raids.
- Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), called AB 49 a shield of dignity for immigrant students, ensuring children can attend school without fear and families are protected from separation.
- Dr. David Toston, Santa Clara County Superintendent, praised the bill for making schools among the safest places for children, noting the significant immigrant population in his county.
Background: Nearly one in eight California students has at least one undocumented parent, with an estimated 133,000 students undocumented themselves. The bill responds to recent federal immigration enforcement actions, including aggressive ICE raids in Los Angeles County that have instilled fear, caused family separations, and disrupted students’ education.
AB 49 is sponsored by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. It enjoys broad support from school districts, immigrant rights advocates, and civil rights organizations statewide.
This legislation marks a significant step toward ensuring that California schools remain safe havens where all students can learn and thrive without fear related to immigration enforcement.
