Across the country, education officials are developing plans to protect students and their families from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the Trump administration rescinded guidelines that prevented immigration arrests in and around “sensitive” locations, including schools.
“We are really clear about schools’ obligations to protect students and their information, because this is a strong component of protecting students’ education information at the heart of it as well,” stated Russell Johnston, the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Since the recent policy change, there have been no reports of ICE operations at schools in Massachusetts. However, in response to community concerns, General Attorney Andrea Campbell published guidance for K-12 schools on protecting students and their information.
GA Campbell reaffirms that schools across the state must provide equal access to all students, regardless of immigration status. Therefore, districts must avoid policies that may discourage, delay, or deny students access to school due to their immigration or citizenship status.
While schools are forbidden from sharing students’ personal information without written consent from a guardian, for added protection, districts can revisit their enrollment policies to solely collect the necessary information and accept a variety of documents or methods to verify it.
This way, districts do not even possess sensitive documentation that contains students’ passport information, visa information, or social security numbers.
The guidance includes information on how schools should respond if ICE requests to meet or interview students and additional resources that districts can provide families with.
“In the event that an ICE agent asks to question or remove a student from their classroom, schools must obtain the specific, informed written consent of a parent or guardian or be provided with a valid, judicial warrant signed by a federal or state judge,” writes Campbell.
On January 20, the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive that ended a decades-old policy—introduced by the Biden Administration—that prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations in areas where “children gather, disaster or emergency relief sites, and social services establishments.” As a result, immigration authorities can now legally enter healthcare facilities and places of worship.
In general, the Trump administration has sent unclear and mixed messages about how federal agencies enforce immigration laws across the country. As a result, the ongoing immigration raids—along with misinformation and rumors of such raids—are spreading fear and panic in vulnerable communities.
Concerned families and students should contact local school officials and community resources—like the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) and the Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative—with any questions.
Additional information and related resources include:
- Frequently asked questions for school officials: what to do if ICE shows up at your school, Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)
- Guidance on Immigration Issues, National Education Association
- Guidance regarding K-12 Schools’ obligations to protect students and their information, Mass.gov
This story is an aggregate of Massachusetts Attorney General issues guidelines for responding to ICE in schools by 22 WWLP.