The economic, social, and educational opportunities of undocumented and unaccompanied youth are at risk given threats to the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe, which provides access to K-12 education regardless of immigration status. Actions range from bills that require undocumented children to pay tuition to attend K-12 public schools to states and districts requiring families to declare a child’s immigration status when they register for school to cooperating with immigrant enforcement agencies. In partnership with the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Rodriguez will review research relevant to the educational, health, and mental impacts of Plyler on immigrant students to demonstrate the consequences of education for immigrants and the extent to which those who completed their education contributed to the nation’s social and economic well-being. They will also explore patterns around school resource officers’ engagement with immigration enforcement. The partnership aims to deepen policymakers’ and advocates’ understanding of the benefits of Plyler to students, and the potential consequences of overturning Plyler for students, school funding, and broader public economic goals. Research findings will inform court briefings, legislative testimony, the development of fact sheets, and letters to related coalitions like the Education for All Campaign. Findings regarding school resource officers’ engagement with immigration enforcement will be incorporated into NILC’s broader efforts regarding state policy and NILC’s campaigns to minimize police regimes in schools.
Sophia Rodriguez will partner with the National Immigration Law Center to examine the consequences of undoing the constitutional rights protected by Plyler v. Doe for undocumented students.
