Learning is built on consistency. A child who is in the room, a student who is in class, a college student who stays enrolled, is building toward a brighter future. And no student or family should have to choose between their future and their safety.
Our schools are spaces that nurture curiosity, support learning and bring community together and they must be safe for everyone, regardless of immigration status. That’s why, in 2025, Illinois passed laws to protect immigrant students and families and educators from unlawful immigration enforcement and immigration-based discrimination in childcare centers, public K-12 schools, and public colleges and universities.
These protections exist because families, advocates, and legislators fought for them and now it’s up to all of us to put them into practice. The Latino Policy Forum has created videos and one-page guides in English, Spanish, Polish, Mandarin, and Arabic to help you make these protections real, because as parents, students, educators, and advocates, you are the people who make our school communities work.
Watch them. Share them. Put them in the hands of someone who needs them. Because we all have a role to play in making our childcare centers, public K-12 schools, and public colleges and universities, safe places to learn. Let’s get our students back in school and back on track for future academic success.
The Latino Policy Forum is not a legal service provider. This page is for informational purposes and is not legal advice.
Guidance for Undocumented Students in Illinois Navigating Changes to In-State Tuition and State Financial Aid
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