How Nevadans can protect school kids from ICE activity

Immigrant advocates want children to know their rights if confronted with illegal immigration issues.

During the 2025 Legislature, a flurry of bills aimed at mitigating President Donald Trump’s looming cuts and crackdowns passed through both Nevada legislative chambers, including Assembly Bill 217, the Student Safety Act. The policy primarily sought to prohibit school personnel from working with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement officials to deport and detain unauthorized immigrants unless a warrant was issued. 

The measure was an effort to curb ICE’s presence on school campuses as the Trump administration carries out a mass immigrant removal plan. 

The Democrat-backed policy earned the support of several Republicans, though Lombardo vetoed it citing “overly rigid” language that could “impede legitimate enforcement actions and place school personnel in legally precarious situations.” 

Hector Fong, spokesman for the Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC), said the governor’s actions send a clear message.

“He doesn’t care about schools being a safe place for children of immigrants,” Fong wrote in a press release.

As part of NIC’s immigrant advocacy, Fong said preparing children for ICE encounters was crucial ahead of the school year. He said children should know their Miranda rights, including the rights to remain silent and to an attorney. In the case of children, they should also be able to avoid signing any documents without a parent, guardian, or attorney.

He suggests students keep a “Know Your Rights” card in their backpack or wallet to write down emergency contacts such as parents, trusted relatives, and an attorney if applicable, and to note any allergies and keep needed medications safely stored.

NIC provides guidance on how to stay prepared for ICE encounters in various situations, including while driving, at work, at home, or at school. 

Staying prepared is vital as children are increasingly included in ICE arrests, including a six-year-old previously diagnosed with leukemia, a nine-year-old from Los Angeles, and three children ages 2, 4, and 7, who are US citizens with immigrant mothers. Each arrest occurred at routine family check-ins with ICE.

Parents in the Las Vegas Valley fear for their school-aged children, prompting them to pull kids from classrooms, some opting for online learning instead, to avoid federal agents that may be targeting local campuses.

Although no law is in place, Clark County School District (CCSD) Superintendent Jhone Ebert said federal officials won’t carry out immigration enforcement on school grounds, The Nevada Independent reports. She said Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol officials assured her they would limit their operations ahead of the first day of school.

Fong still urges families to stay proactive by giving children “Know Your Rights” cards and encouraging them to familiarize themselves with the cards among friends. To help with the effort, NIC has distributed “Know Your Rights” cards at community hubs while canvassing at places such as indoor swap meets. 

Fong said asserting your rights can make a world of difference in an immigration case outcome. 

“The ‘Know Your Rights’ card is crucial, not even if you’re just an immigrant, but if you’re a citizen too,” he said. “They’re rights that we’re all entitled to.”