'Like a legal guardian': SF immigrant parents turn to summer camp counselors for critical help
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As immigration raids continue across the country, some Bay Area immigrant parents are taking extreme measures to make sure their kids are cared for in case they are detained.
"What we have seen from ICE and the Trump administration is an escalation and coordinated campaigns of fear against the immigrant community and immigration enforcement," Sanika Mahajan, director of community engagement at Mission Action.
That fear has prompted many undocumented parents to create plans for their children in case they are detained and separated. Some in San Francisco are turning to their kids' summer camp counselors for help.
"They have asked our counselors who they trust to be the almost like a legal guardian in the event that they get apprehended and deported. To care for their kids or to help with transporting their kids back to the homeland," said Efrain Barrera, program director of a summer camp program.
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We went to an undisclosed location in San Francisco where a nonprofit runs a summer camp for children ages five to 10 years old. The majority of children are from immigrant families.
We talked with two of the summer school counselors who have been asked to take on this responsibility.
"About five parents have asked me and they all have about two to three kids. So, if I sign one family and don't sign other - I have to make sure, and I don't want to not sign. I want to make sure I know my responsibility once I sign over," said Mari a summer school counselor.
Twenty-seven year olds Mari and Susi have worked with children in this community for years, yet never thought they would be as be entrusted with this ask.
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"A lot of them don't even know what is happening. Especially the little ones and they just know their parents are worried and they hear 'immigration.' That is the big word they are hearing," said Susi, a summer camp counselor.
The San Francisco Unified School District does not keep track of student's legal status, but on their public data dashboard of the 2023-2024 school year there were over 12,000 SFUSD students enrolled in English learner classes.
Based on the total number of enrolled students, the English learner group makes up 25% of SFUSD students. The majority are Latinos and Chinese.
"The families do tell me a plan like if it does happen if I do get stopped, if I do get split up from my kids - I want you to have my kids for a week and I will give you money to fly them out - you and my kids to meet me in like, let's say Colombia and they would travel if they stopped somewhere, they will travel to meet me in Colombia and pick up their kids. So, they know that their kids are safe with me," said Mari.
Mari and Susi have not signed any legal documents yet to accept this potential legal guardianship.
