PHILADELPHIA — Mayor Kenney, Cynthia Figueroa, Deputy Mayor of the Office of Children and Families, and Amy Eusebio, Executive Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, today released a statement on the Welcoming Sanctuary Schools Resolution, approved by the Board of Education, that ensures all Philadelphia’s public schools are safe havens for immigrant students and their families: 

“We applaud the School District of Philadelphia and the Board of Education’s efforts and responsiveness to the needs of our school community in passing this resolution. 

“Today’s resolution is aligned with Philadelphia City Council’s Sanctuary Schools resolution, designed to protect student’s confidential information, and ensure that their learning environments are not disrupted by immigration enforcement actions, supporting our children’s safety and emotional well-being, and defending the right to access a free public education without fear. 

“Our goal is that the immigrant families that call Philadelphia home feel welcomed, safe, and secure in all of our schools. The City of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, and the Board of Education are deeply committed to this. We encourage other school boards to consider adopting similar welcoming policies. We appreciate the hard work of all the agencies and organizations involved, especially Juntos, who has played a critical role in this advocacy on behalf of the immigrant community.

“It’s important to highlight that this resolution was proposed during Immigrant Heritage Month, and is another step that reasserts our commitment and accountability as a Welcoming City. Rest assured that we will continue fighting for all of our immigrants, regardless of their legal status, national origin, race, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, religion, or abilities. They are our neighbors, family and friends and we celebrate their contributions to our great city.”