ELC Provides Resources for Parents and Advocates on Immigrant Rights Related to Public Education

ELC has prepared and released two resources addressing the rights of immigrant students: a Know Your Rights flyer designed for parents, and a more comprehensive fact sheet intended for advocates. The flyer is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Gujarati, Tagalog, Hindi, Arabic, Korean, and Haitian.

Changes in federal deportation policy under the Trump administration, as well as elimination of federal guidance that designated certain sensitive locations, including schools, as areas protected from immigration enforcement, have led to heightened fears among immigrant communities throughout the country, including in New Jersey. Nearly a quarter, or 2.3 million, of New Jersey’s 9.5 million residents are foreign born, and 450,000 of them are estimated to be undocumented.

ELC’s flyer is a succinct effort to communicate to parents residing in New Jersey that their children have a right to attend public school, regardless of immigration status, and to be free of discrimination or harassment based on actual or perceived immigration status. The flyer alerts parents to the obligations of school officials and steps they can take to enhance their own and their children’s safety. The accompanying fact sheet provides a deeper dive into the relevant laws and the guidance available from various sources.

“Please assist us by distributing ELC’s flyer and fact sheet widely to your networks,” said ELC Senior Attorney Elizabeth Athos. “We are deeply concerned about reports that frightened families are keeping their children home from school and hope these materials will assist impacted families and their advocates in making informed decisions.”

Additional guidance is available on a recently created New Jersey Department of Education webpage. The Department states that it is “unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that every student, regardless of immigration status, national origin, or religion, can attend public school safely.” The Department has provided guidance to school districts addressing protocols for handling immigration enforcement activities, federal and state legal requirements relevant to the education of immigrant students, other relevant considerations, and resources for deportation-related trauma.

Low-income, New Jersey families in need of legal assistance related to their child’s public education are encouraged to contact ELC’s intake line at (973) 624-1815, ext. 300.

Preparation of these materials was made possible by support from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey and the efforts of attorney Cindy Fine.

For updated information, see ELC’s new Immigrant Students webpage.

Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240