SAFE SCHOOLS FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN SAN FRANCISCO
The Safe Schools Committee is an organizing committee of immigrant families and educators, formed through a partnership between Faith in Action Bay Area and United Educators of San Francisco (UESF), the union representing 6,000 educators in the San Francisco public schools. Since 2025, the committee has been working on five key issues identified by the families and educators:
Safe Schools Plans - template for a plan on how schools can be prepared in the event of ICE activity on or near the campus
Family Plans - training on how families can be prepared for emergencies including the worst case of family separation
Accompaniment - how educators can accompany immigrant parents and students themselves to immigration court and ICE check ins
Sanctuary Legal Defense Fund - a fund for critical gaps families face in the area of legal defense
Protecting Newcomer Programs - an effort to stop harmful cuts proposed by the school district to programs specially designed for recent immigrant students
MEDIA
SANCTUARY LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Most of us immigrant families are facing the immigration system without a lawyer. Even in San Francisco, pro bono legal services are at capacity, and private attorneys cost $10,000 or more. The federal government has dramatically increased fees charged for each step in the process. We know that having a lawyer makes deportation much less likely—and yet thousands of San Francisco families lack legal representation.
That’s why we launched the SANCTUARY Legal Defense Fund which pays for application fees and private attorney deposits for SFUSD students and families. Please join us by making a donation! United Educators of San Francisco has committed up to $50,000 in matching funds, so all donations will be doubled. Together, we can make San Francisco a true Sanctuary City.
