Resources to Prepare Schools for Immigration Emergencies

This article was updated on February 24, 2026 to include new resources from an Education Law Center webinar “Practical Steps to Protect Immigrant Students’ Rights in Pennsylvania Schools” held on February 20, 2026. 

In recent weeks there has been a confirmed increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in our region impacting the lives of local students, families, and school communities. You may remember that on January 21, 2025, the Trump administration rescinded a “sensitive locations” policy which previously served to limit immigration enforcement at schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Because of this, schools should consider how they will respond if immigration enforcement activity takes place on school grounds and at bus stops. 

Recognizing the importance of preparing schools for these changes, the Pennsylvania offices of the Education Law Center (ELC) and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) published a letter of guidance and recorded webinar outlining students’ rights and schools’ responsibilities, along with tools for navigating these issues including students’ absences. Due to the swift action recommended, this information was disseminated to all school district superintendents, charter school CEOs, and Intermediate Unit Executive Directors in Pennsylvania. Additionally, local nonprofit groups have stepped in to offer guidance and support for impacted families. 

Tools and Resources

As an intermediary connecting schools with community, the Consortium for Public Education is highlighting these resources for educators in our region, as we continuously work to ensure that schools are places where all students feel safe, accepted, and valued. 

• Review the letter of guidance and recorded webinar (above) for recommendations on procedures for responding to immigration agents on school grounds, limiting data collection of sensitive student information, protecting students’ privacy, and ensuring a welcoming and safe environment for all students.
• Review the Education Law Center’s Resource Page on Immigrant Students’ Rights for further resources and tools related to rights and responsibilities and subscribe to their mailing list to receive updated information.
  • The ELC offered a webinar, “Practical Steps to Protect Immigrant Students’ Right in Pennsylvania Schools,” on February 20, 2026. You can watch the recorded webinar or review the slides from the presentation.
  • They also shared Guidance to LEAs Relating to Immigration Enforcement Actions issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
• ACLU Pennsylvania provides resources and guidance to schools and families.
• Should you witness or experience an ICE detention, call the Casa San Jose 24-hour Emergency Response Line at 412-736-7167. A team of volunteers will assist impacted families with court accompaniments and immigration-related supports. It is recommended that school staff and families save this phone number for ease of access during an emergency.
• Help at-risk families understand their rights and develop a plan of action by sharing these brief videos from Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS), a local social service provider. Videos are published in seven languages (Dari, English, Haitian Creole, Kinyarwanda, Pashto, Spanish, and Swahili).

Outside of Pennsylvania, the Minnesota teachers’ union has a page with guidance for if ICE comes to your school

Next Steps 

We encourage all school leaders to review this information and develop a plan that is best for their school and community. Leaders may want to consider:

• Talking with one or two nearby districts to share strategies for similar populations.
• Proactively disseminating “Know Your Rights” materials to at-risk families and having those same materials available on-hand for all families when they arrive at the school. 
• Providing a trusted staff person’s cell phone number for families to call during an emergency (e.g.: the principal, a school social worker, or an ELL teacher). 
• Limiting the sharing of students’ names and pictures on social media and in disseminated materials to protect student safety and privacy.