California Education Officials Push AB 1633 to Deter Private Detention Harms Affecting Immigrant Students and Families
Sacramento, California — California education leaders are backing a new bill that would sharply tax profits from ICE-funded private immigration detention facilities and direct the money toward immigration-related services that supporters say can help families and students affected by detention.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Wednesday that he is co-sponsoring Assembly Bill 1633, introduced this week by Assemblymember Matt Haney and co-authored by Assemblymembers Mia Bonta and Mike Gipson.
AB 1633 proposes a 50% annual tax on a private detention facility operator’s gross receipts tied to federal detention contracts, with the measure structured to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, according to a legislative summary.
The California Department of Education said the bill responds to reported health and safety concerns at private facilities. California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office recently warned of “dangerous conditions” and inadequate medical care at the California City Detention Facility after a state inspection, citing staffing gaps and sanitation and medical issues.
Thurmond also pointed to new school-focused immigration enforcement protections signed last year—AB 49 and SB 98—and a state toolkit, “Our Schools: Resources for Including Immigrant Families,” aimed at helping campuses communicate student rights and school obligations. Districts must provide their local immigration enforcement policies to the state by March 1, 2026, CDE said.
What parents can do now: check your district’s website for its immigration enforcement policy, save your school’s main office number, and ask about counseling supports if your child shows anxiety tied to enforcement activity. Lawmakers have not set a hearing date in the announcement; families can track AB 1633 through the state Legislature’s bill page.
This article was produced by a education parenting today journalist with the assistance of Ai. This is not legal advice. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
