Schools around the US are weighing responses to possible immigration raids
Schools across the country are reassessing how to respond if immigration agents arrive on their campuses, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office after campaigning on promises to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
In major cities, school systems are defending the rights of immigrant students to attend school regardless of their legal status and have pledged not to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In California, state officials issued guidance this week outlining laws that limit local participation in immigration enforcement.
“I know there is a lot of fear and anxiety around the incoming administration’s anticipated changes to immigration policy,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. “I want to make sure students, their parents, teachers, and school administrators are prepared.”
The 54-page California guide explains state and federal protections for students and provides procedures for schools to follow when law enforcement requests documents or seeks interviews with students.
The issue of school cooperation with immigration authorities was widely debated during Trump’s first term, when districts like Chicago Public Schools took strong stances against aiding immigration enforcement.
ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have traditionally adhered to policies that discourage arrests at schools and other sensitive locations such as medical facilities and shelters. However, Trump’s re-election and campaign rhetoric on immigration have sparked fresh concerns about whether these policies will remain in place.
“Although the protected area policy remains in effect, it may be modified, superseded, or withdrawn at any time with little notice,” the California guidance warns. “Local educational agencies should have plans in place in case law enforcement officers request information or access to a school site or student for immigration-enforcement purposes.”
A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, an estimated 733,000 school-aged children in the U.S. are undocumented.
Educators are taking action to reassure immigrant families that their children are safe at school. “We understand that fear and uncertainty, especially concerning the potential deportation of family members, can significantly impact our students’ well-being, attendance, and ability to learn,” Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa said in a statement last month. The district, where one in four students is an English language learner, affirmed a 2017 resolution limiting ICE interactions to the superintendent.
Chicago Public Schools passed a resolution in November stating that schools would not assist ICE with enforcing immigration laws. Agents would only be allowed into schools with a criminal warrant. Similarly, New York City principals were recently reminded of policies prohibiting the collection of students’ immigration status.
Chris Young, principal of North Country Union High School in Vermont and president-elect of the Vermont Principals Association, said his district requires outside law enforcement to present a warrant before accessing students. His district serves children of migrant and farm workers.
“Clearly, students who are worried about their parents being deported—or being deported themselves—are high on our list of kids to worry about,” Young said. “We want them to know school is a safe place, and we’re doing everything we can to strengthen policies about who can and cannot be in our buildings. We are committed to keeping students’ needs at the forefront.”