New York
A high-level overview of immigration enforcement activity, school protection policies, and resources for families and educators in New York.
Overview
State context
New York City has the strongest urban school protection policy in the country. Chancellor's Regulation A-750, first adopted in 2014 and updated in 2018, prohibits DOE staff from providing information to immigration authorities about students or families and requires a judicial warrant before immigration officers can enter schools or access student information. New York State has enacted the Green Light Law and other protections. Multiple upstate districts have also adopted policies.
ICE activity
ICE is highly active in New York, particularly on Long Island (targeting MS-13 investigations), in the Bronx and Queens, and in upstate cities including Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica. Long Island has been the site of aggressive enforcement operations affecting school communities.
School policies
NYC DOE's Regulation A-750 is a national model. It covers all 1.1 million students in the nation's largest school system. Key provisions: staff cannot verify students' or families' immigration status, a judicial warrant is required for school access or student information, staff must immediately notify the Chancellor's office of any enforcement visit. Several upstate districts including Westchester County schools have adopted similar policies.
Notes for advocates
New York City's school system is so large that its policy alone covers roughly 10% of all U.S. public school students. The DOE has an Office of Safety and Youth Development that coordinates responses to enforcement incidents. Long Island's heavily immigrant communities — particularly Brentwood, Central Islip, and Hempstead on Long Island — have experienced high levels of enforcement. New York's legal aid infrastructure is extensive and has been critical to supporting affected families.
Is your district protected?
Find out whether your school district has a warrant-based policy in place, and what you can do if it doesn't.