Joint Position Statement in Support of Immigrant Communities
from English Learners Advocacy Council in Higher Education (ELACHE), Illinois Association of Multilingual and Multicultural Education (IAMME) and the Latino Policy Forum
Members of ELACHE and IAMME stand firmly with our immigrant communities. We oppose policies that threaten the rights and dignity of immigrant families and their children. We reaffirm that every child and youth has the right to a safe, inclusive, and high-quality education, as protected by federal law. We stand in solidarity with immigrant communities and pledge to advocate for their protection and well-being. This joint statement reflects our common mission to uphold the rights and dignity of all children, youth, adults, and families.
ELACHE and IAMME are made up of higher education and P-12 educators, researchers, social and health service providers, and advocates involved in multilingual learners’ education. We are dedicated to equity and justice, and therefore do not stand idly by as mass deportation policies threaten the rights, safety, and well-being of students and their families. Recent declarations to launch the largest domestic deportation operation in U.S. history, revoke birthright citizenship, and strip undocumented children of their legal right to a K-12 public education are deeply harmful and go against the spirit of the foundational tenets of the United States, including the recognition of free, public education for all as essential to a healthy democracy. These proposals not only violate basic human rights but also undermine the core principles of our educational system, meant to serve every child, regardless of immigration status under the law (Plyler v Doe, 1982).
Mass deportations and the accompanying threats to civil rights have devastating consequences for students, families, and communities, that include living in a constant state of fear of separation, heightened anxiety, chronic absenteeism, and academic disengagement. While the majority of children and youth in our schools and universities are U.S. citizens, some come from mixed-status families who may have undocumented parents, siblings, and/or other family members. The family separation trauma that results from deportation efforts leaves long-lasting scars on students’ emotional, social, and academic development. Additionally, as new policies are proposed, there is a growing risk of more restrictive measures that could harm the protections established under Plyler v. Doe (1982), which guarantees all children the right to a free and public K-12 education regardless of immigration status. In addition, legal protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students in higher education are also under threat. Any weakening—or, worse, revoking—of these protections would exclude vulnerable students from classrooms, denying them not only the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to society but also their fundamental right to free, quality K-12 education in the United States. According to the Migration Policy Institute, Illinois has more than 33,000 DACA recipients, many of whom work in critical shortage areas such as the medical and education fields. It is therefore imperative that individuals covered by DACA
continue to be protected so that they can work in these essential roles.
These policies disproportionately harm marginalized communities, particularly in urban centers like Chicago but also rural areas, which already bear the weight of systemic inequities. They perpetuate cycles of poverty and social exclusion, erode trust between families and schools, and create a chilling effect on parent engagement in PK-12 settings. The educational system becomes complicit in systemic injustice when it fails to protect and support all its students.
As members of ELACHE and IAMME, we are committed to creating and advocating for safe and welcoming learning environments where all students feel valued and supported. Leveraging linguistically and culturally responsive research-based teaching practices, we honor and celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity and assets that enrich our classrooms, schools, and society. We reject fear-based rhetoric and policies that harm students and instead focus on building communities of care, inclusion, and learning.
Our Call to Action
We urge educators, counselors, school and district leaders, higher education administrators, policymakers, state agencies, community organizations, and others to join us in taking the following actions:
• Advocate for Students’ Rights: Ensure that faculty, staff and administrators in schools, colleges and universities are aware of and prepared to uphold the protections
guaranteed by Plyler v. Doe for K-12 populations and other legislation safeguarding immigrant students and families.
• Partner with Communities and Municipalities: Collaborate with local organizations to offer Know Your Rights workshops, legal resources, and safe spaces for families.
• Develop Contingency Plans: Work with district and college/university leaders to prepare protocols in case of immigration raids or ICE presence on or near school
grounds. This includes protecting student records according to the law and ensuring students and families know their rights.
• Provide Emotional and Academic Support: Equip educators with the tools to address trauma and provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed care.
• Safeguard DACA: Encourage Congress to approve legislation upholding DACA and allow DACA recipients to become U.S. citizens
As educators, educational leaders, special service providers, and advocates, we will continue to monitor legislation, inform our members, and speak out against policies that harm
immigrant students and families. Together, we work toward an education system that uplifts every student and their communities.
