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In NYC, calls to stay in school amid Trump's crackdown on undocumented families
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Aug 27, 2025
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By
Arya Sundaram
Published Aug 27, 2025
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Immigrant advocates and education leaders on Wednesday urged undocumented students in New York City to continue attending school, amid fears of the Trump administration’s mounting immigration arrests.
“New York City Public Schools stands with all of our families, regardless of background and immigration status,” Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said at a rally in Downtown Manhattan. “Let me assure you, our schools are safe places. They are welcoming places where your child will be cared for and valued.”
The rally was organized by the nonprofit New York Immigration Coalition and comes ahead of the start of the new school year next week. The advocates and educators informed immigrant students and parents about their educational and immigration rights. Under New York state law, all state residents have the right to attend public school between the ages of 5 and 21.
The gathering also comes as the Trump administration steps up immigration law enforcement in New York and across the country, with a goal of making 3,000 immigration arrests daily, up from an average of a few hundred per day under the previous administration.
There have been fewer than a half-dozen reported instances of New York City school children being detained by ICE, usually after immigration court hearings. No ICE officers have attempted to enter local public school buildings, according to the Department of Education.
Aviles-Ramos also said the Department of Education has trained thousands of school staff members about the proper protocol to follow when ICE officers appear at a school. And the agency has also connected families who have been detained with legal help and other resources, she said.
Rita Rodriguez-Engberg, director of the Immigrant Students' Rights Project at the nonprofit Advocates for Children, emphasized that parents of non-English-speaking learners have the right to have school documents translated, and to have interpreters in meetings with teachers.
Children also have the right to receive instruction to learn English, she said.
“ We want to make sure that parents do not feel like they're a burden to the school,” Rodriguez-Engberg said. "We don't want them to be afraid to go to their schools to ask for help."
Rodriguez-Engberg directed families with questions about their children’s education to contact her organization’s assistance hotline, at 866-427-6033 from Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Race And Justice Unit
education
new york city
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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