Sanctuary School: Innovating to Empower Immigrant Youth

A compassionate examination of a topic of urgent concern in US education

In Sanctuary School, Chandler Patton Miranda highlights the many ways that K–12 schools can provide safe educational spaces and relevant, responsive resources for immigrant students. Miranda prompts educators to think beyond the baseline definition of sanctuary schools as protective institutions that practice legally supported noncooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. She envisions a whole-school approach to sanctuary that empowers marginalized students, including immigrant, migrant, and undocumented youth, via radical welcoming and innovation.

In this timely book, Miranda issues a call to action for educators and school leadership to create school spaces where immigrant youth can find belonging even in an era of increased anti-immigrant rhetoric. This ethnographic work examines effective moves made at a New York City public high school during a pivotal and turbulent period in US immigration politics: the first presidential administration of Donald J. Trump. A forward-looking conclusion equips educators with radical mindset shifts and actionable strategies to navigate a second Trump presidency and an uncertain future for immigrant students.

Among other takeaways, Miranda urges educational leaders to align school policy and hiring practices to promote a school culture that nurtures curiosity and ensures that the social and emotional needs of students are being met. This necessary book serves as a blueprint for educators, families, and students to organize within and outside the school community to secure positive outcomes for immigrant students.