FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, August 7, 2025

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Hector Fong | [email protected] 

Bethany Khan | [email protected] 

Andrea Masnata | [email protected] 

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition encourages Nevadans to prepare a family plan and know how to assert their rights as students head back to school

Las Vegas, NV – As the school year begins, the Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) urges families to take steps to protect their children and know how to assert their constitutional rights. 

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition has released the following statement: 

“This back-to-school season should bring excitement and stability, but for many families across the country, it brings fear since the Trump Administration rescinded a directive on Day 1 to keep immigration enforcement out of “sensitive locations” such as schools and churches. 

In Nevada, immigrant parents should feel reassured that the State’s two largest school districts, Clark and Washoe, have enacted policies since 2017 which protect the rights of all students, regardless of immigration status, and that Nevada’s two largest school districts will not participate in federal immigration enforcement actions. 

Despite Governor Lombardo vetoing Assembly Bill 217, the Student Safety Act, in the 2025 legislative session that would have protected students from immigration enforcement on school grounds, immigrant students and their families in Clark and Washoe Counties still have rights and protections. Governor Lombardo’s veto on the Student Safety Act sends a message to Nevada families that he doesn’t care about schools being a safe place for children of immigrants, but we won’t leave our communities unprotected. As community organizers, we are stepping up where the Governor has failed and will continue to fight to protect our communities and keep families together.

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition encourages parents to enroll their children in school this fall, know how to assert their rights, and consider the following:

• Send children with a Know Your Rights Red Card in their backpack or wallet.
• Prepare a family plan and write down emergency contact information for parents, trusted relatives, and an attorney (if you have one).
• Note any allergies and keep medicine safely stored.
• Know that schools cannot share student information with ICE without parental consent under a federal privacy law (FERPA).
• Public schools must protect student’s right to an education, no matter their immigration status.
• Parents can ask their school what their plan is, if ICE shows up.
• Practice with children to assert their rights to:
  • Remain silent.
  • Refuse searches of their personal belongings.
  • Have the right to ask for their parents or attorney if they are detained, or be present before answering questions.
  • Not sign anything without a trusted adult or lawyer present.

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition is committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to feel safe, supported, and ready to learn and have every opportunity to have a bright future in our state.”

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The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) urges members of the immigrant community to know their rights, have family preparedness plans in place, and be aware of ICE officers in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles. All Nevadans, regardless of immigration status, have rights and deserve due process.

While the Nevada Immigrant Coalition continues to fight for policies and laws that protect immigrant rights, it’s critical to take steps to stay safe. That includes:

*Be careful to follow all traffic laws when driving.

*Don’t drink and drive.

*Avoid speeding or running red lights.

*Use appropriate turn signals.

*Fix broken tail lights, brake lights, and headlights promptly.

*Do not drive without a valid license or with an expired one.

*Avoid distractions while driving (example: texting or using your phone).

*Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your vehicle.

*Carry a Know Your Rights card or a graphic saved on your phone and emergency contact information.

NOTE: Possession or use of marijuana remains illegal for undocumented immigrants, even if it is legal in Nevada. A single traffic stop or citation can quickly escalate into immigration consequences and the Nevada Immigrant Coalition urges the community to be vigilant and protect yourself and your family.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:

If ICE stops you . . .

*You can ask the officers if you are being detained, if you are not, then you are free to leave.

*You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer any questions regarding your immigration status, where you were born, or how you entered the United States.

*Do not physically resist a government official and do not run away.

*If you are over 18 or over, and a non-citizen, an immigration officer may request to see your immigration documents.  If you have your documents, the law requires you to share them if you have them.

*If you do not have your immigration documents, you still have the right to remain silent and ask for an attorney.

*Do not provide false documents to officials.

If ICE comes to your home . . .

*In most circumstances, you are not required to open the door for ICE if they don’t have a judicial warrant. A Judicial warrant is a document that is signed by a judge.

*You have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions.

If ICE takes you into custody . . .

*You have the right to ask to speak with an attorney.

*You have the right to not sign any document that you do not understand. Even if the ICE officers are persistent and want to pressure you, do not sign.

*In certain cases, you can request to see the immigration judge. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to ask for bail to be released from custody.

*You have the right to request to contact your country’s consulate for help.

*If you have minor children, let the officers know that you are the parent or primary caregiver. ICE may “exercise discretion” and let you go.

To find loved ones who may have been detained: Search the ICE Detainee Locator.

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ABOUT THE NEVADA IMMIGRANT COALITION: 

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC), founded in 2006, ensures immigrant, refugee, and new American voices are heard at a local, state, and federal level to advocate for humane and fair immigration policies. The Nevada Immigrant Coalition focuses on strengthening a network that provides services, resources, and deportation defense to immigrants and refugees across the state while strategically organizing around issues that are important to all Nevadans. We believe in working towards a Nevada that welcomes, respects, and protects everyone regardless of their immigration status.
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