Immigration Advocates Condemn Puerto Rico Senate Bill Giving ICE Greater Access to Schools
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Immigration advocates, elected officials and community leaders are condemning legislation approved by the Puerto Rico Senate, warning that it could weaken protections for immigrant students and allow US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents greater access to public schools.
The concerns were raised during an emergency press conference in San Juan on Friday, held alongside the SOMOS Puerto Rico conference.
The controversy follows the Senate’s approval of Bill 1062, which was originally intended to guarantee immigrant children access to public education, regardless of immigration status, while protecting their personal information.
However, the New York Immigration Coalition says amendments to the legislation could allow ICE agents to use administrative immigration warrants instead of warrants signed by a judge to gain access to schools.
The amendments would also remove requirements for legal consultation before student information is released to federal authorities.
Coalition President Murad Awawdeh warned that the changes would leave immigrant children with fewer protections than those provided under Puerto Rico’s existing Department of Education guidelines.
The legislation now moves to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.
The opposition comes amid reports of intensified immigration enforcement across the island, including recent raids in Santurce, Río Piedras and Canóvanas.
Advocates say the operations have created widespread fear, particularly among Dominican families, with some parents afraid to send their children to school or seek medical care.
The coalition is calling on lawmakers to restore the requirement for judicial warrants before immigration agents can intervene in schools and to strengthen safeguards governing the disclosure of student information.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the condemnation, warning that immigrant children should not be exposed to the threat of family separation while attending school.
New York Attorney General Letitia James also voiced opposition, declaring that ICE has no place in classrooms, whether in New York or Puerto Rico.
New York State Assemblymember Karines Reyes said access to education must be protected for all children, regardless of immigration status.
