Educator Survey: Welcoming Sanctuary Schools & Newcomer Support Status
March 2024 marks exactly three years since a pregnant immigrant mother was detained outside a public elementary school in South Philadelphia, an arrest that sparked widespread fear and concern for immigrant and newcomer students and families. Despite the unanimous approval for the Welcoming Sanctuary Schools resolution in 2021, there have been continued instances of institutional harms that negatively impact our community, including an alarming threat of deportation towards a newcomer student by a District principal.
Juntos remains commited to supporting our community as they continue to navigate an educational system with disturbing trends of rights violations, including insufficient language access, shortcomings in newcomer screening, and inadequate support services. Unfortunately, despite securing a district-wide resolution that was meant to bring to fruition the vision of sanctuary in our local public schools, we are still waiting for the true systemic change that was promised.
From October 2023 to February 2024 we surveyed almost 150 Philadelphia educators, staff and administrators to gauge knowledge about existing newcomer supports within the District and current compliance with the Welcoming Sanctuary Schools resolution that was won in 2021.
Today, on the eve of three years of organizing for sanctuary in Philly public schools, we share these results. What we found out is not surprising, and only supports our call for true systemic change within the District. Out of 152 respondents, only 33% believe their schools are equipped to communicate with newcomers and their families. Only 14% have received training to use interpretation services. Additionally, according to District-provided data for 2023, there were 1,032 newcomer students, yet only 70 were enrolled in newcomer programs, leaving 120 spaces vacant.
But that isn’t all, when asked about implementation of the Welcoming School resolution, 63% of respondents indicate that the District is not implementing the resolution adequately or at all. Additionally, while the resolution was meant to implement District-wide training on how to respond to ICE presence and/or information requests on school grounds, nearly 44% of teachers reported having received no training at all.
The Sanctuary Schools campaign demands are as follows:
The District must expand their Newcomer Program to ensure more youth and families can access the supports they need. Additionally, the District must adjust their assessment of who can access this critical program.
The District must recommit to the vision of building true Welcoming Sanctuary Schools, which means making adjustments to ensure full implementation and compliance with the district resolution is met to avoid repeated instances of harm.
JUNTOS Statement Regarding the Deportation of Christian M’Bagoyi
Philadelphia - With pain in our hearts, we write to you to confirm that our friend and neighbor, Christian M’Bagoyi, was deported to West Africa yesterday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite an outpouring of public support, involvement by local congressional leaders, and engagement with high-level contacts in the Department of Homeland Security and the White House– our inhumane and unjust immigration system did not bend, and instead chose to tear a father away from his wife, Sarika Kumar M’Bagoyi, and their two daughters, both under the age of five.
This fight was not new. Two years ago, we launched a campaign to keep Christian home after the threat of a “final check-in” and imminent detention by ICE. Our efforts bought the family something priceless: more time. With this gift, Christian and Sarika moved to South Philadelphia and bought a home, where they raised their daughters with love and security.
On April 19, 2023, that all changed. Christian was detained by ICE on the front steps of his home after dropping his children off at school. In the span of two weeks, he was forcibly moved to three separate detention centers in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Texas before his ultimate deportation on a chartered flight to West Africa. During his time in detention, Christian was unable to make contact with his lawyer and eventually began a hunger strike in protest. At the time of his deportation, Christian had a pending motion to reopen his case before the Board of Immigration appeals.
At JUNTOS, we recognize and uplift that immigration laws in this country are rooted in white supremacy and anti-blackness. Black immigrants face a life of double jeopardy– constantly targeted by police and immigration enforcement, while facing disproportionate rates of detention and deportation. We firmly believe that the merits of Christian staying in this country, like many other immigrants, outweigh any factors that led to DHS’ decision to deport him. We will continue fighting for Christian and Sarika, and remain committed to helping them secure a future where their family can be together once more.
Next Steps:
If you would like to support Christian, Sarika, and their daughters in the next phase of their life, please donate to the GoFundMe organized by their friends and neighbors
If you would like to support JUNTOS in our organizing work against detention and deportations, consider becoming a volunteer
We thank our many friends and allies who fought alongside us to keep Christian home. To our friends at VietLead, National Legal Advocacy Network, Undocublack, Free Migration Project, New Sanctuary Movement, Pennsylvania Immigrant Citizenship Coalition, Woori Center, Nationalities Service Center, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. To elected leadership who supported us; former Councilmember Helen Gym, Senator Fetterman, Senator Casey, and Congressman Evans, we appreciate your leadership.
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Juntos is a community led organization based in South Philadelphia that has been fighting for human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. We believe that every human being has the right to a quality education and the freedom to live with dignity regardless of immigration status.
Juntos Releases Report Detailing Detention Conditions at York County Prison
In April 2019, Juntos was able to visit and interview thirteen people detained at York County Prison alongside the Advancement Project, Asian Americans United, Casa San Jose, and VietLead. It was clear from the interviews and the visit that those detained at York were held in inhumane conditions, provided with inadequate resources, and were often subjected to dehumanizing treatment from others. The concerned parties sent a letter of findings to York in July of 2019 detailing the various atrocities that had been found, and, in October 2019, met with York County Prison to discuss the concerns raised in the letter and improvements being made to the facility. In the six months between the visit and the meeting, the only noticeable change was the implementation of privacy barriers in the bathrooms (likely due to an upcoming inspection), while the rest of the concerns were largely dismissed and ignored in the meeting.
This lack of change at York was only exacerbated by COVID-19, which saw an already inadequate medical system swept up in the pandemic. York experienced an outbreak of over 150 people last September in the prison alone. A recent report found that ICE detention nationwide contributed to at least 245,000 COVID-19 cases, citing the lack of safety precautions taken by ICE and continued movement of people around the detention system as causes for the rampant spread of COVID-19 in detention centers and their surrounding communities. Due to York’s unwillingness to change and the overwhelmingly negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on detained and incarcerated people, it is highly likely that conditions and treatment of those at York haven’t changed for the better since our 2019 visit.
In May 2021, sixteen months after the expiration of their most recent contract, York gave ICE a 120 day time limit to renew their Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) contract, which they are currently negotiating terms for. It is crucial that we advocate for York County Prison to cancel their contract at a time when their current one is in flux. It is also a critical time period to end multiple contracts between detention facilities and ICE before the number of people in immigrant detention returns to the pre-pandemic high of 50,165 people; although there was a record low of 13,159 people in ICE detention at the start of 2021, the Biden administration has already proposed funding for 32,500 beds in fiscal year 2022. The past year has proven just how abusive and economically wasteful ICE detention is. Let’s stop it at York before they lock themselves into another contract with ICE.
This campaign is run in support of Detention Watch Network’s Community Not Cages campaign, which ultimately seeks to end immigrant detention through coordinated efforts to shut down and prevent the expansion of detention centers.
Juntos publica informe que detalla las condiciones de detención en la prisión del condado de York.
En abril del 2019, Juntos pudo visitar y entrevistar a trece personas detenidas en la prisión del condado de York junto con Advancement Project, Asian Americans United, Casa San Jose y VietLead. De las entrevistas y la visita se desprende claramente que los detenidos en York se encuentran recluidos en condiciones inhumanas, provistos de recursos inadecuados y, a menudo, son sometidos a un trato deshumanizador por parte de otras personas. Las partes interesadas enviaron una carta de hallazgos a York en julio del 2019 detallando las diversas atrocidades que se habían encontrado y, en octubre del 2019, se reunieron con la prisión del condado de York para discutir las preocupaciones planteadas en la carta y las mejoras que se están realizando en las instalaciones. En los seis meses transcurridos entre la visita y la reunión, el único cambio notable fue la implementación de barreras de privacidad en los baños (probablemente debido a una próxima inspección), mientras que el resto de las preocupaciones fueron en gran parte descartadas e ignoradas en la reunión.
Esta falta de cambio en York solo se vio agravada por el COVID-19, que vio como un sistema médico ya inadecuado se veía arrastrado por la pandemia. York experimentó un brote de más de 150 personas en septiembre pasado solo en la prisión. Un informe reciente encontró que la detención de ICE en todo el país contribuyó a al menos 245,000 casos de COVID-19, citando la falta de precauciones de seguridad tomadas por ICE y el movimiento continuo de personas alrededor del sistema de detención como causas de la propagación desenfrenada de COVID-19 en los centros de detención y sus comunidades circundantes. Debido a la falta de voluntad de York para cambiar y el impacto abrumadoramente negativo de la pandemia de COVID-19 en las personas detenidas y encarceladas, es muy probable que las condiciones y el tratamiento de los habitantes de York no hayan cambiado para mejor desde nuestra visita de 2019.
En mayo de 2021, dieciséis meses después del vencimiento de su contrato más reciente, York le dio a ICE un límite de tiempo de 120 días para renovar su contrato de Acuerdo de Servicio Intergubernamental (IGSA), que actualmente están negociando los términos. Es crucial que aboguemos por que la prisión del condado de York cancele su contrato en un momento en que el actual está cambiando. También es un período de tiempo crítico para poner fin a múltiples contratos entre los centros de detención y el ICE antes de que el número de personas en detención de inmigrantes regrese al nivel más alto previo a la pandemia de 50,165 personas; Aunque hubo un mínimo histórico de 13,159 personas detenidas por ICE a principios de 2021, la administración Biden ya ha propuesto fondos para 32,500 camas en el año fiscal 2022. El año pasado ha demostrado cuán abusiva y económicamente derrochadora es la detención de ICE. Detengámoslo en York antes de que se encierren en otro contrato con ICE.
Esta campaña se ejecuta en apoyo de la campaña Community Not Cages de Detention Watch Network, que en última instancia busca poner fin a la detención de inmigrantes a través de esfuerzos coordinados para cerrar y prevenir la expansión de los centros de detención.
READ AND SHARE OUR REPORT ON DETENTION CONDITIONS AT YORK COUNTY PRISON
LEA Y COMPARTE NUESTRO INFORME SOBRE LAS CONDICIONES DE DETENCIÓN EN LA PRISIÓN DEL CONDADO DE YORK
TO JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN - TEXT SHUTDOWNYORK TO 33222
PARA UNIRSE A NUESTRA CAMPAÑA - ENVIE UN MENSAJE DE TEXTO QUE DIGA “SHUTDOWNYORK” AL 33222
One year later, systemic uncertainty on ICE in schools
Un año después, incertidumbre sistémica sobre ICE en las escuelas
TODAY marks exactly one year since a pregnant immigrant mother was detained outside of a public elementary school in South Philadelphia, an arrest that sparked widespread fear and concern for immigrant students and families. In this last year Juntos has only strengthened our commitment to fighting for educational justice and one year later, we still have a burning question- what commitments does the School District of Philadelphia need to make to ensure the safety of immigrant communities in and outside of their schools?
From December 2020 to January 2021 we surveyed almost 350 Philadelphia educators, staff and administrators to gauge knowledge about Immigration and Customs enforcement within the Philadelphia School Districts. Today, on the one year anniversary of when a young mom was detained by ICE outside of Kirkbride, we share these results.
What we found out is not surprising. Only 19% of respondents were aware of any measures that the School District of Philadelphia has taken to protect and support undocumented immigrants. But that isn’t all, 73% of respondents said they were not sure who to notify if ICE were to request information about a student or a student’s family.
JOIN US IN READING THE FULL REPORT BELOW.
HOY marca exactamente un año desde que una madre inmigrante embarazada fue detenida fuera de una escuela primaria pública en el sur de Filadelfia, un arresto que provocó temor y preocupación entre los estudiantes y las familias inmigrantes. En este último año, Juntos solo ha fortalecido nuestro compromiso de luchar por la justicia educativa y, un año después, todavía tenemos una pregunta candente: ¿qué compromisos debe asumir el Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia para garantizar la seguridad de las comunidades de inmigrantes dentro y fuera de sus escuelas?
Desde diciembre de 2020 hasta enero de 2021, encuestamos a casi 350 educadores, personal y administradores de Filadelfia para evaluar el conocimiento sobre la aplicación de la ley de inmigración y aduanas dentro de los distritos escolares de Filadelfia. Hoy, en el primer aniversario de cuando ICE detuvo a una joven madre en las afueras de Kirkbride, compartimos estos resultados.
Lo que descubrimos no es sorprendente. Solo el 19% de los encuestados conocía alguna medida que el Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia haya tomado para proteger y apoyar a los inmigrantes indocumentados. Pero eso no es todo, el 73% de los encuestados dijeron que no estaban seguros de a quién notificar si ICE solicitaba información sobre un estudiante o la familia de un estudiante.
Text Avisame to 33222 to learn more and keep updated about the fight for educational justice!
Envíe un mensaje de texto con Avisame al 33222 para obtener más información y mantenerse actualizado sobre la lucha por la justicia educativa.
Declaración en Solidaridad con Educadores, Empleados del Distrito, y Familias
8 de Febrero, 2021
Juntos se solidariza con los educadores de Filadelfia, con los empleados del distrito, y con las familias que están unidas por toda la ciudad hoy luchando por una reapertura segura.
En Juntos, hemos visto y sentido de primera mano las barreras sistémicas y problemas de acceso que el aprendizaje virtual tiene para nuestras familias inmigrantes. Si queremos que las escuelas abran, pero no a costa de nuestros niños, sus padres y nuestra comunidad en su totalidad, que ya ha perdido demasiado durante este último año debido a un sistema que valore el mantenimiento del status quo en vez de las vidas de nuestra gente.
Desde que comienzo esta pandemia, las comunidades negras y de color han soportado la peor parte de los negligente y apresurada decisiones hecho por las personas en poder. No aceptaremos un plan de reapertura que decide jugar con las vidas de las personas en nuestra comunidad en lugar de abordar los problemas sistémicos causados por años de desinversión, privación de derechos, y criminalización.
El plan del Distrito Escolar no aborda adecuadamente los problemas que hicieron que nuestros edificios escolares fueran inseguros para los estudiantes y empleados en el distrito desde mucho antes que comenzó esta pandemia. Exigimos al distrito a que se conecte directamente con las familias y personal afectados para desarrollar un plan que ofrezca soluciones a estos problemas y el impacto de la pandemia, y que tomen medidas claves hacia un trato que se base en la confianza y transparencia. ¡Nada sobre nosotros sin nosotros!
Apoyamos las siguientes demandas de los maestros y administradores:
Cada salón de las escuelas que tendrá niños, maestros o personal en él para cualquier propósito debe tener un plan de ventilación y otras medidas de seguridad aprobadas por PFT;
Cada maestro y/o miembro del personal escolar que quiere o necesita ser vacunado puede hacerlo antes de volver su salon;
Que tengan un protocolo claro de rastreo de contactos y pruebas de COVID diseñado para padres, maestros, y otros que refleja las mejores prácticas actuales y una guía actualizada basada en nuevas variantes y que permite la publicación rápida de datos e información sobre COVID dentro de y en las escuelas una vez que los edificios vuelvan a abrir
Cambios inmediatos en los procesos y políticas del distrito y la Junta de Educación que permitan una mayor transparencia, comunicación clara y participación real con la comunidad en el futuro.
En solidaridad,
Erika Guadalupe Núnez, Juntos
Statement in Solidarity with Educators, School District Staff, and Families
It all begins with an idea.
February 8th, 2021
Juntos stands in solidarity with Philly educators, school district staff, and families who are united across the city today fighting for a safe reopening.
At Juntos, we have seen and experienced firsthand the systemic barriers and issues of access that virtual learning holds for our immigrant families. We all want schools to open as soon as possible, but not at the expense of our children, their parents, and our larger community. We have already lost too much over the last year due to a system that values maintaining the status quo over people’s lives.
Since the beginning of this pandemic, Black and brown immigrant communities have borne the brunt of the hasty and negligent decisions made by those in power. We will not accept a reopening plan that chooses to gamble with the lives of those in our community instead of addressing the systemic issues caused by years of disinvestment, disenfranchisement, and criminalization.
The School District’s reopening plan does not adequately address longstanding issues that made our school buildings unsafe for students and staff since before this pandemic began. We urge the district to connect directly with impacted families and staff to develop a plan that offers solutions to these longstanding issues and the impact of the pandemic, and to take tangible steps towards an agreement that is built on trust and transparency. Nothing about us without us!
We support the following demands of teachers and staff:
Every school room that will have kids, teachers or staff in it for any purpose must have its ventilation plan and other safety measures approved by PFT;
Every school staff member who wants or needs to be vaccinated can do so before going back into the classroom;
There is a clear COVID testing and contact tracing protocol laid out for parents, teachers and others that reflects the current best practices and up to date guidance based on new variants and that allows for the fast release of data and information about COVID rates within and across schools once buildings reopen;
Immediate changes to district and Board of Education processes and policies that allow for increased transparency, two-way communication, and real community engagement moving forward.
In solidarity,
Erika Guadalupe Núnez, Executive Director of Juntos