New rule bars civil arrests on school grounds

What happened

Duxbury adopted policy ACL after Governor Healey signed the PROTECT Act on August 5, 2026. Except where state or federal law requires it, civil arrests — including federal immigration enforcement — are not allowed in non-public areas of school grounds while schools are operating. The superintendent put it in place before school started under her emergency authority, and the School Committee ratified it on September 9, 2026.

Why it matters to families

The rule sets out what schools will and will not allow on their grounds during the school day, which matters most to immigrant families deciding whether it is safe to send their children in. The state required every district to have the policy by September 1, 2026 or the first day of school.

The evidence

The approved minutes of the September 9, 2026 meeting record the emergency adoption under policy CHD, the August 5, 2026 signing of the PROTECT Act, the state deadline, and the 4-0 ratification vote.

The source