Many immigrant families avoid sending children to school or participating in school activities because they fear that school records could be used to trigger deportation. This bill addresses that 'chilling effect' by legally shielding student data from immigration enforcement unless a parent explicitly signs off on it in writing.

If this becomes law, schools would essentially become 'sanctuaries' for data, making it much harder for federal agents to use educational institutions as a tool for immigration stings. If it does not pass, schools can continue to share certain types of information with law enforcement, and the risk of losing federal funding would not exist for those that choose to cooperate with ICE.