The LAAAE Board of Directors has been at the forefront of protecting our undocumented students and families and has declared our school as a Safe Zone.
On February 24, 2016, the LAAAE Board of Directors passed a resolution to establish Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise as a Safe Zone and Resource Center for families threatened by immigration enforcement. On June 20, 2017, the LAAAE Board of Directors passed a resolution to re-establish Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise as a Safe Zone and Resource Center for families threatened by immigration enforcement. On June 27, 2018, the LAAAE Board of Directors adopted policies to comply with Assembly Bill 699 – Safe Schools for Immigrant Students. The LAAAE Board of Directors are scheduled to re-establish Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise as a Safe Zone and Resource Center for families threatened by immigration enforcement at their monthly meeting in January of 2025, given the perilous conditions undocumented student and their families are facing with a second Trump presidency.
Each of the above actions referenced the United States Supreme Court which held in Plyer v. Doe (1982) that no public school district has a basis to deny children access to education based on their immigration status, citing that children have little control over their immigration status, the harm it would inflict on the child and society itself, and equal protection rights of the 14th Amendment. Each of these LAAAE Board of Directors’ actions increased protections provided to all students. Although our school was already implementing non-discriminatory practices based on immigration status, these policies prohibited discrimination based on immigration status. Most recently, the policy included treating all students equitable in the receipt of all school services, including but, not limited to, the free and reduced lunch program, transportation, and educational instruction.
In 2019 changes to the federal Public Charge rule were enacted. The term Public Charge is used in immigration law to refer to a person who is primarily dependent on the government for support. The changes to the existing rule will now make it more difficult to apply for permanent residency or earn a visa if an applicant is dependent on government aid such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), housing assistance, and Medicaid. Know that K–12 public education is not impacted by the Public Charge rule. Neither is your child’s ability to receive nutritious meals and snacks, before, during, and after school. All of the 6.2 million students in California’s public schools are allowed to participate in the school nutrition program available at their school site, and participation in the nutrition program does not impact immigration status.
In January of 2025, Donald Trump signed executive order to end birthright citizenship and increase immigration enforcement in all 50 states, which includes empowering the military to act as Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents. Furthermore, programs supporting undocumented immigrants, like DACA, TPS, and Refugees, are at risk of being suspended or terminated.
Multiple California agencies provide immigration resources. The state has produced an interactive California Immigrant Guide found at this website. California’s Attorney General, Xavier Becerra’s website also provides immigration resources. The California Department of Social Services funds qualified nonprofit organizations to provide services to immigrants who reside in California. A directory of these immigration service contractors is found at this website. The State Bar of California has immigration legal resources at this website.
If you have questions, would like to update your child’s emergency contact information, or meet with someone at our school, please contact Kriscia Tejada, Assistant Principal by email at ktejada@laaae.org or by telephone at 213-487-0600.