Rep. Correa steps up to protect undocumented students and their families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last night, Representative Lou Correa (CA-46), Ranking Member of the Border Security Subcommittee, introduced an amendment to Republican’s so-called “Parent’s Rights” legislation to protect undocumented students and their families from having their immigration status requested or disclosed at school.

“My amendment is simple: if my Republican colleagues would like to protect the rights of our students and their parents, we must protect the rights of all of our students and families—especially our undocumented students, who are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities,” said Rep. Correa. “Our schools are the one place our students are supposed to feel safe, and their families trust that they are supported and protected. By not passing this amendment, we would be doing each and every one of them a grave disservice.”

The Correa Amendment would bar any local educational agency, State educational agency, elementary school, or secondary school from requesting or disclosing information about a student’s immigration status. Rep. Correa submitted a statement for the record in the House Rules Committee last night highlighting the need for this amendment, and the full text of it can be read HERE.

“We can and must protect our students and their families from unjust targeting and harassment in schools, and that’s why I am introducing this amendment today. Only two pages long, it would bar any school or educator from disclosing information about a student’s immigration status—full stop,” Correa concluded. “If my colleagues truly care about protecting the rights of students and their parents, I urge them to vote ‘yes’ on this amendment today—to protect the rights of every student and their families, not just the ones that benefit them politically.”

You can read the full text of the amendment HERE.

About Lou:

Congressman Lou Correa is a longtime Orange County resident, with deep local roots. To this day, he lives only three miles from his childhood neighborhood in Anaheim. He is the son of working-class parents whose hard work gave him a chance at success, and has spent his career fighting to protect the American Dream, and ensure anyone can reach the middle class, just as he did. In 2016, Lou was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to continue his work by representing the community he has spent the past 20 years serving, fighting to give everyone access to the same opportunity he had. Congressman Correa is committed to working across party lines to strengthen the middle class and give everyone a shot at the American Dream by investing in education, healthcare, and our fading infrastructure, and has introduced legislation to protect the legal rights of immigrants, care for veterans, and fight against the wasteful spending of taxpayer money.