Immigration enforcement: schoolsites: prohibitions on access and sharing information.

Senator Gonzalez's legislation establishes new protocols governing immigration enforcement activities at California K-12 schools, requiring judicial warrants or court orders before immigration authorities can access non-public areas of school grounds or question students. The measure builds upon existing state law that limits schools' collection of immigration status information.

Under the proposed requirements, when presented with a valid judicial warrant, school personnel must obtain and document the immigration authority's identification and purpose while notifying designated administrators before granting access. Without a warrant, schools must deny entry to non-public areas and document the denial. The bill also prohibits schools from sharing student, family or personnel records with immigration authorities absent a court order.

The legislation mandates that the Attorney General develop model policies to help schools implement these provisions. According to the bill's findings, 46 percent of California's children are part of immigrant families, with one in five living in mixed-status households. The measure cites research linking increased immigration enforcement to higher student absenteeism rates, which can impact school funding tied to attendance. As an urgency statute, the bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.