This page aims to assist schools, school districts, child care providers, and other youth-serving organizations in helping students and families navigate challenges related to their immigration or citizenship status.
Resources to Share with Families
Know Your Rights
- Red Cards from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center - All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. These are available in multiple languages.
- ILRC Know Your Rights Toolkit - this includes red cards, multilingual Know Your Rights handouts, and more.
- Keep Your Benefits California - this website offers guidance for immigrants about public benefits and public charge.
- LIBRE - Linking Immigrants to Benefits, Resources, and Education - LIBRE has information and resources about immigrants' access to a range of benefits and resources.
County Rapid Response Hotline
If immigration comes to your home, work, or neighborhood, or if there are ICE raids nearby, call the San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline at 203-666-4472 (203-NO-MIGRA). Si la migra viene a su casa, trabajo, o vecindario, o si hay redadas de ICE cercanas, llame a la linea de respuesta rapida del Condado de San Mateo al 203-666-4472 (203-NO-MIGRA).
Family Preparedness Plan
The Family Preparedness Plan helps families of mixed status put a plan in place in case of an immigration-related emergency. It includes guidance for completing a Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit to ensure that if you are ever unable to care for your child, you will have a plan in place for their care. This plan is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Resources for Legal Assistance
The County of San Mateo Office of Community Affairs has curated a list of organizations that provide immigration legal assistance, such as helping individuals get a visa, seek asylum, and renew DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The page also includes organizations that provide other legal services, such as housing or employment legal services.
Immigrant Resource Guide
The San Mateo County Office of Community Affairs' immigrant resource guide includes services and resources available to the immigrant community. Resources include core services agencies, emergency services, employment, health, financial education, legal services, transportation, and more. The guide is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Mental Health Services
All students and families in San Mateo County school districts, including families in Big Lift preschool programs, have access to mental health care through Care Solace. Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care and substance use treatment. Care Solace’s Care Companion will help them find the right kind of treatment that fits their health insurance or budget.
Immigration Preparedness Toolkit
The Immigration Preparedness Toolkit, developed by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, is a resource-packed informational document designed to help immigrants with no legal status or in mixed-status families begin to understand the immigration legal landscape and plan for their own journey through an ever-changing, complex system in the United States.
Resources for Schools and School Districts
Recommended Policies and Procedures from the Attorney General
In December 2024, the Office of the Attorney General released Promoting a Safe and Secure Learning Environment for All: Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California's K-12 Schools in Responding to Immigration Issues. The document provides guidance for school districts, county offices of education, and their boards in creating policies and procedures in the following areas:
- Gathering and handling sensitive student information
- Retaining documents and records
- Establishing “Safe Haven” policies for students and families
- Monitoring and receiving visitors on campus
- Responding to immigration officer’s presence on campus
- Notifying parents and guardians of Immigration-Enforcement Actions
- Developing training programs for school staff