Dr. Bains’ bill to safeguard school funding from immigration raids clears Assembly

(Sacramento, CA) June 02, 2025 – Today, the California State Assembly approved Dr. Jasmeet Bains’ (D-Delano) proposal to protect school funding when federal immigration raids cause mass school absences.

“Just this week, the LA Times reported on a child in Bakersfield who is so medically fragile that a deportation order is basically a death sentence. Her family came here legally; they have followed all of the rules, and yet they are still being targeted for deportation. The only purpose of allowing ICE to operate around schools is to instill fear and send a message that nowhere is safe,” said Dr. Bains in an impassioned floor speech.

Specifically, the proposed change in law adds immigration enforcement to a list of eligible conditions outside of the schools’ control for funding protection. Other eligible conditions include natural disasters, safety threats, transportation issues, and strike situations. When schools face these situations, they can submit a request to the California Department of Education to protect their funding.

“Twenty percent of California’s school children live in mixed-status homes, meaning they are undocumented or living with someone who is undocumented. Several LEA’s (Local Education Agencies) have reported a decrease in attendance because immigrant parents are afraid federal immigration officials will detain children to screen for residency status or question the children about others in their household,” wrote EdTrustWest in a letter of support to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Over 1 million children in California have at least one undocumented parent.

Recent research from the University of California Los Angeles shows that absenteeism rates worsen by about five percentage points in areas where immigration arrests occurred. Additional research by the Immigration Initiative at Harvard found that nearly 60% of educators observed increased absenteeism due to immigration enforcement.

“When attendance drops, funding disappears, and when funding disappears, all students suffer – regardless of immigration status,” said Dr. Bains.

The California State Senate will now consider the bill.