Palo Alto's school board joined 26 other Bay Area districts Wednesday, Sept. 2, opposing a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility near Gilroy.

Representatives from the 27 districts gathered at Santa Clara County offices in San José to warn that the facility would suppress student learning and drive immigrant families away from schools, KQED reported.

The coalition sent a joint letter signed by more than 50 school board trustees to county, state and federal leaders, according to San José Spotlight.

Of Santa Clara County's 229,000 public school students, 165,000 come from mixed immigration households, Gilroy Unified School District Board President Tuyen Fiack said at the event.

"When parents are afraid to attend a school meeting, participate in a conference, access services or engage with their child's school, that affects the entire educational community," Fiack said.

PAUSD's Board of Education unanimously approved its own resolution opposing the facility at an Aug. 18 meeting, according to Palo Alto Online. The Palo Alto City Council had already voted in a closed session on June 15 to file an amicus brief supporting the county's lawsuit against the project.

The city council's amicus brief was reported by Palo Alto Online in June.

The proposed facility sits on a 25-acre parcel at 7240 Holsclaw Road in unincorporated land east of Gilroy. Planning documents suggest it could hold up to 150 detainees. Federal officials have countered that it would typically house about 10, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) calling it an office facility, Palo Alto Online reported. U.S. attorneys wrote in a court filing that maximum occupancy would be determined after remodeling is complete.

Santa Clara County and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit on June 10, alleging the federal government illegally bypassed environmental laws and local zoning rules. The lawsuit names DHS, ICE and an LLC belonging to development firm Elmwood Capital Group as defendants.

The federal government agreed to pause construction through Wednesday, Sept. 9, as part of a scheduling compromise, KQED reported.

A federal judge is set to hear arguments on the county's request for a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at San José's federal courthouse, according to San José Spotlight. A ruling on whether construction can resume is expected in October.

Morgan Hill Unified Superintendent Carmen García, whose district sits about 10 miles from the site, said most of her students live in mixed-status families. Since the start of 2025 through June 2026, 232 Santa Clara County residents have been detained by ICE, according to the Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network.

As of Sept. 2, 15 of the county's school districts had adopted formal resolutions opposing the facility. The Tuesday, Sept. 8, hearing is the next milestone.