The Chelsea School Committee voted to declare Chelsea Public Schools (CPS) a sanctuary district, approving a resolution that bars voluntary cooperation in immigration enforcement and requires judicial warrants or subpoenas for ICE entry into school facilities.

The resolution, read aloud by Dr. Neville at the request of the committee, passed on a roll call of six in favor and three members absent. The text says CPS "will not voluntarily cooperate in any immigration enforcement action," that ICE will not be allowed to enter schools without a judicial warrant or subpoena, and that requests from immigration authorities will be forwarded to the superintendent's office for legal review.

The resolution frames the action as an affirmation of district values and a response to families' fears about potential immigration enforcement. Catherine Anderson, a special education teacher and president of the Chelsea Teachers Union, and multiple written public commentators urged the committee to adopt explicit protections for immigrant and LGBTQ+ students. Lisonbee Gorman Hill, a fifth-grade teacher at Clark Avenue Middle School, wrote that reaffirming CPS as a sanctuary district would help students feel safe and could reduce absenteeism tied to immigration fears.

Supporters on the committee emphasized the district's responsibility to protect students' access to education and the privacy of student records. Dr. Abeyta (speaker listed as staff member) told the meeting that the district would take "every measure to protect our students while they are in schools" and encouraged families to continue sending children to school to avoid disruption to services such as special education and meal programs.

Several committee members also urged caution about unverified information on social media. A committee member cited a DESE webinar and a Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants representative who said ICE raids of schools are unlikely and that unverified rumors can unnecessarily alarm families.

The resolution includes a directive that CPS "will not release students' personal information, including their immigration status or family member's immigration status, to any agency, including ICE, without the permission of the student's parent or guardian or a judicial warrant subpoena court order or as otherwise required by law." The committee instructed staff to forward ICE requests to the superintendent's office for legal review and to share the resolution with state legislators, the governor's office and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

The measure passed with no recorded no or abstain votes and three absences. Committee members said they will rely on existing legal review and the attorney general's guidance when responding to any requests from outside agencies.