(NEW BEDFORD) The New Bedford School Committee approved a Safe Zone resolution on August 11, 2025, designating all city public schools as protective areas for immigrant students and placing strict limits on how school staff interact with ICE on campus. The measure passed on a 4-2 vote after months of community debate and legal review, with members Melissa Costa, Colleen Dawicki, Ross Grace, and Joaquim “Jack” Livramento voting in favor, and Bruce Oliveira and Christopher Cotter opposed. Mayor Jon Mitchell, who serves as ex officio chair, was absent due to travel, according to committee records.
The policy sets clear steps for handling any request from federal immigration authorities. All outreach from ICE or other agencies seeking student information must go through the superintendent’s office. The district will verify any legal process, such as warrants or subpoenas, before responding. The resolution also bars schools from collecting or storing immigration status information, and it tasks the administration with staff training, family education, and privacy safeguards that fit state law. Superintendent Andrew O’Leary supported the goal of reassuring families but stressed the need to align the rollout with existing state rules and prior district practice.
Advocates welcomed the vote, calling the Safe Zone approach a needed protection for children who fear school could become a place where immigration enforcement happens. Supporters said the resolution gives families confidence to send their kids to class and reach out to school staff without worry. Opponents questioned whether the district has the resources to fulfill every support promise and warned about possible conflicts with staff contracts if the policy is not implemented carefully.
Policy Details and Immediate Effects
Committee documents describe several core features:
- All New Bedford public schools are “safe zones” where ICE enforcement actions are restricted on school grounds.
- All requests for student information from immigration authorities must be routed through the superintendent’s office for legal review, including verification of warrants or subpoenas.
- Ban on gathering information about students’ immigration status in school records or discussions.
- Creation of a quick-response team to help children affected by a parent or guardian’s detention, including steps to maintain access to classes and school activities.
- Educational sessions for students and families on individual rights when immigration enforcement touches a household.
- Measures to reduce unauthorized entry into school facilities to protect student privacy and safety.
Superintendent O’Leary said district practice already follows many of these steps. The resolution, he noted, aims to put them in one place so families have a clear point of contact and a written policy to reference. The administration will report back to the committee on compliance at future meetings, giving the public a way to track progress and flag problems early.
Practical changes families should expect soon:
- School staff will not ask about immigration status when enrolling students or discussing services.
- If ICE contacts a school, front office staff must refer the request to the superintendent’s office rather than respond on their own.
- The quick-response team will help stabilize a student’s day after a family arrest so the child can continue learning with less disruption.
- Education sessions will explain basic rights in plain language and will be offered with translation help as needed.
Debate, Legal Context, and Next Steps
The vote followed a delay since June 2025 while the district sought legal review. That review led to recommended edits, but the New Bedford School Committee adopted the original proposal after weeks of community input.
The district says the policy matches existing federal and state student privacy protections that already apply in schools. The Safe Zone policy works alongside the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects education records nationwide. Families can read official federal guidance on FERPA at the U.S. Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. The resolution also sits within Massachusetts’ Protect Educational Equity Act, which guarantees access to public education regardless of a student’s immigration status.
Supporters said the Safe Zone move answers real fear inside school communities. One counselor described students asking if agents could come into classrooms or stand in parking lots at dismissal. By putting the superintendent’s office at the center of any information request, the district aims to slow down fast-moving situations and check legal paperwork before any record is released. Families, in turn, get a single, known contact when they have questions.
Opponents focused on feasibility. They raised concerns about costs and logistics, including questions about transportation or other aid for students affected by a detention. They also warned that parts of the resolution could clash with contracts and work rules if the district expects school-based staff to act outside current duties. O’Leary has urged a careful rollout that keeps the policy in sync with state law and existing agreements, rather than rushing changes that could confuse school teams.
Analysis and Community Response
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, families often look for plain, predictable school rules when immigration issues touch daily life. The New Bedford approach—centralizing legal review of requests, avoiding any collection of immigration status, and offering know-your-rights education—matches those priorities.
Advocates argue these steps:
– Keep schools focused on learning
– Lower fear that can drive students away from class
– Encourage parents to attend school events without anxiety
Backers expect other districts to watch New Bedford’s next steps as immigration enforcement remains a heated topic in many communities. District leaders emphasize that while schools do not control federal policy, they can control campus procedures, privacy practices, and how staff respond to outside inquiries. Clear guardrails can help prevent mistakes and reduce the risk of unlawful disclosure of student records.
The next checkpoint is administrative reporting: the superintendent’s office must report back to the School Committee on compliance, providing detailed updates at upcoming meetings.
Those updates may include:
– Staff training progress
– Setup and activity of the quick-response team
– Schedule and turnout for family education sessions
– Any contact made by immigration authorities
The district also plans continued talks with local immigrant advocacy groups, which have offered to help host rights workshops and connect families with support.
How Families Can Get Information
The full Safe Zone Resolution document is publicly available through New Bedford Light’s website. Families with questions can contact the New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent’s Office, which the resolution names as the hub for any request tied to immigration enforcement.
As the school year gets underway, district leaders say the goal is steady, consistent application of the policy so students can walk into classrooms knowing school is a place for learning—not fear.
This Article in a Nutshell
New Bedford declared all public schools Safe Zones on August 11, 2025, limiting ICE actions. The policy centralizes all immigration requests through the superintendent’s office, bans recording immigration status, creates a quick-response team, and mandates family education. Supporters praise protections; opponents warn of resource and contract challenges during careful implementation.
