Schools across the United States are currently determining their policies in the event that immigration agents visit their campuses, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office after a campaign promising to deport millions.
In several major cities, school systems are asserting that all students, regardless of their immigration status, have the right to attend school. They are also stating that they will not collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
In California, state authorities have recently provided schools with guidance on the state’s law that limits local involvement in immigration enforcement. California’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, acknowledged the significant fear and anxiety surrounding the incoming administration’s immigration policies, emphasizing the need for students, parents, and school officials to be prepared.
The state’s guidance outlines the protections available to students and the correct procedures for addressing law enforcement requests for documents or student interviews.
Many communities are wrestling with whether schools should cooperate with immigration authorities at all, a discussion that intensified during Trump’s first term, especially when school systems like Chicago adopted policies against immigration enforcement.
For years, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have generally adhered to guidelines that discourage arrests of parents or students in schools and other locations that provide essential services like healthcare and food. However, Trump’s reelection and his campaign rhetoric on immigration have sparked debates about the future of these practices.
The California guidance warns that while protected areas still exist, they can be changed or rescinded at short notice. It encourages local educational agencies to have plans in place for possible requests from law enforcement regarding immigration matters.
In estimates by the Migration Policy Institute, around 733,000 school-age children in the U.S. are undocumented. Educators are taking steps to alleviate the fears of immigrant families, assuring them that their children are safe and welcomed in schools.
For example, the Des Moines Public Schools system, where one in four students is learning English, acknowledged the fears regarding potential deportation of family members. The district reaffirmed a resolution from 2017 that limits ICE interactions. The Chicago Public Schools Board passed a resolution in November stating that schools will not cooperate with ICE without a warrant.
Chris Young, a high school principal in Vermont, mentioned that his district, which includes children of migrant workers, has a long-standing policy requiring law enforcement to present a warrant to access students. He emphasized the priority of supporting students concerned about deportation, assuring that schools aim to be safe places focused on children’s needs.
This complex situation highlights the ongoing dialogue about immigration and education in America, where schools play a critical role in reassuring and protecting vulnerable populations.
