A California school district told Fox News Digital Thursday it is not following the state’s updated guidance on handling immigration enforcement.
Districts across the state were expected to update state guidance by March 1 to ensure students are shielded from immigration enforcement.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced in December 2025 that “approximately 133,000 undocumented children attend California’s public K-12 schools, and many more have parents or relatives who do not have legal status.”
However, Lakeside Union School District in southern California believes the effort is merely political.
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“In Lakeside, we believe in the rule of law. I refuse to put my district’s federal funding and the students it serves at risk by opposing federal law enforcement. It’s not our teachers or school secretaries’ job to oppose law enforcement. That’s wrong,” Lakeside Unified School District Trustee Andrew Hayes told Fox News Digital.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond mandated school districts update their policies “limiting assistance with immigration enforcement at public schools, to the fullest extent possible consistent with federal and state law, and ensuring that public schools remain safe and accessible to all California residents, regardless of immigration status.”
In February, Hayes joined the chorus of California school board members accusing California education officials and teachers unions of “fearmongering” over immigration enforcement as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was criticized over the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
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The school board members reacted to Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho reporting earlier this year that students were not showing up to class in the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year due to concerns over immigration enforcement.
Responding to fearmongering claims from school board members, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital Thursday it had not entered schools to arrest children.
“ICE is not going to schools to arrest children. We are protecting children. Criminals are no longer able to hide in America’s schools to avoid arrest,” the spokesperson said.
“The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense. If a dangerous illegal alien felon were to flee into a school or a child sex offender is working as an employee, there may be a situation where an arrest is made to protect public safety.”
Hayes doubled down in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying that the guidance issued by the state was all fanfare.
“This ‘model’ policy is purely political and not about kids. It’s all fanfare to advance Gavin Newsom’s political agenda. The fact is ICE isn’t coming to schools,” Hayes said.
“That’s a narrative created by left-wing activists to instill fear and decrease enrollment so that the Sacramento education bureaucracy can go beg Newsom for more money to cover up their failure to educate our kids properly.”
The trustee claimed his statement “reflects the opinion” of his colleagues.
The school district told Fox News Digital it “doesn’t have any comments regarding Board member Hayes’ statements.”
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The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and ramping up of deportation efforts have caused some schools to take action.
Oceanside Unified School District in San Diego County beefed up security and provided scripts for staff to “keep ICE out of schools.” Visitors must be buzzed in to enter the front office. Front office signs were updated, and signs were put up to identify areas restricted to students and staff.
“OUSD is following updated state laws on this topic, though practices on law enforcement on campus have been part of our board policy since before 2020,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in January.
Newsom’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
The article was updated to include a statement from Lakeside Union School District.
