Immigrant & Ally Support

This page serves as a hub for support and trusted resources for immigrant families and allies within our school district community. LWPTSA Council is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where families can find information, share resources, and feel supported.

Dear Lake Washington PTSA members,

As many of us are aware, ICE has made appearances in Redmond and members of our community have been taken. This is an understandably frightening and destabilizing time for our immigrant community members, and it can also feel worrisome for volunteers who are committed to showing up as allies.

I want you to know that I see you, and I deeply appreciate all that you are doing. Every act of care and solidarity matters. Support is powerful. Remember, behavior is contagious—please continue to hold fast to your belief in humanity, equity, and dignity for all.

At our General Membership Meeting on January 8, 2026, we learned that the school district has a central response team that will be called to a school if ICE arrives at any district location. In that situation, the school will go into Secure status. Schools will not allow ICE to enter and will ask them to leave campus.

While this information may feel unsettling, being informed and prepared helps us respond with clarity rather than fear. I am grateful to the district for establishing a consistent plan across all schools to help protect students and staff during this time of uncertainty.

I also want to share that I am organizing an information night with a community organizer from Eastside For All. The evening will include a brief presentation, followed by hands-on activities such as assembling whistle kits and making bracelets that include the Eastside For All Rise Hotline number (425-361-0808). This hotline can be used to notify the organization if ICE is seen anywhere in our area. I encourage you to save this number in your phone and share it with friends and neighbors.

In the weeks ahead, I will continue working to add helpful and timely resources to our PTSA Council website. If you—or someone you know—has information that would be valuable to share, or if you have questions and need help finding services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

With gratitude and care,
Morgan Sampson
LWPTSA DEIB Chair
diversity@lwptsa.net

RIGHTS AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN IN IMMIGRANT AND MIXED-STATUS FAMILIES  

LWPTSA did not write these protocols. We gathered them from trusted sources to help our families feel informed, supported, and aware of their rights and available resources. 

  • Safe and Inclusive Schools:  
    • The Washington State PTA Resolution 18.25, the National PTA position, and the WA Attorney General’s Keep Washington Working model guidance all emphasize that schools must be safe, welcoming environments for every child, regardless of immigration status, and should not be used for or assist in immigration enforcement. 
  • Limited Cooperation with ICE:
    • The KWW model policy gives clear direction that schools should not collect or share immigration-related information and should require legal process before granting ICE access. WSPTA and National PTA echo this by opposing school participation in immigration enforcement and by supporting protected or sensitive zones around schools.
  • Protected or Sensitive Locations:  
    • WSPTA recommends a 500-foot protection zone; the National PTA supports Safe Zones and discourages enforcement near educational spaces, and the older federal ICE guidance (now rescinded) similarly treated schools as sensitive locations. All align on the idea that learning environments must remain free from fear of immigration enforcement. 
  • Right to Education and Essential Services: 
    • All three: National PTA, WSPTA, and the AG’s model guidance reaffirm that every child has the right to a free public education (citing Plyler v. Doe), access to school meals, healthcare, and other supports regardless of status. 
  • Community Education and Response Preparedness: 
    • The WA Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) adds practical supports including: the statewide hotline, multilingual Know Your Rights materials, and training resources that complement the policy positions by giving families and schools concrete steps to take if ICE activity occurs near a school or in the community. 
  • Law Enforcement Direction: 
    • If ICE appears at your school or another protected location, stay calm and call 911 immediately.

RESOURCES 

LWPTSA put together 1 page flyers if you want to distribute this information.

(originally posted January 31, 2026; revised March 26, 2026)