AFT Stands in Solidarity with Immigrant Families, Demands Action to Get ICE Out of Communities

WHEREAS, the AFT was founded on the principles of solidarity, equality, anti-discrimination, opportunity and justice, among others, and those principles have guided our work for more than 100 years; and

WHEREAS, over the course of our history, these principles have led us to fight against racism, religious bigotry and xenophobia, and to protect those who have been targets of discrimination and violence motivated by hate and bigotry; and

WHEREAS, the United States is home to over 50 million immigrants who are workers, parents, caregivers, business owners, and essential contributors to the nation's economy and civic life; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Constitution guarantees that every resident is afforded equal treatment under the law, regardless of national origin or immigration status; and

WHEREAS, public safety is strengthened when residents trust state government and are not deterred from reporting crimes, cooperating with investigations, sending their children to school, accessing necessary healthcare, and seeking essential services; and

WHEREAS, masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been raiding communities across the country since January 2025, ignoring the Constitution and our basic human rights—ultimately making our streets more dangerous; and

WHEREAS, for more than 30 years, schools, hospitals and places of worship were considered sensitive locations:places protected from immigration enforcement; and

WHEREAS, under the Trump administration, those places have been stripped of these protections, allowing ICE agents to target residents and families at their most vulnerable; and

WHEREAS, our neighbors, students and immigrant families across the country are gripped by fear as residents have been detained, with some becoming untraceable in the detention system; and

WHEREAS, the AFT is focused on justice and equal opportunities for all students, and we understand that children cannot learn if they don't feel safe; these threats take an emotional, psychological and physical toll on our children and their families, having a chilling effect on our schools and communities; and

WHEREAS, Black and brown people and multiple immigrant and refugee communities have historically been targeted by centralized power, most recently embodied by ICE agents throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, ICE raids in our streets are an escalation of the institutionalized suppression of civil rights that Black, Indigenous and people of color; LGBTQIA+; and disabled people have experienced for decades; and

WHEREAS, we must use every tool at our disposal to safeguard our communities against a federal government that is making our streets more dangerous and dismantling our very democracy; and

WHEREAS, we support efforts by governors, attorneys general, mayors, and other state and local leaders across the nation to protect residents from ICE; and

WHEREAS, the people across the country are fighting back against the same cruel deployments that are endangering families and communities while speaking out against the lawless and unconstitutional actions we are repeatedly seeing from ICE, including detaining individuals without warrants, denying access to legal counsel, rushing deportations—often in violation of court orders—and systematically violating due process rights guaranteed by the Constitution; and

WHEREAS, ICE agents are also enforcing the administration's anti-worker agenda, physically assaulting, arresting and prosecuting union leaders, such as SEIU-USWW President David Huerta, who was physically assaulted, arrested and is currently being prosecuted by ICE while other union siblings have been abducted and illegally deported, including SEIU Local 509 member Rumeysa Oztruk; and

WHEREAS, we have seen anti-American and inhumane treatment of American citizens and residents as they hold lawful and peaceful protests across the nation, including in Minneapolis, where ICE agents murdered two U.S. citizens with no criminal records, Renee Nicole Good and American Federation of Government Employees Local 3669 member Alex J. Pretti; and

WHEREAS, immigrants, including undocumented individuals, TPS (temporary protective status) holders, and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients have lived and contributed to this country for decades, raising families, paying taxes and sustaining key sectors of our economy:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will fully condemn the operations of ICE under this administration, which is allowing these masked agents—many with almost no training—to act with unchecked authority as they seek to implement a racist, authoritarian agenda; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will demand action from members of the U.S. Congress to abolish ICE in its current form and replace it with an immigration enforcement system that prioritizes human rights and due process; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will call on elected leaders across the nation to use every tool in their toolbox to:

• Ban ICE from conducting immigration enforcement in schools, places of worship, hospitals, courts and other sensitive locations;
• Ban ICE from conducting immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant;
• Require ICE agents to identify themselves and ban them from wearing face masks while conducting official business;
• Safeguard public school districts against enrollment declines caused by the current immigration climate through state intervention and financial assistance;
• Protect the constitutional rights of all residents, including allowing a pathway for legal action against federal agents who violate these rights;
• Keep local and state law enforcement organizations focused on keeping our streets truly safe by preventing coordination between these organizations and federal agents; 
• Provide necessary resources and training for state employees and those working in sensitive locations to properly defend against and respond to unlawful actions from ICE agents; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will call for ICE out of all communities and stands in unwavering solidarity with immigrant communities of all backgrounds, recognizing their inherent dignity, safety and right to live free from fear; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will collaborate with immigrant rights organizations and allied unions and stand up with impacted communities to resist the authoritarian actions happening in this country; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will continue to prepare affiliates and members to respond to the authoritarian acts with training on legal observing, peaceful nonviolent demonstrations, and immigration rights and protections; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will continue to stand against militarized policing in this country, including ICE, and will continue to fight for our collective civil rights, and for the social and racial justice that every person deserves; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will advocate for a broad, inclusive and earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, TPS holders, DACA recipients and other long-term residents who contribute to our communities, economy and democracy, and pass background checks, are not a threat to public safety and meet other eligibility requirements.

Adopted July 18, 2026