Hosted by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, the parade is part of the city’s long-standing tradition of marking the swallows’ return from Argentina, which they called home during the winter months.

Last year’s parade was met with a downpour, but this year, Fiesta Association President Jim Taylor said he’s hoping for clear skies as the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales return to the route after a nearly 20-year absence.

“We really like this event and we like putting it on for the community,” Taylor said. “The return of the swallows and the parade is what helps make San Juan Capistrano unique.”

This year’s theme is “lassos and laces” to encourage more attendees to show off their best Western style, he added.

The parade is set for March 22 and will begin at 11 a.m. Road closures will start about an hour prior.

The route will start the parade at the El Camino Real and Ortega Highway intersection and end it just past Stonefield Park on Camino Capistrano.

At the same time, the Mercado Street Fair will be open for everyone to eat, dance, shop and have fun at the kid’s play zone.

Taylor said there will be a handful of parking lots included in the street closures, encouraging people to take advantage of the train.

Metrolink is offering a $10 round-trip ticket, free for 17-year-olds and under, that will drop off at the San Juan Capistrano station in the middle of the celebration. Free shuttles will be available.

Leading up to the parade, the San Juan Capistrano Mission will celebrate St. Joseph’s Day and Swallows Day on March 19.

The celebration will be kicked off with mass at 8:30 a.m. followed by the ringing of the mission’s bells, presentations about the history of the mission and Native American storytelling, and Flamenco dancing.

Tickets for the event are priced at $20 and are available on the mission’s website, missionsjc.com.

On March 19, the Fiesta Association will hold its annual Fiesta Grande at the Swallows Inn, a local western bar. At the event, the association will announce the winners of its contests including the best belt buckle, best western hat and best hairiest man.

At the start of the year, contestants in the hairiest man competition shave their facial hair to see who is truly the fuzziest by March.

“You just shave them and then 12 seconds later, they’ve got a five o’clock shadow,” Taylor said. “By the time March 19 rolls around, they look like Sasquatch.”

On March 21, the association will “make getting arrested fun” with Hoo’s Gow Day.  Administrators of the parade will search the town to arrest “city slickers” – anyone not dressed in Western attire – and bail helps fundraise for the association.

Another milestone for the Fiesta Association is the 10th annual frog jumping race on March 21.

At Los Rios Park, families can place bets on which frog they think will hop across the finish line first. An actor portraying American writer and humorist Mark Twain will educate attendees on the story of the original jumping contest in Calaveras County.

The Fiesta Association starts its planning for all the festivities in November, and Taylor said he spends about 40 hours a week as the date approaches.

Taylor said the rainy weather last year caused a decline in attendance, but in 2023, about 55,000 people were there for the parade and fair, including vendors, parade participants and attendees coming from Los Angeles and Inland Empire counties.

The parade costs about $250,000 to put on each year. The Swallows Day Parade is free to attend, but Taylor encourages people to donate.

The first-ever Swallows Day Parade was held in 1954 and has since grown to be known as one of the largest non-motorized parades in the country. The original events included equestrian riders and western dances.

Scarlet Maddux, 10, and her dog, Russell, dress like Winnie the Pooh characters during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Homer travels in style with his custom-made VW van during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. The car was built by owner Sergio Prado. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Denna Moosawi, 9, and her bearded dragon, Hooshang, take part in the exotic animal category of the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Children wait to show off their animals during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lucky, a miniature horse, performs during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade with owner Claudia Bradford on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chewbacca, a 4-month-old dachshund, wears a hot dog costume while taking part in the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Parisa Sina, 11, shows off her guinea pig, Crystal, during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Daisy, a cockatiel, perches on 7-year-old Ella Tegin’s shoulder during the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Brruno, left, meets a new friend at the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade costume contest on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Scarlet Maddux, 10, and her dog, Russell, dress like Winnie the Pooh characters while competing in the San Juan Capistrano Kids Pet Parade costume contest on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Furry, feathered and scaly friends marched through Los Rios Park in San Juan Capistrano Saturday afternoon for its annual pet parade.

The parade, featuring animals of all kinds — dogs, cats, ducks, birds and ponies — is one of the kickoff events the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association hosts before its annual Swallows Day Parade on March 22.

“This is one of the most fun things we do because of the innocence of the kids and the stuff they come up with is absolutely hysterical,” said Fiesta Association President Jim Taylor.

The Swallows Day Parade celebrates the return of the swallows, a small species of bird, to the San Juan Capistrano Mission.

Taylor said that winners of any of the pet parade categories — best team costume, best barnyard animal and best household pet — are invited to participate in the Swallows Day Parade.

Swallows Day is on March 19, but the parade is held a few days later. That parade is set for 11 a.m.

Find out about more events at swallowsdayparade.org.

Continuation schools assist students at risk of falling behind and not meeting graduation requirements. Some students are transferred to continuation schools for low attendance or disciplinary issues. The schools provide support with different learning strategies, flexible schedules, guidance and counseling services for students.

The Model Continuation High Schools Recognition list is part of a state program with California’s Department of Education and the California Continuation Education Association. Schools named “model continuations” are determined to have “outstanding programs” and show dedication to supporting its students.

“The priority of our Model Continuation High Schools is to give students more than a diploma,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“The teachers and administrators aim to provide students with a student-centered approach that meets their diverse academic, social and emotional needs and opportunities to explore options beyond high school, preparing students for the future whether they choose to pursue further education or join the workforce,” Thurmond said.

El Camino Real, a continuation school in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, was one of the six Orange County schools that made the list.

That was due in part, Principal Gina Aguilar said, to its EDGE intervention period, a student support program that includes two days of academic intervention, two days of social-emotional learning and a day dedicated to college and career readiness.

“Our mission is to equip students for future success by upholding high expectations within a supportive environment where each student’s unique strengths, goals, and needs are values,” Aguilar said.

La Vista High School has been named a model continuation school for the past 12 years, according to the school’s website. It offers honors, intervention and career technical education programs. The school has also partnered with Fullerton College to help students transition into college and careers.

Similar to La Vista High School, other model continuations in Orange County — including Marie L. Hare High School, Valley Vista High School and Lorin Griset Academy — operate based on quarters to help students get on track and ultimately transfer back to their original schools.

A total of 74 schools were named Model Continuation High Schools throughout the state. Selected campuses keep their title for three years, according to the state’s education department.

Orange County 2025 Model Continuation High Schools

• Fullerton Joint Union High School District, La Vista High School

• Garden Grove Unified School District, Marie L. Hare High School

• Huntington Beach Union High School District, Valley Vista High School

• Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, El Camino Real High School

• Saddleback Valley Unified School District, Silverado High School

• Santa Ana Unified School District, Lorin Griset Academy

The new school, serving students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, will be constructed in the village of Rienda in Rancho Mission Viejo.

Capistrano Unified has seen an increase in students from the Rienda area and has already added 400 temporary seats to Esencia TK-8 School in Rancho Mission Viejo, according to a school district staff report. With Esencia expected to hit capacity by fall 2027, district officials greenlit a new school during a board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

The new school will house up to 1,600 students, Capistrano Unified spokesperson Ryan Burris said. Rienda TK-8, like Esencia TK-8, will feed into Tesoro High School.

This is the second school the district has built in Rancho Mission Viejo; Esencia opened in 2018. And another elementary school could be in the works as the community grows, said Capistrano Unified Trustee Gila Jones.

“It depends on how fast the ranch develops the rest of their property,” Jones said. “Developers can’t sell homes unless there are schools.”

The new Rienda school will feature classrooms and labs that allow for flexible teaching and breakout learning sessions, Burris said. Each classroom would also be equipped with state-of-the-art teaching walls, an interactive mounted display for educators to use during their lessons.

Spaces for performing arts, teacher meetings, outdoor learning, lockers and more will also be constructed, Burris said.

School board trustees unanimously approved a contract bid on Wednesday between Capistrano Unified and Swinerton Builders, a commercial construction company.

While it has an estimated price tag of $79 million, the new school will not cost the district any money, said Burris. The project will be funded by developer fees and state matching dollars, Burris said.

The school will be constructed on a nearly 15-acre land between Coyotes and Pablo Way, just north of Saddle Way.

The new school will help complete the community, said Mike Balsamo, senior vice president of the Orange County Business Council.

“One of the most critical elements of any new community, and in terms of quality of life, is public schools in the community,” Balsamo said.

In 2019, the same company that created other Orange County communities — including Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch — announced plans for a 19th-century cattle ranch, known as Rienda.

Houses in the village hit the market in spring 2022. And since its opening, Rienda brought 2,7000 new homes to the Rancho Mission Viejo area, carved out of the hills four miles east of San Juan Capistrano near Ortega Highway.

Capistrano Unified is the largest school district in Orange County, with 63 campuses across the county.

More than 47,000 students are enrolled in the southern Orange County district, which includes schools in San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, among other places.

One of the first bills introduced this legislative session, AB 9 from Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, would help transfer students by establishing set guidelines for Cal State and UC systems that students could refer to.

Those guidelines — required of Cal State but recommended for UC schools — would lay out by September 2026 how many community college students should be enrolled in each discipline, program or major. The targets would also be set across individual campuses, when possible.

According to the California Community Colleges, 80,000 students transfer to a Cal State or a UC school each year.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure that transfer students have equal opportunities to pursue their educational dreams and are better positioned to succeed once they transition to four-year universities,” Quirk-Silva said.

As a former community college student at Fullerton College, Quirk-Silva said she understands how community colleges can be a “lifeline” for higher education and opportunity. With the bill, Quirk-Silva said she wants to enhance existing university systems communication and data sharing that will benefit students.

Along with setting the representation goals, the Cal State system would also be required to share online the ratio of enrolled transfer students to enrolled undergraduate students systemwide, the ratio of enrolled transfer students to enrolled undergraduate students at each campus, and the ratio of enrolled community college transfer students in each discipline, program or major to the number of undergraduates enrolled in each discipline, program or major.

For UC schools, the bill would only request a systematic approach to identify which specific disciplines, programs or majors would benefit from increasing capacity for community college transfer students.

Spokespeople for Cal State and UC systems said officials are still reviewing the bill and will follow it throughout the legislative process.

Long-term, Quirk-Silva said the bill not only benefits students with more opportunities but also helps create a diverse and educated workforce in California.

“Community college students bring incredible diversity, determination, and resilience to our universities. When we make their pathways clearer and more supportive, we are enriching our entire state,” Quirk-Silva said. “That is the kind of California I believe in, and that is what this bill is all about.”

The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Feb. 18, the City Council unanimously agreed to take initial steps potentially to turn San Juan Capistrano’s 65.5-acre open property into a community spot by adding three equestrian caretakers’ residences, 70 overnight farm stay units, an agricultural farm stand and more spaces for live entertainment and a community event facility.

The event facility would be used for wine tastings, weddings or other celebratory gatherings. Farm stay cottages would be available for people to use as a “peaceful retreat” to connect with nature.

The council’s decision on Tuesday does not mean construction will immediately begin in the space to add equestrian spaces or public event spaces. The amended plan will need to be reviewed by the city’s planning commission before it is then presented back to the council for construction approval.

The open space located near the 5 Freeway off Camino Capistrano already houses the Dr. Joe Cortese Dog Park, the Putuidem Village and the Williams/Swanner House.

San Juan Capistrano purchased the land in 1993 with money raised by the sale of bonds approved by voters to acquire more open space. However, the land originally belonged to the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians.

Councilmember Sergio Farias, a lifelong resident of San Juan Capistrano, said he has not seen the land being touched or used consistently by the community since the 2010s.

“We really want an area that is looked after and looks like someone is caring for it,” Farias said.

Proposals to transform the Northwest Open Space have been ongoing for years, but the city decided in 2022 to work with San Juan Capistrano-based developer Dan Almquist of Frontier Real Estate Investments to turn the property into a space better suited for the community.

There are discussions about bringing more native plant species back to the property, Farias said. Developers and the City Council are also considering how best to handle any Native American artifacts or remains in the area, Farias said.

Over the years, the council has avoided commercial development proposals by considering the importance of the land to the Native American community. Proposals, including using the space for glamping or a man-made wave pool, have been shut down.

Councilmember Howard Hart said adding more equestrian and community spaces would act as a deterrent to any major developments on the site.

The city is avoiding placing a timeline on the project, Farias said. Projects bringing new amenities to the city can take years, he added.

More San Juan Capistrano plans and studies

The city recently approved a new five-story mixed-use building that would include 278 apartments, with 32 of those designated as affordable housing units. The project also includes 15,268 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 400 parking stalls.

The plaza, located at 32211-32281 Camino Capistrano, houses several businesses, including an optometrist office, dental office, photo lab, barber shop, beauty salon, physical therapy center, martial arts studio, chiropractic center, donut shop and a Domino’s Pizza.

The council last month rejected an appeal of the project’s approval brought by the Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibilities which argued the project would harm air quality.

City Manager Matisse Reischl said the city anticipates 18 months for review and building permit insurance, followed by 24 months of construction after the permits are issued.

However, the City Council earlier this month rejected a different plan that would have increased the number of residential units planned for a housing project located at Parcel 2 of the Capistrano Business Center on Paseo and Calle Arroyo. In the proposal, up to 134 existing commercial tenant units would have been converted into condominium units over time. The original plan called for just 69 business units to be transformed into residential units.

“It concerns me about the loss of industrial and commercial spaces in our community because we’re quickly running out of it,” Councilmember John Campbell said.

The City Council had initially approved a study related to converting 69 of those commercial tenant suites into residential apartments in June 2024. This plan is still in the works.

Mayor Troy Bourne, who voted against the expanded proposal, said that he was unclear about the exact goal of the plan.

“Historically, when people come before the council, they have at least some idea of what they’re going to do, and they don’t just ask us for more rights associated with the land use to then, sometime in the future, decide what they’re going to do and tell us when we can work on it,” Bourne said.

Councilmember John Taylor disagreed, saying he felt comfortable moving forward with a study exploring the project’s expansion. He said if it doesn’t meet what the city needs, the council could come back and later deny the project.

“Keep in mind, it’s just the initiation of a study, by no means an agreement of what finally comes out of it,” Taylor said. “I think there’s a lot of process between now and so I’m okay with it.”

The staff recommended the owner of the property “clean up” his proposal to the city. It is unclear if the study of plans to expand the project will be presented to the council again.

Farias, a Democrat, said he was inspired to start his campaign after hearing people in the district, which spans Orange and San Diego counties, are struggling with rising costs and achieving the “California dream.”

“We pay a lot of taxes here, and they need to come back to our district,” Farias said. “That will be my biggest focus — getting those dollars back here and putting them to work for our biggest needs.”

Farias was first elected to the San Juan Capistrano City Council in 2016. During his time on the council, he served as mayor twice.

A big motivator for him, Sergio said, is his experience taking over his father’s landscaping business at 16 years old.

Farias’ father passed away while he was still in high school, forcing him to take charge of the business while attending school full-time and helping the family pay bills.

“There’s no excuses when you’re in a position like that,” Farias said. “I think that experience has guided me with not only a positive attitude toward adversity but helped me face it head-on.”

As a son of immigrant parents who has experience working with people of different backgrounds, Farias said he wants his campaign focusing on working people, supporting small businesses, bringing new infrastructure to the district and helping the community during times of high prices.

Throughout Farias’ time on the City Council, he was part of the city’s decision to purchase properties and bring new affordable housing to the city. In 2024, the City Council voted in favor of purchasing a vacant property off of Don Juan Avenue to turn it into affordable housing for senior citizens.

“I think that the best way to make decisions is at the local level, with people who understand the communities where these decisions are being made,” Farias said. “I think that we need to get back to listening to our constituents and knowing what their needs are, especially as we face so many new challenges.”

And the recent fires in Los Angeles County, Farias said, shows an important need for California cities to update infrastructure with more fire-resistant buildings.

The 74th Assembly District includes communities in southern Orange County, including Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. It is represented by Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, who won her bid for re-election in 2024.

Living his whole life in San Juan Capistrano, Farias said he learned the needs of the community and learned not to represent himself but rather the community as a whole.

“I got to work with people, get to know people and work together with them to find solutions and compromise,” Farias said. “California is innovative, and we need to continue to be innovative.”

Trump, who kicked off his second term with a flurry of executive actions, has said he would like to close the department “immediately.”

Shuttering the Department of Education — which provides federal assistance in education — has long been floated by conservatives. Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick to lead the department, suggested during her confirmation hearing moving some of the department’s programs to other agencies, such as transferring enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the Department of Health and Human Services.

What exactly would be cut from the department — and exactly how it could be dismantled — is still unclear. But already, Southern California education officials say they are concerned about what the future of education will look like without the federal department — particularly when it comes to funding.

Federal funds distributed by the Department of Education don’t make up a lot of local districts’ budgets. For example, only 5% of Santa Ana Unified’s budget comes from federal funds distributed by the department, said Ron Hacker, the district’s associate superintendent.

But that amounts to “millions of dollars” used for students and teachers, Hacker said.

And for Santa Ana Unified, the second-largest school district in Orange County, losing even a small amount of its budget would be detrimental, Hacker said.

Santa Ana Unified’s board recently approved a plan to lay off nearly 300 employees — including teachers, counselors and staff. The board cited declining enrollment, depleting federal pandemic relief money and a spending deficit of over $108 million for why the cuts were needed.

If federal funding was halted, Hacker said, Santa Ana Unified would have to consider even more employee cuts.

“We don’t know if it would be a complete elimination of funding, a partial elimination of funding,” Hacker said. “We have zero information about what they are proposing.”

The majority of the district’s federal funds come from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Hacker said. That law makes special education resources available and free for children with disabilities. It also supports infants and toddlers at risk of developmental delays and gives discretionary grants.

By the numbers

A goal to make the department more efficient is understandable, but dissolving the Department of Education could mean a decline in federal funds for local districts, said William Jeynes, a professor of education at Cal State Long Beach who has an extensive background in government.

“It is entirely possible that in the end, the U.S. might fall in spending on K-12 public education because even if the federal government wants the states to pick up the slack, some will say, ‘How are we going to transition to that? We can’t do that quickly,’” Jeynes said.

In Los Angeles Unified, restricted funds (which include federal and state funding) make up nearly 10% of the district’s budget.

The largest school district in the Inland Empire, Corona-Norco Unified, has about 3.2% of federal funding as part of its budget.

Federal funds make up about 3.3% of Capistrano Unified’s budget, the largest district in Orange County.

In all, California received about $4.86 billion dollars in federal funding from the Department of Education during the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Tustin Unified Trustee Allyson Muñiz Damikolas said she would receive free lunch when she was in school, something the Department of Education helps to fund. She said she is worried that eliminating the department could cause students of marginalized communities to be left behind and cause the elimination of school programs.

“For me, I think the biggest question is, ‘Will only the elites have access to education, and will we leave marginalized communities behind,’” Muñiz Damikolas said. “I believe the attack on the Department of Education is an attack on public education in its entirety.”

The department was established in 1867 by then-President Andrew Johnson to collect data on schools and teaching that assist states in creating their education systems.

Under the Carter administration, Congress established the department as a Cabinet-level agency in 1979.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Trump’s plan to end the Education Department will “rip apart” a department that supports students and families.

“These actions are about sowing fear and confusion, not about supporting students,” Thurmond said. “We call on the Trump administration to keep your chaos away from our kids.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Across the country, fears of deportations have risen as President Donald Trump has begun to act on his plan for mass deportations and rescinded guidance that prevented federal immigration authorities from carrying out certain enforcement actions at “sensitive locations,” like schools or churches.

Orange County’s Department of Education isn’t aware of any U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials visiting local schools in recent weeks, said spokesperson Ian Hanigan. But the department also doesn’t have a mechanism to track such visits, he said.

Meanwhile, Orange County districts have begun distributing guidance to educators, students and their families amid concerns that personal information could be provided to immigration enforcement officers or that enforcement actions ultimately could take place at schools.

That includes Santa Ana Unified, which recently unveiled its new Immigration Support Plan, a method the district said it will use to inform and communicate with the community about immigration resources and support.

The plan is split into four different objectives: training staff, hosting educational workshops for parents and guardians, providing multilingual resources and counseling for students and families, and communicating through the superintendent’s office in consultation with legal counsel.

The plan follows a resolution passed by Santa Ana Unified’s school board in December, reaffirming the district’s dedication to assisting the undocumented community and reiterating the district’s belief that all students have the right to education without fear of deportation.

Per state laws and state education codes, students between the ages of 6-12 have the right to attend school in California, regardless of legal status. Superintendents or other designees at school districts must have set protocols for handling requests from immigration enforcement, per the requirements by the state’s Office of the Attorney General. 

District staff must also have permission from a student’s parent or guardian before they can be interviewed or searched by immigration officers, according to the requirements made by the attorney general.

Santa Ana Unified’s policy says district personnel are not allowed to provide personal information or assist any immigration enforcement unless required by law.

Capistrano Unified, Orange County’s largest school district, also said its staff are not allowed to share personal information with any immigration enforcement unless required by law.

Pointing to a board policy that was first adopted in 2019 but revised in 2022, the district said families are not required to show proof of citizenship or immigration status when enrolling in school. Capistrano Unified also encourages parents or guardians to provide primary and secondary emergency contacts of who could take care of their child in case they are deported or detained.

“Our goal was to make sure that we are alleviating as much fear as we could by showing everyone we have steps in place, and this is what would happen in that event, although we feel it would be highly unlikely,” said Capistrano Unified spokesperson Ryan Burris.

In an email to parents this week, Capistrano Unified shared its website of immigration resources.

“Every student should feel safe and welcome in our schools at all times,” Capistrano Unified Superintendent Christopher Brown said. “As a public school district, we know that the best place for CUSD students to learn is in person in school, engaging in learning with our dedicated teachers and classified staff, among friends and fellow students.”

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified is taking a similar approach to informing parents about immigration resources with a resource guide on its website.

Its adopted policy from 2018 prohibits district staff from sharing information with immigration officials unless they are required to by law. Its website also encourages parents and guardians who are concerned about the possibility of being destined or deported to update their child’s contact information.

Neither the district’s policy nor its website includes district-specific resources. But they do provide links to county and state immigration resources.

Meanwhile, Santa Ana Unified is to train employees to handle situations where federal immigration officers are present, according to the policy. As part of the training, the district is providing step-by-step instructional videos on what to do if an immigration officer shows up on a school site.

This “ensures that no district resources will be used for immigration enforcement purposes and that no district personnel shall assist or cooperate with ICE or any other immigration enforcement agency required by law,” Board President Hector Bustos said in a video on Feb. 4, announcing Santa Ana Unified’s Immigration Support Plan.

The district’s policies fall in line with its city leadership. Last week, Santa Ana’s City Council reaffirmed its dedication to protecting all residents, regardless of immigration status.

And beginning next week, Santa Ana Unified will host “Know Your Rights” training sessions for families to gather information on state education and immigration laws. The first session is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11 and will be hosted through Zoom. One training will begin at 9 a.m., and another will be held starting at 5:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in attending can scan the QR code on the district’s website, sausd.us.

Earlier this week, several school districts in Orange County reported a drop in attendance due to “A Day Without Immigrants” protests.” Demonstrators walked out of schools across the country in protest of Trump’s immigration policies and plans for mass deportations.

Capistrano Unified’s Kinoshita Elementary experienced a 50% drop in attendance on Monday, while other schools in the district saw a 20-30% decrease because of the protests.

City Council members, in a meeting last month, expressed concerns about transportation for children and low attendance.

But Mayor Anthony Beall also alleged that the Boys & Girls Clubs was trying to “indoctrinate families” and push DEI (initiatives intended to address possible discriminatory actions) onto children with a since-removed reading list the organization had promoted on its website.  

According to a city staff report, the city pays $120,000 annually for the club. Since 2012, Rancho Santa Margarita has contributed over $1.2 million total, another staff report said.

Beall and council members compared the club to the other sites in Capistrano Valley — Aliso Viejo and San Juan Capistrano — and said the city is paying too much money for the number of children attending Rancho Santa Margarita’s group.

Nicole Watson, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, said about 264 children attend the club in Rancho Santa Margarita each year. She also said comparing this location to other sites in Capistrano Valley is not fair because the club fits the needs of each individual city.

The organization offers after-school programs to support children from first grade through twelfth grade in academics, college prep and leadership skill building, among other skills.

“If the decision is made to not extend the contract, families in Rancho Santa Margarita will need to identify an alternate provider for these programs that is geographically and economically feasible for them,” Watson said in a statement.

About a year ago, Beall criticized the club for publishing a reading list on its website with books including “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” and “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide.” He brought up the reading list during a Jan. 8 City Council meeting, saying he is concerned “that children are being indoctrinated with political philosophy.”

Both books delve into the history of the U.S.

Robin DiAngelo, the author of “White Fragility,” explores the idea that when White people react to their perception of race being challenged, their reactions contribute to how racial inequality is maintained. “White Rage” shares author Carol Anderson’s reframed viewpoint of race and the “forces opposed to Black progress in America.”

“This was a bold, express, written and overt effort to indoctrinate the families in Rancho Santa Margarita with this political point of view,” Beall said. “You may disagree, but I believe that’s wrong and I believe many people in this community believe that’s wrong and it has no place in an operation funded with taxpayer money.”

Beall did not respond to requests for comment.

The books were removed from the Boys and Girls Clubs Capistrano Valley’s website when concerns were first brought up almost a year ago. Watson said the organization was not pushing political ideologies onto the children, and the reading lists were never meant for the club members but rather for parents who were interested.

“Like all Boys & Girls Clubs, Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley is a nonpartisan organization rooted in service to youth,” Watson said. “The intent of the book suggestions at the time was to offer adults optional resources for thoughtful reflection, understanding, and exploration of varied perspectives.”

The Boys & Girls Club has been at odds with Rancho Santa Margarita — and its future in the city — for some time now.

In November 2023, the City Council proposed booting the Boys & Girls Clubs out of the bell tower – where it has sat since it opened in 2012 — and replace it with a historical museum.

The museum would have displayed artifacts, maps and city-related documents. The plan was to unveil the museum in celebration of the city’s 25th anniversary at the start of 2025. But the museum plan was voted down in a 4-1 vote, with Beall being the only one who voted no and said that the museum would “better serve the community.”

Watson said the Boys & Girls Clubs and Rancho Santa Margarita city staff have met and are discussing the contract. She said both sides are committed to continuing their conversations.

The contract between the Boys & Girls Clubs is set to expire in July. Just when the council will make its decision on whether to renew it has yet to be determined.