Update: The BVSD Board of Education unanimously approved the Supporting Students and Families resolution on Dec. 10, 2024. The resolution reaffirms the district’s commitment to protecting undocumented and other vulnerable students and their families and comes in response to policies proposed by President Donald Trump, including plans for mass deportations.
Schools are not immune to the effects of heated political rhetoric, and the Boulder Valley School District is preparing to act. During a recent board meeting, members discussed plans to reassure undocumented students and other vulnerable groups facing potential threats from shifting national policies.
After an election cycle dominated by immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, some BVSD students and families have expressed growing fears about an impending shakeup as the Trump administration takes power. In response, the BVSD board has drafted a resolution affirming its commitment to using every legal tool available to protect vulnerable communities. The board is set to take action on the resolution at its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
This resolution would follow similar actions taken by the district during past election cycles. In 2016, then-member Richard Garcia authored a resolution addressing “post-election fears” and citing policies against discrimination and harassment. Since then, the board has passed a resolution after each election in response to campaign rhetoric.
“People are asking the same questions now, ‘Is this a safe place? What avenues do we have for support? And what ability do our schools have to provide access to enforcement, to restrictive policies, or to groups that are being targeted’ — whether they be immigrants, LGBTQ+ or those who are feeling targeted by current changing policies,” said board member Jorge Chavez at a Nov. 19 board meeting.
BVSD does not collect or maintain data on students’ immigration status, but it is a diverse community, with about 30% of students from minority backgrounds. While about 66% are white, the district is also 20% Hispanic, 6% biracial, 5% Asian or Pacific Islander and 1% African American.
As of late November, about 790 students were enrolled in the district’s Newcomer Program. These students are defined by their recent arrival in the U.S. and low English language proficiency. A surge in newcomers last school year kept the program on its toes, with 469 students joining in the first six months. Boulder High and Centaurus High host the program at the high school level.
In February, the district hosted a meeting with the Colorado Department of Education to share best practices for supporting new migrants. The Newcomer Program is filled with students who have arrived through various means, though it became a proxy for accounting for the influx of migrants from the Mexico border during the historic peak in border crossings at the end of 2023.
The district resolution is expected to point to established legal rights, including constitutional rights to equal protection. For instance, in 1982, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot deny public education based on immigration status.
Because the Hispanic population is the second-largest group in the district, various schools offer programs designed for Spanish speakers and English language learners at all levels. The district has six dual-language schools where Spanish- and English-speaking students spend part of their day learning in Spanish. This includes three elementary schools offering 100% Spanish instruction for preschool. Thanks to the Newcomer Program, Boulder High has one of the largest English Language Development programs in the district, with students from 30 countries, according to the program website. Whittier Elementary, with its international focus, says it serves students from 35 countries.
At the November board meeting, members discussed ways to address community concerns, including connecting families with existing resources.
“There might be things that ratchet up in the coming days, and I know it’s already happening with kids who are afraid to go to school or families that are concerned about this,” said Chavez.
No authority to enforce federal immigration laws
During his election campaign, Donald Trump used examples of alleged violence and crime involving Venezuelan migrants in nearby Aurora — one of the most diverse cities in the state — to illustrate his immigration platform. He coined his mission to deport undocumented immigrants “Operation Aurora” and committed to using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out mass deportations.
Aurora Public Schools, with about 38,000 students — about 10,000 more than BVSD — has just one dual-language school for its roughly 20,000 Hispanic students.
“We will send elite squads of ICE, Border Patrol, and federal law enforcement officers to hunt down, arrest and deport every last illegal alien gang member until there is not a single one left in this country,” Trump said during a pre-election speech in Aurora.
On this issue, board member Lalenia Quinlan Aweida stressed the importance of city leadership speaking up and reminding the community of the distinction between federal and local authorities.
“Differentiating between law enforcement and immigration enforcement can hopefully help people feel a bit more secure,” said Lalenia Quinlan Aweida.
In response to questions from Boulder Reporting Lab about potential mass deportations, city spokesperson Sarah Huntley reiterated Boulder’s commitment to being a welcoming community. “The City of Boulder recognizes that the outcome of the recent election has created uncertainty and fear within immigrant communities across the country,” Huntley said. “While we are aware of frequent campaign statements calling for mass deportations, we have not been notified of any such plans locally.”
Huntley reaffirmed the city’s policy of not inquiring about residents’ immigration status or denying access to services based on that status. “No City of Boulder employee will inquire about any resident’s immigration status or prevent someone from accessing city-provided services or programs based on this status,” she said.
She also clarified that immigration enforcement is outside the jurisdiction of Boulder police. “The Boulder Police Department is responsible for enforcing local and state laws. Federal immigration policy is not within its purview,” she said, adding that the police “do not provide local resources or assistance in support of these efforts.”
Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson similarly stated that immigration enforcement is not their job. “Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, not local authorities,” Johnson said in a statement to Boulder Reporting Lab. “The Sheriff’s Office has no statutory or constitutional authority to enforce immigration laws. Nor do we seek it.” The office emphasized its focus on building trust with immigrant communities. “Our philosophy has been to build trust with immigrant communities and to encourage the reporting of crimes and protection of community members regardless of immigration status,” Johnson said.
John Herrick contributed reporting to this story.
Draft BVSD resolution: