A bill in the Nevada Legislature would make it illegal for school employees to allow federal immigration officials onto school grounds or otherwise disclose a student’s information to immigration officials without a proper warrant.
Assembly Bill 217 received its first hearing in the Assembly Committee on Education on Tuesday. The bill would codify existing policies in the state’s largest school districts, Washoe and Clark County school districts, according to bill sponsor Assemblymember Cecilia González.
The bill imposes criminal penalties on staffers who willfully and knowingly violate the law. It classifies the violation as a misdemeanor, which in Nevada is punishable by imprisonment in county jail for no more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or both by fine and imprisonment.
González, D-Las Vegas, said she wrote the legislation in response to concerns from constituents. Many said they were feeling unsafe and afraid of immigration raids following President Donald Trump’s executive order that rolled back a 2011 policy prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers from arresting suspected undocumented immigrants in “sensitive areas” including schools, houses of worship, hospitals and other locations.
“This is really a call and response to the fears of our students, staff and families and mixed-status families,” González said.
Noé Orosco, government affairs manager for Make the Road Nevada, said the bill could help address chronic absenteeism because some students are afraid to attend school for fear of ICE raids.
“The anxiety follows them into the classroom, which severely impacts their ability to concentrate and engage in learning,” Orosco said.
AB 217 as introduced includes a section that would prevent school officials from using chemical agents and stun guns against students, but González told lawmakers she is working on an amendment to remove the section. The amended bill is focused on codifying immigration-related policies in school districts.
Progressive and immigrant-rights groups came out in support of the bill, saying it would give security to families who are afraid of what could happen if immigration enforcement came to their schools.
Opposition came from the Nevada Association of School Boards and the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, whose lobbyists said the groups were concerned about the misdemeanor penalties for a teacher or school employee who knowingly violates the law.
Nevada Republican National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenried said the group was also concerned about the misdemeanor penalty and said that generally, AB 217 covers existing laws and procedures, making the bill unnecessary.
Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.
