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The School Committee voted to pass the “Safe Zone” resolution on Monday night after three months of delay, confusion, and deliberation. 

The resolution affirms the New Bedford Public Schools will follow: federal law regarding student privacy; the state Attorney General’s guidance on interacting with immigration officers; and current district policy regarding coordination with community groups. 

A wide range of local organizations supported the resolution, saying that local students and families — especially those from immigrant families — needed to see the district affirm that it would protect them in light of recent immigration raids. 

“I’m glad it passed, it’s been on the minds of students for a while,” said Mark Dressel, the New Bedford High senior who will serve as the student representative to the School Committee this year. 

Supporters included the New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools, the local teachers union, the paraprofessionals union, the local branch of the NAACP, United Interfaith Action, the Community Economic Development Center, the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, and Mujeres Victoriosas — which represent both professional and community-based organizations.

The resolution struggled for months through bureaucratic mires and committee members’ skepticism. It passed on Monday after Joaquim “Jack” Livramento flipped his vote to support the resolution. 

Mayor Jon Mitchell, who had previously voted against the resolution, was absent from Monday’s meeting because he was traveling, according to the city’s public information officer. Mitchell previously said he wouldn’t support any measure that was not approved by the district’s lawyers.

As of last week, that lawyer advised the committee not to pass the resolution, according to several School Committee members. Committee members did not disclose more about the reason for their lawyer’s advice. 

Livramento supported the measure, he said, because there was a “need to provide support to immigrants and the community.” He continued, “We should assist them in any way possible. We accept all students.”

Asked why he originally voted against the resolution, Livramento said, “I had some concerns in some areas about some wording.” He clarified that he was concerned about “the identification of students whose ethnicity is different.” 

However, The Light’s review of the resolution did not find any mention of identifying students by ethnicity. In contrast, the resolution states that the district would review its records “to ensure that no data is being collected with respect to students’ immigration status or place of birth” — essentially confirming its practice of not identifying students. 

Furthermore, the resolution affirmed that the district would follow FERPA, the federal privacy law that prevents sharing of any student information that the schools do collect. 

Several other of the committee’s concerns did not reflect the contents of the resolution, according to The Light’s review. 

For example, committee member Bruce Oliveira, who voted against the resolution, brought up his concern on Monday about transportation. Oliveira said the resolution was “making promises we can’t keep,” and said the resolution promised to “provide means of transportation to and from every school site.”

The Light’s review of the resolution found no such promise. The only mentions of transportation came in the recital — often known as the “whereas” section — of the resolution. This section of contracts often introduces important context, and in this case described that the district already provides “means of transportation to and from school sites.” 

Christopher Cotter, the other School Committee member who voted against the resolution on Monday, had previously said that it was “not the school department’s role to tell ICE how to conduct their business,” during the June debate on the resolution. 

The Light’s review found no language matching Cotter’s description. Part of the resolution did say that the district’s interactions with federal immigration officers ought to be “strictly in accordance with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Guidance,” which provided schools with information about how to lawfully engage with immigration officers. 

Upon the resolution’s passage, the roughly 40 attendees who were holding signs of support burst into applause. They were members of the teachers union, paraprofessionals union, Mujeres Victoriosas, and more. 

Supporters burst into applause upon the resolution’s passage. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light

Melissa Costa, the School Committee member who introduced the resolution, said she was “tearful, joyful, and overwhelmed” at its passage. “You need to fight for those without your privilege,” Costa said, pointing to a motto that was also printed on her T-shirt. 

Other members of the community spoke out during the meeting’s public comments. 

“Many concerned individuals wanted to attend today, but could not for fear of their safety,” said Alicia López Gonzalez, a member of Mujeres Victoriosas, the community organization that seeks to build political involvement among Hispanic and Latina women. “You cannot claim to honor culture and diversity while you are continually showing our families and students that you do not care.”

“I do love my neighbors, and I feel a moral obligation to speak for them,” said Michael Burroughs, a psychotherapist and member of New Bedford’s Society of Friends. “What I’m seeing and hearing and what I’m aware of [regarding ICE raids] … it’s traumatizing.” 

After the meeting, Thomas Nickerson, president of the local teachers union, said: “Conceptually, educators want kids to be safe.” He also said the resolution “wasn’t something most educators had read or could speak to.” 

Superintendent Andrew O’Leary said, “The most important thing is that families are assured [of their safety]. Any statement to that effect is the most important.” 

O’Leary also provided School Committee members with his own statement in advance of this week’s meeting. He encouraged members to “extend every possible support to students and families, consistent with state law, the Attorney General’s guidance, and best practices.” O’Leary also highlighted the Protect Educational Equity Act, a newly enacted Massachusetts law that codifies current federal protections for immigrant students into state law.

Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org

19 replies on “School Committee passes ‘Safe Zone’ resolution for immigrant students”

  1. Gets more and more like Nazi Germany in the 1930s. the Present excuse for a leader ( y’all know who I mean, the convicted felon and also convicted rapist) convicted by a jury of his peers in the State of New York continues to pursue a policy to eliminate the United States Constitution.

  2. Again another display of public ignorance whereby non-taxpaying, i.e. non-property, non- business, non-employment tax paying members have an opportunity to influence how your tax dollars are utilized. Taxation upon it’s citizens was established with the ratification of the 16th Amendment in 1913, which authorized Congress to tax incomes. This was followed by the Revenue Act of 1913, which created a federal income tax system with progressive rates. Payroll withholding was introduced during World War II for more efficient collection. The Social Security Act of 1935 introduced payroll taxes (FICA) to fund social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Taxation in the US evolved from a system based on tariffs and excise taxes to one heavily reliant on income and payroll taxes, driven by the need to fund government. It was driven by need to fund government and it’s citizens needs. Never was it ever intended to fund or support illegal unlawful activity. Ignorance still pervades in thinking that everyone is above lawlessness and that illegal entry into a country should not only be legal and accepted but that taxation which was imposed for it’s citizens and it’s government should be used to award and support those whom have entered illegally. The education department operates on our tax dollars, it is federally funded. Although it is an alarming situation when families members are separated, why would you chance disrupting and ruining your familiy’s life in committing an illegal act. Yes, you should feel bad when children of illegal entries are pulled from the life they know, but isn’t it their parents responsibility? I don’t see signs that state “protect our illegal immigrant families”. Immigration is legal and yes it is a protected right whereby you are issued a green card as proof that your here legally, you are taxed as everyone else and are offered the opportunity to become a citizen. If you break the laws of the country you may and probably will be deported. Why should taxation from all who contribute, including immigrants support and fund those whom have broken the law by illegally entering the country, that includes educating their children? Why haven’t all these supporters started to procure funding from other supporters for their cause? Why not even dig deep into their own pockets? Immigrants whom are here legally don’t fear. Yes, unfortunately the whole issue of deportation is unimaginable but it should not be our tax dollars at work.

    1. Why John is very uninformed:

      Legal immigrants do fear deportation and enforcement

      In 2025 surveys by groups like the Migration Policy Institute and the Urban Institute, a large share of green card holders, visa holders, and even naturalized citizens report avoiding contact with government agencies, hospitals, and police because they fear immigration enforcement or bureaucratic errors that could threaten their status.
      The economic cost of deportation is massive

      Even DHS agrees with independent think tankswho estimate it costs tens of billions to deport all undocumented workers. Multiple 2024–2025 studies show that for every dollar spent on deporting an undocumented worker, the economy loses up to 10 times that amount in lost GDP, lost tax revenue, and labor shortages — especially in agriculture, construction, elder care, and food service.

    2. John Silveira, I couldn’t agree with you more. The number of income tax payers who are forced to fund the growing number of illegal immigrants in New Bedford, and throughout the “Sanctuary States” like Massachusetts, and other Democrat controlled states across America just continues to grow as the illegal immigrants are drawn to these states where the far left liberal socialist Governors like Maura Healy, who continue to spend $1 Billion + Tax Payer Dollars to pay for the housing, food, clothing, gas & electric, Healthcare expenses including the annual exam, and the eye glasses, all public school costs including the free breakfast & free lunch for all students up to age 18, and more for all the illegal immigrants with no restrictions, including the parents income, criminal history, and the number of children they brought here illegally, and the additional children they have while remaining as illegal immigrants regardless of their income, or assets, it’s unbelievable! There are also other programs funded by the state, and local tax payers, like the free breakfast and lunch during the school year, and free lunch in public parks across the cities, and towns throughout the state, and free breakfast and lunch for all children from the age of 0-18 years old regardless of their family income, and now that energy costs are increasing by 10% annually due to the limited number of pipelines to deliver it, and no storage facilities for natural gas, and the mayor of New Bedford has already stated that property taxes will be increasing by 10% annually to fund the pension fund shortage in the city, and for the state pension fund shortage, we’ll be paying more income, and property taxes for that also!
      On top of it all, I’m sure the Massachusetts Democrats are already planning additional increases in taxes and fees to pay for the Federal Medicaid cuts passed by President Trump for all the unemployed state residents, and the illegal immigrants, where and when does it end?

  3. With all the budget issues, talk of brown outs for the Fire Department, reduced Library hours, and pension scandals, the mayor and the school committee are wrong for using taxpayer dollars to expand services for Illegals. it’s time for change in City Hall, we need new Leadership, New Bedford Deserves better.

  4. Undocumented workers contribute hundreds of millions in state and local taxes in Massachusetts and billions nationally, even while being barred from receiving most public benefits. The state of MA funds almost 100% of new bedford school budget and receives $1b estimated from undocumeted workers. But that’s actually not the issue here. I know some people want to think or feel some kinda way about their taxes but some of us like to use facts. Trump doesnt do facts and, like enuresis, he makes you feel warmer about your feelings. For those of us without that micturition condition, there’s no budget issue here. The comments linking the vote with a city budget cut should be disqualified from commenting on any issue that requires basic math.

    2. Sorry E Howland, this is involving finances! Where do you think the money to run this busing them from place to place is going to come from? The money they do pay into the system does not earn them a right to services our own children, legals to have. We have to find a way to get out legal children to school. They need to earn a spot in the city. If the were legal, then that would be a different situation.

    3. Sorry not everyone agrees with your far left liberal comments. President Trump has done more in 7 months than Joe Biden did in four years. All the people around the world are welcome, but come here legally or do not come here at all. As far as the school budget goes, you need to do better research., look it up, 65% of the General Fund in the approved City’s Budget of $550.8 Million Dollars goes to Education. The Taxpayers of New Bedford support and make a major contribution to our school system. Our city political leaders need to be more responsible and realize they work for the taxpayers of New Bedford. 100% we need new political leadership in our City and State.

      1. Just google for a few minutes and ask what the total budget is…then ask what the total state aid is ……..Answers come up: The proposed budget for New Bedford Public Schools for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) is $267,059,472….When you google total school aid to new bedford it answers: In Fiscal Year 2026, New Bedford Public Schools will receive a projected $20.5 million increase in funding, bringing the total to $327.9 million. …..The bigger number is probably grants or maybe other city school programs….but all of it is from outside sources….. Do you really think that New Bedford or Brockton pay for their schools? Looks to me like the immigrants are propping the city up

        1. It is delusional to think that anyone here illegally would prop up any city. It is real simple money for schools comes from the Federal Government, the State, and than the balance is left to be paid for by the city. Once again 65% of the city budget goes to schools and that payment includes taxpayers dollars. The bottom line is Joe Biden’s open border policies and Maura Healey putting illegals before veterans, seniors, families, children, and hard working citizens has hurt all of Massachusetts’s cities, towns, and communities.

  5. In response to some of these comments, one need only to look at the words they employ to understand the insidious intent.

    “Enough!’s” reference to “our OWN children,” tells me exactly where his mind set is. Separating children into categories where some have worth and others do not is reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

    These descriptions of “them” v. “us” is a first step in the dehumanizing process which makes it easier to treat some people differently than we would want to be treated.

    As a retired educator who worked with students from widely divergent backgrounds, I viewed them all as OUR students and looked out for them equally.

    Furthermore, I suspect that these perpetually critical commenters know nothing about federal law, ( e. g., 1982 landmark Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, or the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause.)

    Indeed, if they had their way, they would applaud the violent roundup of children in schools and even forced separation from their families.

    In their view, these children don’t deserve the kind of treatment they would expect to be afforded their “own.”

    O

    1. Sorry using Nazi Germany to prop a comment or use as a comparison is disgusting and will only taint your comment and make it fail miserably.

    2. Oh god, will you people give it a rest with the Nazi talk? This is why you keep losing because non-hysterical Americans see right through this.

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