Schools around the US are weighing responses to possible immigration raids
Share and Follow


Schools around the country are reviewing what to do if immigration agents come knocking as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office after campaigning on a pledge to deport millions of people.

In several large cities, school systems are speaking up for the rights of immigrant students to attend school, regardless of whether they are in the country legally, and saying they would not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In California, officials this week offered guidance to schools on state law limiting 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 Bonta said, “and I want to make sure students, their parents, and their teachers and school administrators are prepared.”

The 54-page California guide outlines state and federal protections for students and procedures for responding to law enforcement requests ranging from documents to interviews with students.

Many communities debated how much and whether schools should cooperate with immigration authorities during Trump’s first administration, when school systems including Chicago’s took stands against immigration enforcement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents have long abided guidance that deters arresting parents or students at schools and other sensitive locations that provide access to things like medical care and food and shelter. But Trump’s re-election and campaign rhetoric on immigration policy have sparked discussions over whether those policies will stand.

“Although the protected area policy remains in effect … it may be modified, superseded, or withdrawn at any time with little notice,” the California guidance said. “Because of this, and because exceptions to the policy exist, local educational agencies should have plans in place in the event that a law-enforcement officer requests information or access to a school site or a student for immigration-enforcement purposes.”

A Trump transition spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

An estimated 733,000 school-aged children are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Educators are acting at least in part to address the concerns of immigrant families and assure them their children are welcome and safe at school.

“We understand that fear and uncertainty, especially concerning the potential deportation of family members, can significantly impact our students’ well-being, their attendance, and their ability to learn,” Des Moines, Iowa Public Schools, where one of four students are English language learners, said in a statement last month. The district affirmed a 2017 resolution limiting interactions with ICE officials to the superintendent.

A resolution passed by Chicago Public Schools’ Board of Education in November said schools would not assist ICE in enforcing immigration law. Agents would not be allowed into schools without a criminal warrant, it said. And New York City principals last month were reminded by the district of policies including one against collecting information a student’s immigration status.

Vermont principal Chris Young said his district, whose students include children of migrant workers and farm workers, has a longstanding policy of requiring outside law enforcement to produce a warrant if they want access to students.

“Clearly, students who are worried about their parents being deported or being deported themselves, I think, are high on our list of kids to worry about,” said Young, principal at North County Union High School and president-elect of the Vermont Principals Association.

“We would like them to think that school is obviously a safe place and we are doing everything we can to bolster our policies around who can and can’t be in the buildings,” he said, “and we want to make sure that we’re just keeping the needs of the kids at the forefront.”

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
California farming tycoon arrested in wife's killing

Prominent California Agribusiness Magnate Detained in Shocking Wife Murder Case

A California agricultural magnate was taken into custody on Tuesday, accused of…
Make-A-Wish brings back annual Holiday Wish Line messages

Spread Joy: Make-A-Wish Revives Beloved Holiday Wish Line for Heartfelt Messages

The CEO of Make-A-Wish describes their hotline as a “powerful antidote” to…
Israeli hostages freed, Iran hit, ceasefire held — 2025 shattered idea that US was exiting the Middle East

2025 Middle East Dynamics: Israeli Hostage Release, Iran Strikes, and Ceasefire Challenge US Exit Assumptions

For many years, Washington has signaled intentions to diminish its presence in…
A convenience store employee grabs a Powerball lottery ticket for a customer on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Record-Breaking $1.7 Billion Powerball Jackpot Set to Transform One Lucky Winner’s Christmas Eve

As Christmas Eve approaches, the Powerball drawing is poised to inject a…
Jaguars punter Logan Cooke named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Jaguars’ Logan Cooke Honored as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Logan Cooke’s impressive 52.0 average on punts in Week 16 was the…
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported, can spend Christmas with family

Mistakenly Deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia Reunites with Family for Christmas Celebration

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kilmar Abrego Garcia is finally able to enjoy the…
The curse of The Wire: How show faced string of sudden deaths

Unveiling “The Wire’s” Tragic Legacy: A Heartbreaking String of Untimely Deaths

Throughout television history, few series have matched the profound impact of “The…
FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Pediatricians Take Legal Action Against HHS Over Cuts to Children’s Health Funding

In a significant legal move, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has…