Chalkbeat

As federal immigration arrests rise in New Jersey, teachers share strategies to help students

2026-08-31T17:03:02+00:00

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As New Jersey students head back to school, teachers say they are preparing for a school year shaped by uncertainty for immigrant families.

The impact of stepped-up immigration enforcement is showing up in classrooms, particularly in schools with larger immigrant populations. Immigration enforcement isn’t a new topic for students, but teachers say the situation is now taking a heavier toll, even as they try to create a sense of normalcy in school.

Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New Jersey rose by nearly 150% from May to July, and reached the highest level for any month in at least four years. The number of deportation orders and voluntary departures also increased in New Jersey courts from May to June.

At a rally over the weekend outside Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention facility in Newark, teachers from Newark, Orange, and Passaic joined labor unions and Newark library workers to speak out against immigration enforcement activity they say is disrupting students’ education.

They described the steps they will take to support students who may be grappling with immigration issues at home. Some teachers said they will create classrooms for students to talk through what they’re seeing and hearing, including discussions of immigration enforcement throughout U.S. history. Others said they are trying to make room for students to process anxieties or fears and validate their experiences.

In New Jersey, ICE agents generally can’t enter public schools without a judicial warrant signed by a judge, per the state. But state and local policies aren’t always clear to students, and teachers are often the ones to explain them.

Tracey Luz, a Newark Public Schools high school teacher in the Ironbound, a neighborhood where most of the residents are immigrants, recalled last spring when news about an ICE raid at a nearby seafood depot reached students mid-class. Based on what they were seeing online, students thought ICE agents were at the school, until Luz clarified the situation, she said.

“They were really upset,” Luz said. “We talked about it and told them you have to keep one foot in the reality that these people are stalking your neighborhood and your family, but you also have to keep one foot in the reality that you’re a senior, and you’re going to graduate.”

In the Passaic Public Schools district, U.S. history and geography teacher Terry Fitzgibbons said he’s focused on building the topic into the curriculum itself, rather than addressing it head-on, so students can open up more easily.

“I certainly don’t have all the answers and can’t 100% relate to what they’re going through,” Fitzgibbons said.

He said he weaves in lessons on migration, labor, and the history of political movements, and lets students engage with the topic on their own terms.

A comment from one of his students last year stuck with him: “‘Hey Mr. Fitz, we are more vulnerable than we appear.’”

For other teachers, the current political climate calls for acknowledging what students are experiencing, even if it means departing from how they usually handle classrooms.

Bradley Gonmiah, a former Newark Public Schools high school physics teacher, recalled an instance this past school year where a student pulled out his phone mid-class to show classmates a post about ICE activity near a school.

Instead of telling the student to put his phone away, as he would have in other situations, Gonmiah said he acknowledged that the situation was “messed up.” A short conversation about the issue followed.

“Validating that it’s something that’s affecting us inside and outside the classroom is something that needs to be addressed,” Gonmiah said.

Some teachers say talking things through is not always the right answer. Sonya Noebels, a math teacher at Orange High School in the Orange Public Schools district, said she and her colleagues try to keep classroom routines consistent and give students time where they don’t have to focus on what’s happening outside of school.

“Some of these students who are living this just need a place where they know what’s going to happen and where they don’t have to be thinking about everything that’s going on, and they can just be kids and do school,” said Noebels.

For Andrew Worthington, an English teacher also at Orange High School, making students feel comfortable and helping them think critically about the political landscape is crucial.

“Hopefully they can start thinking about these issues themselves, which they already are but maybe not in the most organized or structured way,” Worthington added.

While teachers are struggling to find the balance between incorporating conversations about immigration during class time and creating a sense of normalcy in school, some advocates say schools should offer more direct support to students.

The New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children has a partnership with Jersey City Public Schools to offer free legal services to high school students through the Beacon program, an effort other school districts could replicate, said Katarina Martucci, an attorney with the program. Students can enter the program by themselves if they don’t want to involve an adult, Martucci said.

Martucci and her team also speak with teachers who often say they don’t know how to help students. She said simple things like putting up “pro-immigrant welcoming posters are a good way to show students that their existence at school is also important and helps instill trust.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Inside the NYC courtroom where detained children face deportation without attorneys

2026-07-31T17:42:30+00:00

This story was originally published on July 31 by The City Reporter. Sign up here to get the latest stories from The City Reporter delivered to you each morning.

Throughout the summer, inside a small, fluorescent-lit courtroom in Lower Manhattan, hundreds of migrant children, some as young as 3, faced deportation hearings. Most appeared virtually. Some sat around desks in a classroom, while others bounced on bunk beds or rocked in chairs inside small offices or storage closets.

Detained in nearby shelters for unaccompanied minors, the vast majority did not have lawyers as they appeared before the court.

Internal federal regulations have long barred deportation proceedings from moving ahead when children don’t have legal representation, and federal law requires the government to make every effort to fund those attorneys or facilitate pro bono counsel. But inside the courtroom of Judge Lisa W. Ling, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement prosecutor appointed to the court by President Trump in 2018, none of those safeguards seemed to matter.

Over a series of hearings observed by The City Reporter in July, Ling, dressed in a black robe, peppered unrepresented children with questions that could profoundly impact their cases: “Why did you come to the United States?” “Are you afraid of returning to your country?” “Were you able to go to school?” “When you left Guatemala, were you running away or afraid of anything?”

When Ling began to question Evan, a preteen boy from Guatemala with sideswept dark bangs, a child advocate tried to intervene. (Child advocates are assigned to particularly sensitive cases but aren’t lawyers. The City Reporter has withheld Evan’s full name and those of other children described.)

“Your honor, if I may, we understand the court’s wish to expedite proceedings,” said Nicole Guerrero of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Evan, she pointed out, “is not represented and does not understand immigration law.”

“Without legal representation, he is denied a full and fair hearing,” Guerrero warned.

The judge pressed on, despite the admonition.

Ling oversees what’s known as the “detained juvenile docket,” where all children held in shelters overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in New York City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley must appear for their deportation proceedings. Of more than 300 cases involving detained children before her between late June and the end of July, just over a quarter of those had attorneys assigned to them, according to court records.

What’s happening in Ling’s courtroom is already playing out across the country — and is about to kick into overdrive. On Friday, the Trump administration will allow a $356 million-a-year contract for such legal services to expire, barring any last-minute agreements. As a result, some 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation across the country, including 1,300 in New York, could lose access to federally funded legal services.

“It’s an all-out war on their due process rights,” said Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, the nonprofit that oversees the nationwide contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is responsible for the care of unaccompanied migrant children. From the federal contract, Acacia then subcontracts with dozens of legal service providers across the country, nine of which are based in New York.

“We’re going to see a lot of kids railroaded into taking voluntary departure, aka self-deport, even where their protection needs are acute and where they would be facing real danger to their lives in their countries of origin,” Aber said.

For decades, across Republican and Democratic administrations, the federal government funded legal service providers, in accordance with a 2008 law that required HHS to “ensure to the greatest extent practicable” that minors had legal representation in deportation proceedings.

But that funding came under attack last spring when the Trump administration attempted to cancel Acacia’s contract. A federal judge intervened, requiring the administration to continue the contract temporarily.

Then late last year, HHS started delaying payments and requested new information about the children Acacia represents. Advocates decried the request as a breach of attorney-client privilege, and the millions in stalled payments are the subject of another ongoing lawsuit. In legal filings, the government has argued its requests were an effort to better account for how federal funds were being spent.

The funding cliff comes at a perilous time for unaccompanied migrant children. They’re staying longer in federal shelters, as the Trump administration has found ways to slow-walk their release from detention, from where it is much more difficult to find legal support. At the same time, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which oversees the nation’s immigration courts, has sped up proceedings for unaccompanied children.

That haste was apparent inside Ling’s courtroom. Instead of adjourning cases for several months at a time, which attorneys said had been the norm, she scheduled children to return to court every two or three weeks.

An analysis of immigration court records by The City Reporter shows a spike in the number of deportation hearings for unaccompanied minors detained in New York this year, with 1,400 to date, already surpassing the total for 2025.

“They’re cutting off access to lawyers for these children, but they need lawyers now more than ever,” said Beth Baltimore, the deputy director of the Legal Services Center at The Door, one of nine New York nonprofits with an expiring federal contract. “It was never a system that a child could navigate alone, but now it’s so much more complex and so much more difficult.”

With the wholesale cessation of all federal funding for their legal representation, advocates warn that deportations of vulnerable children are all but certain to climb.

“The feeling that we’ve been getting in the community that there’s a bit of a like closing in and targeting of children in a way that we didn’t see under the first Trump administration,” Emily Norman, the regional director of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) who oversees its New York City office.

Asked about the end of the Acacia contract, an unnamed spokesperson for HHS said the agency had asked the group for additional data on the people it represents, which the nonprofits declined to provide.

“The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) works to ensure the safety, well-being, and appropriate care of all children in its custody,” a statement read. “ORR remains fully compliant with legal and regulatory obligations and does not act in any way that could dissuade a child from seeking appropriate legal relief.”

‘The court has given you plenty of time’

Apart from federally funded legal services, the Executive Office for Immigration Review has its own protections in place for unaccompanied children. Immigration judges are not supposed to “accept an admission of removability” from any child without an “attorney or legal representative, a near relative, legal guardian, or friend.”

That admission would happen at what’s called “pleadings,” an early step towards deportation in which the Justice Department lays out its case against a migrant, and an immigration judge determines whether or not the migrant could be deported. If pleadings can’t go ahead for an unaccompanied child without a lawyer, none of the other steps in the deportation process can happen, including a deportation order, Aber of Acacia Center for Justice explained.

“The regulations are very clear,” said Aber.

But child advocates and attorneys in New York say that practice changed several months ago, when Ling appeared to stop following the department’s internal guidance, moving ahead on the cases of detained children whether or not they had attorneys.

Kathryn Mattingly, a spokesperson for EOIR, said the agency does not comment on the decisions of individual judges and called immigration judges independent adjudicators who make their own decision on a case-by-case basis. Advocates, however, say that what’s happening in Ling’s courtroom is taking place in other courtrooms where unaccompanied children appear.

Aber said judges across the country started moving ahead in cases involving children with no lawyers this spring, as EOIR also started scheduling unaccompanied children on “mega master” dockets and decreasing the time kids had in between hearings.

Mattingly declined to comment on any policy shift related to unrepresented children more broadly.

During a recent hearing, an attorney with Catholic Charities named Tonya Putnam, acting as “friend of the court,” someone who assists proceedings but does not legally represent any client, repeatedly interjected, telling Judge Ling she was out of step with current EOIR regulations.

“Per regulations, the court should not take pleadings from an unrepresented child,” interjected Putnam, urging Ling to pause proceedings in the case of a Guatemalan teen named Ambrosio, who appeared virtually from a room lined with butterfly wallpaper and book shelves.

“The court properly took pleadings,” Ling replied, giving Ambrosio, who was in a shelter and doesn’t have a lawyer, three weeks to fill out an asylum application in English.

The same exchange repeated in the case of Nilmar, a boy with shaggy bangs wearing a beaded necklace, who looked around the age of 15.

“Per regulations, an unrepresented child should not have pleadings taken without counsel,” Putnam repeated.

Ling continued the proceeding anyway, asking Nilmar if he was afraid of returning to Guatemala, to which he responded “No.” Ling repeated the question several times, with Nilmar responding negatively each time.

“Why did you come to the United States?” Ling then asked.

“To have a better life,” the child responded, through a translator.

Nilmar’s admission to the court during pleadings meant one of the only outlets of relief available to him while detained, applying for asylum, would no longer be an option.

Putnam tried to interject, “Your honor, as a friend of the court, I’m not sure the child understands the implication of what he’s saying.”

Ling asked Nilmar if he understood what she was saying, to which he replied he had, and again asked if he would feel unsafe returning to Guatemala, to which he replied again that he wasn’t afraid.

“I don’t know if you can give me some extra time to fill out what I was given, the asylum,” Nilmar asked through the translator.

Ling said it didn’t appear he was eligible for asylum, and began to explain that she would grant him voluntary departure and he would have to leave the country by Nov. 19 or have to pay a fine of up to $5,000.

“Can you give me more time to find a lawyer?” he wondered.

“Unfortunately I can’t do this any further. This is the eighth time that we’ve adjourned your case,” Ling said. “The court has given you plenty of time to find a lawyer.”

Nilmar ran his fingers through his hair and fidgeted in his seat, then asked Ling what would happen in his case and if he would be released to his sponsor, an uncle. She replied the court had nothing to do with his potential release to an uncle.

“This court is granting you voluntary departure,” Ling replied. “I wish you all the best.”

Olivia Cassin, a former immigration judge who oversaw a non-detained juvenile docket at immigration court at 290 Broadway before she was fired last fall, said piecing together whether a child has a potential asylum claim can take time, as children may be the victims of trafficking or abuse.

“It’s just so wrong just to ask a kid generically, are you afraid of going back,” Cassin, who now serves as legal director for Immigrant Children Advocates Relief Effort, said. “Maybe they don’t understand what that really means. Maybe they don’t want to admit it in that context. Maybe they were abused by their own parents, and they don’t want to say it.”

Children with attorneys aren’t typically asked in immigration court if they’re afraid to return to their countries, because their lawyer would have already screened them to determine what type of immigration relief they might be eligible for including asylum, advocates said.

‘So why wasn’t it done?’

For the unrepresented children who told Judge Ling they were afraid to return to their countries, Ling set tight timelines of two or three weeks for them to fill out asylum applications in English, a difficult task for an adult in their native tongue, let alone a child who doesn’t speak the language.

On a recent morning, a 17-year-old from Guatemala named Xavi sat with his head resting on his hands as he listened to his deportation proceedings through a Spanish translator. He’d spent months trying to reunite with his brother in New York after crossing the border and being held in a youth shelter in The Bronx.

While there are fewer children in ORR shelters, down to just 1,700 nationwide, the time they’re spending in them has gone up dramatically to 194 days on average in June, up from just a 30 day average last fiscal year, according to government data.

Ling gave the boy three weeks to fill out an application for asylum in English, though Xavi had no lawyer.

Sarah Caspari, a child advocate assigned to the case, begged Judge Ling for more time given the lack of attorney and the fact that, “Xavi does not speak, read or write in English.”

“This case will be proceeding,” Ling replied.

In other cases, Ling scolded children who hadn’t finished their asylum applications on the deadline she’d given them, as she did with Abimal, also from Guatemala.

“I told you at the last hearing with or without a lawyer you had to submit the application,” Ling stated. “So why wasn’t it done?”

“I haven’t done it yet, I wanted to have a lawyer,” Abimal replied through a Spanish interpreter.

“With or without a lawyer you have to file it,” Ling warned. “I’m going to give you one more week.”

Haidee Chu contributed additional reporting.

Gwynne Hogan is a senior reporter at The City Reporter covering immigration, homelessness, and many things in between.

Iowa school districts quietly agreed to new limits on undocumented students’ course access

2026-07-15T18:31:12+00:00

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Most Iowa school districts have quietly agreed to exclude undocumented high school students from certain federally funded career and technical education programming, according to records obtained by Chalkbeat.

The move follows the Trump administration’s controversial interpretation of a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Plyler v. Doe, guaranteeing children a free K-12 education regardless of immigration status. Trump officials argue that the ruling protects only a “basic public education,” but not “postsecondary” education. That distinction affects high school students as dual enrollment and career training programs have become increasingly common.

The Iowa records reveal how Trump has made notable headway limiting the educational rights of immigrants without legal permission to be in the country and in chipping away at Plyler. Iowa is at least the second state under Republican control to adopt such a policy — Virginia did so but then changed course after electing a new Democratic governor.

“There is a very strong argument that Plyler as written forbids what Iowa is doing,” said Aaron Tang, a law professor at the University of California, Davis. Yet, he said, there’s a plausible counterargument, and the conservative Supreme Court might well agree with this novel interpretation, if the issue were to reach the high court.

Tang said that if the Trump administration’s interpretation wins out it will be difficult to determine what constitutes a “basic public education.” Does calculus class? What about precalculus?

It’s not clear how many, if any, students in Iowa or elsewhere have been affected by this provision. Schools don’t typically ask students about their immigration status so there’s no simple way to know who to exclude.

Trump pushes limits on undocumented students’ educational rights

Last year, the Trump administration announced a sweeping new legal interpretation of a federal law on unauthorized immigrants’ access to public benefits. States were not immediately required to follow this interpretation, but the Education Department could take action to enforce it.

The Iowa Department of Education soon said that under the new rules undocumented students should be kept out of federally funded early college experiences and community college classes “even if the course occurs at the high school.” (This restriction does not apply to concurrent enrollment courses that high schools use to meet basic course offering requirements under state law.)

The state soon began requiring school systems and community colleges to agree to these new terms in order to access federal funding for career and technical education.

The vast majority of Iowa school districts have done so, either directly or through a CTE consortium that they are a part of, according to the records obtained by Chalkbeat. A handful of systems have not submitted reimbursement requests recently, so they have not agreed to those terms, the records indicate. Heather Doe, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Education, said the state has not denied any schools funding over the issue.

Among other things, Iowa schools have used CTE dollars, known as Perkins funding, to help students attain industry-recognized credentials in a variety of fields.

It is not clear how school systems could enforce these new restrictions on undocumented students or if they have any intention of doing so. “The Iowa Department of Education does not require the reporting of immigration status but rather confirms the institution’s awareness of federal funding restrictions,” Doe said.

Spokespeople for a number of Iowa-based immigration and Latino advocacy groups did not respond to inquiries about whether any student has been denied programming under this new rule. None of several large school districts in the state responded to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Iowa superintendents’ association said it has not heard concerns or questions from members about the new rule.

A federal judge has halted enforcement of the federal legal interpretation in a number of states where Democratic officials have challenged its legality. Iowa is not one of them.

A U.S. Department of Education spokesperson downplayed the likelihood of taking action against states or schools that didn’t comply, saying the agency was focused on “litigation developments rather than on patchwork enforcement” of the guidance.

Still, confusion remains about the policy. On a recent call hosted by the Trump administration for state CTE and adult education officials, at least two people asked for clarification about the current status of the immigration rule, according to an excerpt of the chat obtained by Chalkbeat.

Officials on the call did not respond to those questions, according to a transcript of the conversation.

The Trump administration’s actions here are a small part of a massive campaign to deport unauthorized immigrants and restrict the public benefits available to those who remain. For instance, Trump and a number of Republican governors have prevented undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition at public universities in a number of states.

At the same time, conservatives have been strategizing about how to undermine and reverse the Plyler ruling. Earlier this year, state legislators in Tennessee seriously considered a law meant to challenge the ruling, but the legislation ultimately died.

This story has been updated to clarify that Iowa’s restriction does not apply to courses used by schools to meet certain basic course offering requirements.

Matt Barnum is Chalkbeat’s ideas editor. Reach him at mbarnum@chalkbeat.org.

Some immigrant children are more fearful than ever to go to school. U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia wants to help them.

2026-06-16T21:41:29+00:00

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An Illinois congressman is seeking to expand support for immigrant students in schools — a move that builds on protections state lawmakers approved last year.

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, who represents several Latino communities in Chicago, introduced legislation Tuesday that would provide federal support to schools serving students affected by immigration enforcement. Joined by Chicago Board of Education member Yesenia Lopez and Latino Policy Forum President Linda Xóchitl Tortolero, Garcia unveiled the proposal, dubbed The Right to Learn Act, Tuesday before more than 30 students and staff at Richard J. Daley College in south Chicago.

“For immigrant kids, school is often the first place that they have in this country. They feel welcome, they feel seen, and they feel heard,” Garcia said. “Too many students now walk through the same doors in fear.”

But passing the bill will be a tall order in the Republican-controlled House for Garcia and the cohort of largely progressive House Democrats who co-sponsored it, including Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar. That could change if Democrats flip the chamber in November’s midterms.

The bill would create a federal grant program for schools impacted by immigration enforcement. Schools could use the funding to hire bilingual counselors and social workers, promote trauma-informed and culturally sensitive mental health services, and provide emergency assistance to families in need. The U.S. Department of Education would administer the program.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration seeks to reduce educational funding for programs serving undocumented and immigrant students. Some of those efforts were carried out through President Donald Trump’s executive orders, including one targeting states that provide in-state tuition for undocumented college students.

Federal agencies have also played a role in cutting back services for immigrant children. Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services barred undocumented children from using Head Start, a federal preschool program aimed at supporting low-income families. That policy is held up in a legal battle, but its looming implementation has worried some parents.

As the Education Department continues to wind down its services and transfer programs to other agencies, the Office of English Language Acquisition has been dissolved. Its funding for English language learning and teacher training is being folded into other programs, according to Education Department officials in April.

Garcia says his legislation contains the “spirit of that office,” adding that federal services such as the Office of English Language Acquisition helped ensure mental health support for students is “culturally rooted and considered.”

Chicago Board of Education member Yesenia Lopez speaks about The Right To Learn Act in a panel for Richard J. Daley College students and faculty in South Chicago on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

Given federal rollbacks and Trump’s mass deportation campaign, Illinois state lawmakers took steps last year to enhance protections for immigrant children.

A new state law requires Illinois schools to follow policies on how to respond to immigration enforcement agents on campus and prohibits schools from requesting a student’s immigration status or Social Security number. Another law passed last year largely blocks university and childcare staff from revealing a family’s immigration status.

Garcia’s bill is a way to extend those protections at the federal level, said state Rep. Edgar Gonzalez, who represents Little Village and Brighton Park, during the press conference.

“You need to put your money where your mouth is, and a bill like this really allows for our schools to make sure they’re safe spaces,” he said.

Makiya Seminera is a reporter covering how the state and federal government affect education in Chicago and across Illinois. Contact Makiya at mseminera@chalkbeat.org.

Newark educators, students say schools could do more as clashes at Delaney Hall continue

2026-06-05T19:40:39+00:00

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Newark social studies teacher Michael Iovino knows when something is wrong with his students.

It was prom season when one of his seniors came up to him and asked, “Mr. Iovino, do you have any odd jobs?”

Instantly, Iovino’s mind went to the usual place, maybe he needed money for clothes, a ticket, or a corsage.

But the student didn’t need money for himself. He needed a way to afford a lawyer after his parents got detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Immediately, my mind is racing. It’s like, okay, but I have to go back to my classroom and teach a class,” said Iovino, Newark Teachers Union secretary and treasurer. “But for the people that are mostly impacted, it’s the end of any sense of normalcy.”

For immigrant families in Newark, the fear has been magnified as protests erupted outside Delaney Hall, the Newark-based immigration detention facility on Doremus Avenue. The protests and continued ICE activity around the city are taking a toll on students, educators say – and schools need to do more to make them feel safe and foster conversations.

Iovino, a Newark Public Schools teacher, said conversations about immigration enforcement have become an unavoidable presence in his classroom. But when current events come up, he doesn’t have to explain the situation about Delaney Hall to his students, they already know.

“This is something that every kid knows,” he said. “This is their 9/11. This is their war in Afghanistan.”

For more than a week, protesters have gathered outside Delaney Hall in support of detainees inside who are on a hunger strike alleging poor conditions, medical neglect, and denial of bond. Tensions escalated during Memorial Day weekend when confrontations between protestors and ICE prompted Gov. Mikie Sherrill to deploy the New Jersey State Police and Mayor Ras Baraka to send city police. Since then, state and local leaders have scaled back on police presence. But as of Wednesday night, clashes between ICE agents and protesters continued.

When ICE agents raided an East Ward business last year, city educators also raised concerns about the emotional toll the activity was having on students. In response, Superintendent Roger León last year said he would remind school leadership about their responsibilities to keep students safe and brief board members on specific district plans to keep ICE out of schools. He also encouraged students to seek an adult at their school for help if they needed it.

And on Thursday, Sherrill announced a $20 million increase to the Detention, Deportation, and Defense Initiative, which provides free legal help to New Jersey residents at risk for deportation. She also announced a coordinated Rapid Legal Response Initiative to expand legal capacity statewide for immigrant families.

Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, did not respond to questions about how ongoing ICE activity and tensions at Delaney Hall are impacting students.

For John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union, dealing with ICE is just part of living in an immigrant community.

“Many of them are hardworking, decent people, been here for years, generations,” Abeigon said.

Rafael Chavez, an organizer with New Labor, a Newark-based immigrant rights group, added that city residents are “just trying to survive.”

“A member from our group was taken by ICE last week in Newark before heading to work,” Chavez said.

That same fear doesn’t stay outside school doors.

Across the nation, educators and advocacy groups are sounding the alarm about the impact immigration enforcement is having on students. The Council of the Great City Schools, which represents urban school districts including Newark, called on federal leaders to immediately stop actions that endanger children and disrupt schools. And in neighboring New York, the city’s school board voted on a resolution last year to reaffirm the school system’s support for undocumented students.

Gabrielly Ferreira, a junior at Science Park High School, said she sees videos about Delaney Hall protests on Instagram and TikTok at least twice a day. It’s a constant reminder about the detention center just 20 minutes away from her school. She said only her history teacher has raised the topic in class.

“It honestly saddens me quite a bit to know that there are people who are like me suffering in Delaney Hall,” she said. “There aren’t many teachers talking about it.”

Other city educators like Alexander Schuetz, who is also the chair of the Newark Education Workers Caucus, believe schools have a fundamental role to play in making students feel safe and aren’t doing enough of that.

“One of the fundamental things we believe about school is that schools need to be a safe place,” said Scheutz, a history and special education teacher. “Students can only learn in safe communities to that end. It’s in the district’s best interest to do everything they can to make their students, their families, and their community feel that way.”

Ferreira agrees, and although the school year is almost over, she hopes administrators would go further and acknowledge the situation unfolding in the city.

“Schools and administrators should say something to reassure students and parents that they reject what ICE is doing,” she said. “Because the majority of their students are people who ICE targets. Whether they have their citizenship or not, they know someone who’s important to them that could suffer at the hands of ICE.”

Iovino, the social studies teacher, says the district has the leverage and responsibility to act by training teachers on how to talk to students about immigration enforcement, designating specific staff members students can reach out to about the topic, directing students to resources, or helping foster conversations.

“The primary concern is that I think teachers really feel helpless,” Iovino said. “That is the least comfortable way to be a teacher, to look at your students and know that ultimately, what can I actually do?”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Federal judge orders immediate release of Memphis high school student detained by ICE

2026-04-24T18:31:45+00:00

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Yasser Jose Lopez Soza has spent his weeks in the West Tennessee Detention Center working seven-hour kitchen shifts to stay busy.

The 18-year-old Memphis high school student has been held in ICE detention since his arrest on Feb. 20 on the way to a school soccer game. He said he misses his mom and friends and wishes he were back in his classes at Memphis Business Academy.

“I feel like I’m dying of loneliness, nostalgia and sadness,” Lopez Soza wrote in Spanish in an April 9 letter to Chalkbeat. “School was my happy place where I spent the majority of my time. I miss my teachers and my friends.”

On April 23, a federal judge ordered Lopez Soza’s immediate release from the detention center. According to the court decision, detaining the high school junior without bond violated his rights to due process.

Mauricio Calvo, director of Latino Memphis who has worked closely with Lopez Soza’s case, said he was released from the detention center just before 1 p.m. April 24.

Lopez Soza was in the car with teammates on the way to a soccer game on Feb. 20, his lawyer told Chalkbeat, when the driver was pulled over. Details of that arrest, including why the car was pulled over, are still unclear even to the judge reviewing the habeas petition, according to the court document.

Jay Fearnley, the teenager’s lawyer, filed a petition for habeas corpus on March 11. The Department of Homeland Security argued Lopez Soza can be held without bond because he is considered “an ‘applicant for admission’ who is treated, for constitutional purposes, as if stopped at the border,” the court document says. But that’s based on a recent ICE policy decision, not the “plain text” of the law, the judge says.

Lopez Soza has been living in Memphis for three years, since arriving from Nicaragua in December 2022. The then-15-year-old and his mother arrived in Arizona without documentation and were briefly detained, the court decision says. In June 2025, he and his mom were ordered to be deported for failing to appear in immigration court. But in August, a judge dismissed that order and reopened his immigration case.

Lopez Soza is expected to graduate from Memphis Business Academy in May 2027. According to the court, that means he isn’t considered an applicant for admission under existing law. And with no existing criminal history, he cannot be denied a bond hearing, according to the Thursday court ruling.

“Bond hearings were designed to prevent prolonged detention during removal proceedings, which are often lengthy,” the decision says. “Therefore, denying Lopez Soza the chance to obtain relief simply because he did not file an appeal may force him ‘to endure six months or more of potentially unlawful detention and thus would cause him great hardship.’”

Lopez Soza misses schoolwork, peers in ICE detention

During his once-a-week visiting hour on April 18, Lopez Soza sat at a table in a crowded room with Memphis Democrat Representative Gabby Salinas and a Memphis Business Academy teacher.

Lopez Soza spoke quietly, his hands often covering his mouth, about missing his girlfriend and how expensive it is to call his mom every night. It costs 5 cents per minute, he said, and 35 cents for an international call to his sister in Nicaragua.

Lopez Soza makes $3 per shift working in the detention center kitchen. Other than that, he spends his time drawing and listening to Radiohead on a tablet that also costs 5 cents per minute to use.

“Sometimes you have to sleep a lot, because there aren’t many things to do here,” he wrote in the April 9 letter.

Salinas said she hasn’t been able to bring Lopez Soza any schoolwork in the detention center. During the Saturday visit, he said he’s worried about missing ACT and SAT testing. He needs those scores to apply for college next year.

Lopez Soza said he wants to play soccer at his future university, and talked excitedly about seeing a recent game on TV at the detention center. Real Madrid, he says, is the best team.

“I hope my life can change, and I can get out of here,” he wrote on April 9. “I hope God helps me get out of here very soon.”

This story has been updated with the time Lopez Soza was officially released from the detention center.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Denver school board approves policy to protect students from immigration enforcement

2026-04-24T03:39:09+00:00

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The Denver school board unanimously adopted a policy Thursday that aims to protect students from immigration enforcement at public schools and school-sponsored events.

The policy says Denver Public Schools’ superintendent should:

Not give any federal immigration enforcement agency access to property, records, or videos without a valid judicial warrant.
Not allow any student to be questioned, detained, or removed from school custody by federal immigration enforcement agents without a valid judicial warrant and prior approval from DPS’ attorney.
Safeguard the rights of students to have a parent or guardian present if they are searched, interviewed, or interrogated by federal immigration enforcement agents.
Not collect or disclose information about the immigration status of students or families unless it is required by a court order or by state or federal law.
Not allow school resource officers, who are Denver police officers assigned to schools, “to consult, communicate, or share student or family information” with federal immigration enforcement agents.
Provide “appropriate resources” to students and families who may be navigating potential immigration threats.
Ensure employees are trained to fulfill their responsibilities under the policy.
Ensure the policy is prominently posted for staff, students, and families to see.

The policy underwent several revisions from when it was proposed by board President Xóchitl Gaytán in February. The idea came from Latino community groups who were feeling a sense of urgency as immigration enforcement actions ramped up around the country.

“Immigrant students, and students who are related to immigrants, are scared and not coming to school,” North High School student Lidia Lopez told the board last month.

Board members on Thursday thanked the community groups for their advocacy, especially students involved with a longtime Denver group called Movimiento Poder.

“You need to stay on us, because this is how change gets done,” board member DJ Torres said.

The first draft of the policy contained several prohibitions that were already on the district’s books. Some board members thought other proposed prohibitions went too far.

Through several rounds of revisions, board members removed a controversial clause that would have prohibited school resource officers from ticketing or arresting a student if doing so would put that student at risk of deportation.

The school board doesn’t supervise school resource officers, and the officers likely wouldn’t know a student’s immigration status, district officials said. DPS already has a written agreement with the Denver Police Department that prohibits school resource officers from getting involved in routine school discipline matters, and board policy says the officers should avoid ticketing or arresting students unless there are no alternatives.

The board also removed from the proposed policy a clause that would have protected students from immigration enforcement action at school bus stops. DPS has many bus stops all over the city, and district officials said enforcing such a protection would have been near impossible.

The board also removed a clause that would have prohibited DPS from collecting information about its employees’ immigration status. Officials said the district is required to collect that information about employees who are in the United States on work visas.

The policy is meant to apply to both district-run and charter schools. Charter schools are independently run by nonprofit organizations that contract with DPS to run schools in the district.

DPS has long been vocal in its support of immigrant students. The district sued the Trump administration last year to try to reinstate a policy that treated schools as sensitive locations that were generally off limits to immigration enforcement. DPS dropped its lawsuit after a judge found there was little practical difference between that policy and Trump administration guidance for agents to use discretion “and a healthy dose of common sense.”

The policy approved Thursday is an amendment to an existing student conduct policy called Executive Limitation 10. Executive limitations are rules for the superintendent.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Hochul moves to protect undocumented students’ right to public schooling as national challenges mount

2026-04-17T20:23:24+00:00

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday put forward a proposal to protect undocumented students’ right to attend public school for free, as efforts pick up in other parts of the country to chip away at that longstanding legal precedent.

Hochul’s proposal, part of a larger package of policies meant to shore up protections for immigrant New Yorkers, would enshrine in state law the rights guaranteed in Plyler v. Doe, the seminal 1982 Supreme Court case, which established undocumented students’ right to attend K-12 public schools at no cost.

The conservative Heritage Foundation, the group behind the Project 2025 blueprint, has pushed for a legal showdown over Plyler in the conservative-majority Supreme Court. States, including Tennessee, have introduced legislation that would empower school districts to collect information on students’ immigration status and charge undocumented students tuition. And the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee held a hearing last month on the “adverse effects of Plyler v. Doe.”

Hochul’s proposal would put New York in a small group of states that have enshrined Plyler in state law.

The group of proposals Hochul announced Thursday would also prohibit public school employees from letting federal law enforcement officers into school buildings without a judicial warrant. New York schools would not be allowed to ask students about their immigration status under the proposals. (New York City’s Education Department has long enforced the policy that schools do not ask students for immigration status.)

They also bar local law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents on civil immigration enforcement, though some advocates and lawmakers have pushed Hochul to go further by banning cooperation in criminal cases as well.

Some education advocates praised the proposals, saying they’ll provide reassurance to New York students and families.

“These measures preserve the rights of all students, regardless of immigration status, and protect those rights from shifts in federal law or Supreme Court precedent,” the group Ed-Trust New York said in a statement.

Hochul’s proposals, if adopted, would show up in the final state budget, which is currently under negotiation between Hochul and the state legislature.

The budget was due April 1, but lawmakers are still hashing out the details and agreed to extend the budget through April 20.

Correction: April 20, 2026: This story has been updated to reflect that the Heritage Foundation has pushed to overturn Plyler v. Doe, but did not include that goal in its Project 2025 blueprint.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Education Department dissolving federal office serving English learners

2026-04-15T17:12:25+00:00

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The Education Department plans to dissolve the office that supports the country’s 5 million English learners.

The move comes as the Trump administration has called to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and to stop funding English language acquisition programs in the federal budget. The country’s English learner student population includes U.S. citizen children of immigrant parents as well as authorized and undocumented immigrant children, communities that are reeling from the effects of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

The Office of English Language Acquisition already was decimated in early rounds of layoffs. Last August, the Department quietly rescinded guidance that many states and school districts rely on to protect the rights of immigrant students.

Education Department officials said dissolving the office and assigning its work to offices doing related work would be better for English learners.

In an emailed statement, Assistant Education Secretary Kirsten Baesler said the changes would align work across teams within the department, reduce administrative burden, and “empower states to design integrated supports.”

“English Learners should never be treated as a siloed program, set aside as an afterthought,” Baesler said. “When English language acquisition is embedded across core priorities like literacy, academic content, educator preparation, and accountability, it receives the seriousness and sustained focus it deserves.”

The Education Department informed Congress of the changes in a February letter. Education Week first reported on the moves and the letter Tuesday.

According to the letter, distribution of federal Title III money that helps states educate English learners will be handled by the same office that distributes other large federal programs such as Title I.

Trump’s proposed budget calls for eliminating Title III funding as a separate program, even as he also signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. Congress last year disregarded a similar budget proposal and maintained Title III funding.

Training programs for teachers who work with English learners will move to the Office of Effective Educator Development Programs, the letter said. Language programs for Native American and Alaska Native children will move to the Office of Indian Education.

Trump pressured states to limit undocumented high school students’ access to career education programs

The changes do not affect the rights of English learner students under federal law. However, many advocates and educators said the office played a critical role in ensuring federal funds were spent appropriately and in sharing best practices and new research.

More of that responsibility now falls to states and school districts. While the Education Department says that shift is appropriate, many school districts historically have failed to meet the needs of English learners, leading to lawsuits.

The Education Department is in the process of moving the entire Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to the Department of Labor, while programs related to educating Native American students are moving to the Department of the Interior.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee House passes voucher expansion plan in tight vote

2026-04-14T00:59:34+00:00

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The Tennessee House passed legislation to expand the state’s voucher program to 35,000 seats next fall despite rare bipartisan opposition from Democrats and a significant group of Republicans.

House Bill 2532 passed on a 52-43 vote on Monday night, barely clearing the majority vote needed to pass.

The House version now alters the funding floor provision of the Education Freedom Scholarships program passed last year, a “hold harmless” clause promised last year to maintain current levels of public school funding even if local districts saw enrollment decreases.

House leadership also quietly slipped in a new amendment that could help state officials track the immigration or citizenship status of public school students. High-ranking Republicans have for two years attempted to count the number of undocumented students in Tennessee public schools, but the effort has run aground in various bills amid bipartisan pushback.

EFS supporters last year passed the universal voucher program, pushed by Gov. Bill Lee, with clear parameters like a 5,000-seat growth cap and funding promises to local public school districts.

A year later, those parameters have been swept aside, which opponents from both sides of the political aisle criticized in a lengthy House floor debate on Monday.

The new House bill will track students withdrawing from public schools to participate in the EFS program. Starting in 2028, public schools would still receive “hold harmless” funding for those students, but not for students withdrawing for other reasons. The original voucher program maintained funding for all disenrollment, regardless of the reason a student is leaving the school.

“We’re not telling the truth. That’s what we told everybody we were doing last year,” said Republican Rep. Jody Barrett, a longtime voucher opponent who criticized the funding floor changes. “That’s what got us the 53 votes to get this thing passed, and now 15 months later we’re completely renegotiating the deal.”

A majority of Republicans shot down proposed amendments from Barrett and Republican Rep. Charlie Baum, who tried to reset the funding floor provision.

“It wouldn’t be fair to change that level of financial support at this time,” Baum said.

Under the new House version, public schools could only qualify for hold harmless funding for the 2026 and 2027 school years if they can prove a student with a Social Security number disenrolled from their school to take an EFS scholarship. Schools would have to collect Social Security numbers of all students enrolling in public schools to achieve this.

Tying the hold harmless funding to Social Security numbers appeared to be a last-minute maneuver by House leadership to begin tracking the immigration status of public school students. House Republicans have argued an unknown number of undocumented children may be draining financial resources from local school districts, even though all immigrants fund Tennessee schools through local sales tax purchases.

Some Republicans have sought to challenge a longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent that guarantees the right to a public education to all children in the country, regardless of immigration status.

Social Security numbers are provided to U.S. citizens and some documented immigrants, but not all immigrants with current visas are issued Social Security numbers, nor are they required to register for schools or receive certain benefits like school lunch programs.

Jenny Mills McFerron, director of Policy and Research at EdTrust-Tennessee, criticized the voucher expansion on Monday night for “diverting even more public funds to private schools that lack accountability and transparency that we require of public institutions.”

“Equally troubling is the amendment requiring Social Security number tracking, a backdoor attempt to track students’ immigration status,” Mills McFerron said. “Lawmakers have repeatedly invoked accountability and transparency as core values, but have chosen to wield it selectively to protect the wealthy and target the most vulnerable students in our state.”

The House and Senate are now at odds on significant details of the program, most notably the size of the program next year. The Senate version, which is up for a final vote on Wednesday, calls for 40,000 total seats in the program next year.

If the two chambers can’t agree on a version, lawmakers would have to go to a conference committee and hash out a compromise bill, which could be an uphill battle to pass in the House after such a close initial vote.

The Senate could avoid a conference committee by aligning with the House version on Wednesday, which would position the bill to be signed into law by the governor.

Lee and Republican leadership have for months called for the program to be at least doubled in size next year, pointing solely to the number of applications Tennessee have received for the program.

More than 56,000 students applied for next year’s EFS program, including nearly 19,000 renewals from this year.

Lee has already earmarked more than $303 million in public dollars next fiscal year to help send 40,000 students to private schools across the state. It’s one of his largest new spending priorities in his final year as governor. Each student will receive more than $7,500 for next school year.

Supporters of the program argue these funds enable families to make educational decisions for their children regardless of costs.

“Parents, not the government, know what’s best for their child’s needs,” said Rep. Aron Maberry, a Republican who also sits on the Clarksville-Montgomery County school board. “These scholarships are about empowering families with real choice.”

Some lawmakers who voted against the expansion this year have argued there is not yet evidence that program is improving student outcomes, nor is it clear who exactly is benefiting from the program.

The new House version of the bill does impart new transparency requirements on the Tennessee Department of Education, including how many students already enrolled in private schools benefit from the program.

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Dylan’s return: NYC’s first public school student detained by ICE returns to school after 10 months

2026-03-31T20:03:00+00:00

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Dylan Lopez Contreras sat waiting for a copy of his class schedule in a sunny fourth-floor room of his Bronx high school as his counselor walked in wearing a “Free Dylan” button attached to the strap of his messenger bag.

Dylan stood, and Hedin Bernard lifted Dylan’s more-than-6-foot frame off the floor in a tight bear hug.

It had been more than 10 months since Dylan set foot in ELLIS Preparatory Academy, a high school geared toward older, newly arrived immigrant students. The last time the two had seen each other, Dylan’s hair was dyed purple and just covered his ears. Now, it fell below the 21-year-old’s shoulders and the purple dye had faded to yellow.

Dylan Lopez Contreras, center, listens as school counselor Janeen Padilla, left, goes over his new schedule in her office on his first day of school after spending close to 10 months in immigration custody.

Last May, federal immigration officials arrested Dylan in a Manhattan courthouse after his asylum hearing, making him the first known New York City public school student detained during President Donald Trump’s second term. The Venezuelan native became the public face of an aggressive new phase of the government’s mass deportation campaign, remaining in custody until his release last week.

After Dylan’s arrest, his mom Raiza’s first call was to Bernard. Ever since then, Bernard has, along with ELLIS founding Principal Norma Vega, led the school’s efforts to rally behind Dylan, which included helping to put Raiza in touch with lawyers and advocates, organizing a student letter-writing campaign, and supporting a fundraiser for the family. With Dylan’s return to ELLIS, they hope he can focus on “what will happen, not what did happen,” Vega said.

But the jubilation of Dylan’s return has been mixed with frequent reminders of the looming threat of immigration enforcement facing him and other ELLIS students.

Dylan catches up with school counselor, Hedin Bernard, left, in the halls of ELLIS on his first day back at school.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, released Dylan while he awaits a decision on an appeal in his asylum case. An immigration judge rejected his claim last year, and the appeals process could take years, according to his lawyers from the New York Legal Assistance Group. But ICE has the ability to take him back into custody at any time and requires regular check-ins, his lawyers said.

Shortly after Bernard reunited with Dylan Tuesday morning, as Dylan scarfed down a donut and drank coffee poured from Bernard’s thermos, the counselor invited him to join a college trip that week.

ELLIS staffers believe that preparing immigrant students for college is the surest path out of poverty. The trip would visit three colleges in upstate New York.

Dylan glanced down at his leg, where a black ankle monitor had been attached as a condition of his release. With his travel restrictions, Dylan knew he likely couldn’t attend.

But that didn’t slow down the ELLIS staffers for long. Later that morning, Bernard asked a colleague to invite college representatives to ELLIS, so Dylan wouldn’t have to leave school to meet them.

Left, a pin dedicated to Dylan Lopez Contreras hangs on a bag belonging to counselor Hedin Bernard at his office. And right, Dylan Lopez Contreras now wears an ankle monitor after his release from ICE detention.

Dylan’s detention still lingers

The swiftness of the changes over the past two weeks has been hard for Dylan to comprehend.

Dylan, center, sits for a portrait in the cafeteria at ELLIS.

After months in Moshannon Valley Processing Center, a Western Pennsylvania detention facility, Dylan had stood at a crowded press conference, flanked by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, thanking his supporters in Spanish from under the blue brim of a New York Knicks hat.

He had been sleeping on a thin cot in a cell with more than 70 men. Now he was in his own bed, cuddled with his younger siblings, ages 8 and 10, who had asked to sleep next to him. And after losing about 30 pounds in detention because he often couldn’t stomach the food, Dylan had a phalanx of adults at ELLIS showering him with food, free school supplies, and affection.

“It’s a big contrast, to go through so much mistreatment, and then come back to people who love and support you,” he said in Spanish.

Still, his thoughts drift back to a friend in detention nicknamed “El Mayor,” or the elder, who has already called Dylan to let him know how happy he was to hear about his release and to ask if he could use his public profile to advocate for the release of others. (Dylan did exactly that at his press conference.) As long as those men remain in detention, Moshannon Valley is “not going to feel very far away,” he said.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson denied that there were any problems with the conditions at Moshannon. “All detainees are provided with proper meals, water, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” the spokesperson said. “In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.”

ELLIS staffers said reintegrating Dylan into school will mean helping him catch up on all he missed over the past 10 months while also processing the ongoing trauma of his detention.

While Dylan was incarcerated, his classmates had gone to Washington, D.C., prepared for or taken Regents exams they needed for graduation, and kept up with the guitar lessons Dylan enjoyed before his arrest.

Letters from his classmates helped sustain him as his detention stretched from days to months, and his optimism for a quick release faded. He watched new detainees — including grandparents and young kids — come and go while he remained locked up.

Dylan had no formal education in detention. But he was determined to do what he could to keep up with his English.

Dylan Lopez Contreras, 21, center, walks with Norma Vega, founding principal at ELLIS, left, to his counselor's office to prepare a class schedule on his first day of school after having spent close to 10 months in immigration custody.

He practiced speaking with cellmates from places like China and the United Kingdom and to advocate for better treatment from the guards.

He devoured manga and Marvel comics donated by the advocacy group ROCC NYC, which played a critical role in supporting his family and keeping public attention on his case. He scoured an English dictionary from the facility’s library to learn new vocabulary but had no one to check his pronunciation. And he tried to read some classics, such as Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez.

When he returned to ELLIS last week, Vega stopped him in the hallway to hand him a gift from a staffer in her district office: a copy of Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” another classic Dylan had asked to read but couldn’t get a copy of.

Dylan, who had fled Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s repressive regime, had been kidnapped by a Mexican cartel on his journey to the U.S., and spent 10 months in ICE custody, had said he wanted to understand Dante’s nine circles of hell.

ELLIS gears up to help Dylan adjust

Staffers at ELLIS are accustomed to helping students navigate all kinds of trauma, but they’d never had a student return from long-term incarceration, Bernard said.

Dylan’s counselors at ELLIS plan to refer him to a Spanish-speaking therapist through a mental health clinic located on the first floor of ELLIS’ building, Bernard said. And staffers will watch for any signs that he is struggling.

Dylan, left, goes over notes during a biology class with Hugo Ortega at ELLIS Prep in the Bronx.

They’re also hoping to give Dylan chances to enjoy himself outside academic courses, though his ankle monitor is complicating those plans. His counselor enrolled Dylan in a swim class, but Dylan worried about getting the device wet.

Schools in New York are required to continue enrolling students through age 21, but state law doesn’t stop them from staying longer if the school agrees, Vega said.

ELLIS staffers don’t want to keep Dylan in high school longer than necessary but are encouraging him to stay for two years, so he can master English before applying to college.

In the meantime, he is eager to earn money to help his mom and siblings with rent. He hopes to take a bartending course so he can work at night without interfering with his school schedule.

Dylan worked long hours as a delivery driver before his arrest, and Bernard remains concerned about how long he’ll want to stay in school.

Staffers at ELLIS are working on finding him an internship that allows him to make money while learning new skills and burnishing his college resume.

Dylan said he’s willing to stay at ELLIS “as long as it takes.”

Dylan, center, arrives in the cafeteria at ELLIS to hugs and jubilation on his first day back at school after his release from immigration detention.

Dylan and ELLIS face an uncertain future

Dylan’s arrest, and the aggressive escalation in immigration enforcement it represented, cast a long shadow over ELLIS over the past 10 months, reaching into every aspect of its work.

Students had begun to talk more openly about self-deportation. Pressure to abandon school for work grew as students confronted their diminished prospects for building a future in the U.S. And ELLIS’ enrollment, like that at immigrant-heavy schools across the city, has declined as border crossings slowed to a trickle.

Many of the ELLIS students who greeted Dylan Tuesday with tearful hugs and exclamations like “bienvenidos, loco!” (welcome back, crazy!) had endured their own brushes with immigration enforcement.

Dylan saw a friend whose mother was deported while he was in detention, leaving her without a way to pay rent or look after her toddler during school hours. Dylan’s friend Bridget is considering returning to Ecuador in part because of the fear of ICE. Another student saw Dylan’s ankle monitor and asked a staff member what the device did, adding that her dad had one too, Bernard said.

Dylan eats lunch with friends in the cafeteria at ELLIS.

And when Dylan greeted two fellow Venezuelan students, one asked if he’d had to sleep on the floor — noting that’s where he’d slept after being detained while crossing the border. “I know the floor,” Dylan responded with a wry smile.

During lunch time, Dylan settled into a booth with friends and munched on mozzarella sticks. He had a newfound appreciation for school cafeteria food.

His friendships were what Dylan missed most about ELLIS, and there was lots to catch up on. The conversation soon turned to an ordinary high school concern: Dylan had to figure out what color to dye his hair next.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Will Tennessee’s effort to track undocumented students die in the legislature?

2026-03-27T21:58:01+00:00

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After more than a year of back-and-forth on a controversial Republican proposal to track the immigration status of Tennessee students, two dueling versions of the bill have stalled in the General Assembly.

Lawmakers have just a few weeks to hash out their differences or the legislation will die with the end of session. But its Senate and House sponsors, both high-ranking Republicans, don’t want to yield on their separate versions.

Sen. Bo Watson, a Hixson Republican sponsoring Senate Bill 836, has for two weeks considered whether to adopt a watered-down House version that would require schools to report anonymized data on student immigration status, or stick with a more hardline Senate bill that would allow public schools to charge undocumented students tuition.

On Thursday, Watson deferred that decision by sending the measure back to a calendar committee, a procedural move that puts the legislation in a holding pattern.

When asked Thursday if he thinks either version will pass this session, Watson said “I wouldn’t say that.”

“This is a team sport, and I’m trying to figure out what the best path forward is for the Senate,” Watson said. “But again, the Senate passed a bill, so obviously the Senate likes its bill. The Senate should jealously guard the decisions we make, as should the House.”

Watson eked out a 19-13 vote on the Senate bill last year, with some Republicans crossing the aisle to oppose the measure with Democrats. He has also faced growing pushback from educators and leaders from his district.

“Children should not carry the weight of adult policy decisions when they walk through our doors,” said Dr. Jill Levine, principal of the Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts principal and vice president of the Hamilton County Principal’s Association. “Our job is to protect them, teach them, and support them, without conditions that could create fear or uncertainty in their daily school experience.

Watson and the House sponsor, Majority Leader William Lamberth, rolled out a press release in 2025 to announce the legislation, which originally would have allowed schools to block undocumented students from enrolling altogether.

They were explicit about their intent of the bill: challenging the longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent guaranteeing a right to free public education to all children in the country.

But after months of heated debate and hundreds of protestors rallying against the measure, they’ve softened that language.

“My intent is, as it has always been, to allow local governments to look at their financial situation and make a decision about tuition for students who are undocumented or not here legally,” Watson said Thursday. “That’s been the reason for the bill from the very, very beginning.”

The House sponsor, Majority Leader William Lamberth, amended HB 793 last year after a fiscal review found it might endanger more than $1 billion in federal education money. There were also questions if the House Republican caucus had the votes to pass a more extreme version of the bill after the Senate bill squeaked by.

It’s also not clear if the House version of the bill, which asks schools to collect immigration or citizenship documents but doesn’t have an enforcement mechanism, would rise to a Plyler constitutional challenge at this point.

“I want to take some time to talk to my members about whether they think it’s worth moving forward, if the juice is worth the squeeze on that bill,” Watson said earlier this month.

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Trump pressured states to limit undocumented high school students’ access to career education programs

2026-03-27T15:51:45+00:00

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At least three states have taken steps to restrict undocumented high school students’ access to dual enrollment and career-technical education programs, according to documents reviewed by Chalkbeat. In one state, the policy was reversed following Chalkbeat inquiries.

These moves come as efforts to limit educational funding for undocumented immigrants ramp up nationwide. They build on controversial guidance from the Trump administration that restricted federally funded preschool and adult education programs to citizens and legal residents.

But these state actions are particularly striking because they chip away at protections based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Plyler v. Doe decision, which requires public schools to serve all students, including those who lack legal permission to be in the country. They suggest the Trump administration has made more progress than previously reported in eroding the protections enshrined in the ruling, long a conservative target.

In Virginia, nearly every school district quietly agreed to exclude undocumented students from participating in certain federally funded career-and-technical education programs, according to records obtained by Chalkbeat.

It is not clear how many undocumented students actually lost access to programming. But at least one school district in Virginia was denied $150,000 in federal funding because it didn’t agree to exclude those students.

On Thursday, after repeated Chalkbeat questions, the state education department said it was abandoning the policy. School districts will no longer be required to restrict undocumented students’ access. The original policy came under the state’s previous Republican administration. The department is now led by a Democratic appointee.

Other Republican-led states have maintained similar policies. The Iowa Department of Education said it expects schools not to offer college-credit courses to undocumented students with federal funds. Georgia recently announced new restrictions on undocumented students’ access to dual enrollment courses paid for with state money.

It is not clear how many other states have taken similar actions. In response to an ongoing lawsuit, a federal judge blocked Trump’s legal guidance in 20 states with Democratic attorneys general.

A U.S. Education Department spokesperson told Chalkbeat this week that the department is not focused on “patchwork enforcement” while litigation is ongoing. But the initial notice has already had a significant effect on state policy.

Conservative activists have argued that undocumented immigrant students use resources that by right should go to Americans.

The presence of large numbers of English learners “impacts the entire school and American citizens who are losing out on resources,” Mandy Drogin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, told a U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee during a recent hearing devoted to criticizing the Plyler decision. “The taxpayers are left holding the bag for it.”

Immigrant and civil rights advocates have strongly defended the value of educating undocumented students. Not doing so, they say, would carry far greater social costs.

“Denial is not just a denial of equal access,” said Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “Denial is an injury to the whole community because you are then taking away the investment in kids who could make very strong contributions.”

Districts agreed to exclude undocumented students despite concerns

In July of last year, the Trump administration issued new interpretations of a 1996 federal law that restricted certain immigrants’ access to welfare programs. Trump’s changes sought to go further, by blocking undocumented immigrants from enrolling in Head Start, adult education, and postsecondary education programs.

In its legal notice, the administration also said it believes Plyler does not protect programming that goes “beyond providing a basic public education,” suggesting that undocumented students might not have access to the full slate of services offered in many public schools. The change targeted career-technical education programs that often involve partnerships between school districts and community colleges, sometimes blurring the lines between higher ed and K-12.

The next month, an email from Virginia’s then-Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson, arrived in the inboxes of school leaders across the commonwealth. It was labeled “URGENT READ.”

To continue to receive federal career-and-technical education funding, known as Perkins, school districts would have to promptly sign an “attestation” that “non-qualified aliens” are “not provided or receiving services funded by the program.” Virginia was allocated $32.5 million in Perkins funding this school year.

Some district leaders were wary of signing. Scott Worner, the superintendent of Mecklenburg County Public Schools in southern Virginia, wrote in an email obtained by Chalkbeat that he had “big concerns.” In Virginia Beach, school board member Melinda Rogers told local media that “it has always been the right of all students to have access to education.”

The Virginia school superintendents association quickly provided legal guidance in a webinar, which warned schools they could lose funding if they didn’t sign, according to a copy of the presentation obtained by Chalkbeat. Scott Braband, the group’s executive director, said during the meeting that there was some legal argument against signing but recommended that districts do so, according to meeting notes obtained by Chalkbeat. He emphasized the funding that was at stake.

In an interview, Braband suggested that districts were unlikely to actually exclude students based on their immigration status. “We don’t have knowledge that we have undocumented kids because we don’t check,” he said. ”It’s a compliance exercise.” He declined to speak about his comments from the legal webinar.

Ultimately, over 120 school districts, including Mecklenburg County and Virginia Beach, signed the attestation form, according to information obtained through a public records request. Most school districts signed the document months ago, but their decision to do so has not been previously reported.

Chalkbeat sought comment from every school district in the state. Virtually all declined to comment or did not respond.

Rogers, the Virginia Beach board member, said she was not aware that her district signed. “It is a concern,” she said. “I would ask why the federal government would impose that kind of restriction on a child when it is not our responsibility to get involved.”

Only seven Virginia school districts did not sign, according to state records and Chalkbeat reporting. “We can’t attest to that because we don’t collect that information,” Loudoun County Superintendent Aaron Spence said in an interview, referring to students’ immigration status.

In January of this year, the district was denied $150,000 in Perkins funding, including for a program promoting entrepreneurship to students. An email to Loudoun from the Virginia Department of Education, obtained by Chalkbeat, said funding requests would be rejected for school systems that had not signed. The district’s loss of funding was initially reported by local news outlet Loudoun Now.

Gullickson, who served as state superintendent during Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, wrote in a statement to Chalkbeat, “Schools should only spend taxpayer money on students as intended.” She added, “Virginia was unwilling to put federal funds at risk.”

This week, Holly Coy, chief of staff at the Virginia Department of Education, said the agency “has determined that submitting the attestation is no longer a necessary requirement.” She said the state was still determining the logistics for releasing money to districts that had not signed.

The chain of events in Virginia shows the compromises school districts were willing to make to keep federal money flowing, as well as the ways in which student rights are dependent on states’ partisan make-up.

The U.S. Education Department did not explicitly require states to get assurances from districts, but warned it “may conduct a review” to ensure federal funding doesn’t go to “serve illegal aliens.” The department acknowledged that “this guidance is not binding.”

Organizations that represent career education and community colleges sent a letter to the department in August with urgent questions about how to comply, since Perkins funds often go to program costs that benefit large groups of students. They have not received a response, according to two groups who signed the letter.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Department of Education told districts that they cannot use Perkins dollars to pay for undocumented high school students to take college-credit classes “even if the course occurs at the high school.” Although schools are not required to report students’ immigration status, districts “should be prepared to demonstrate that ineligible students are not being served using Perkins funds,” the agency said.

A spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Education did not offer comment.

In Georgia, the state announced that beginning this summer, high school students participating in a state-funded dual college enrollment program must prove that they are citizens or legal residents. The state did not provide a public rationale for this move. According to a memo obtained by Chalkbeat, the Georgia Department of Law cited the recent Trump administration guidance as reason to exclude undocumented students.

A spokesperson for the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which administers the dual enrollment program, did not respond to a request for comment.

One high school in the Atlanta area noted that undocumented students may still participate, but now “must self-pay for courses.”

National Editor Erica Meltzer contributed reporting.

Matt Barnum is Chalkbeat’s ideas editor. Reach him at mbarnum@chalkbeat.org.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee House passes bill to track undocumented students in public schools

2026-03-16T21:44:11+00:00

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Tennessee House Republicans on Monday passed legislation to track the immigration status of all public school children in the state, an effort that drew sharp rebukes from Democrats and immigration advocates.

The legislation requires that Tennessee public schools verify the citizenship or immigration status of each student enrolling, and then report anonymized data to the Tennessee Department of Education, state immigration officials, and state lawmakers.

Senate Republicans last year passed an earlier version of the bill that would allow Tennessee schools to charge undocumented students tuition.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth argued on Monday that schools are already gathering birth certificate and local residency data, in addition to required medical records, and his legislation would not be an additional logistical problem for schools.

“This just asks for that data,” Lamberth, the Republican sponsor of the bill, said.

Rep. Gabby Salinas, a Memphis Democrat, urged colleagues not to be “fooled” by Lamberth’s arguments that the legislation is a simple data collection bill. Salinas pointed to previous comments from Lamberth that the bill is a vehicle to challenge Plyler v. Doe, a longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent guaranteeing a right to public education to all children.

“Our kids in Tennessee are not your legal experiment,” Salinas said.

Tennessee educators in recent months have disagreed with the Republican proposal to collect and verify the immigration status of nearly 1 million children in state public schools. In Knox County, a bipartisan school board has officially opposed the legislation. Educators in recent weeks have testified against the effort, citing logistical concerns and potential disruption to local communities.

“Is this just a pretext to getting information that we want so that ICE can come up here and disrupt families that are attempting to live lawfully?” Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, a Chattanooga Democrat, asked during the House debate.

Lamberth didn’t respond. During the floor debate on HB 836, though, the Republican majority leader suggested multiple times that opponents to the education bill were proponents of “open borders.”

The Monday vote was more than a year in the making.

In 2025, Lamberth and Sen. Bo Watson, both powerful lawmakers in Republican leadership, filed legislation that would allow public schools to block undocumented students from attending public schools.

The sponsors made clear they were targeting Plyler, rolling out a joint press release when the bill was filed amid a larger immigration push in the legislature last year.

The effort sparked weeks of heated protests at the Tennessee General Assembly, and the Republican sponsors worked to dial back their bills.

Senate Republicans eventually passed a version of the bill in a close vote that would allow public schools to charge undocumented students tuition.

In addition to challenging Plyler, the sponsors would later argue public schools are bearing an increasing financial burden to educate undocumented students, though Tennessee schools are largely funded through local sales tax paid by anyone purchasing groceries or gas in a community, for example.

Lamberth delayed his bill in 2025 amid pushback and concerns over whether the legislation would threaten more than $1 billion in federal education funding. He repeatedly said the U.S. Department of Education was working on guidance for lawmakers on the issue, but it has not publicly materialized and Lamberth amended the bill to just include data collection.

He acknowledged late last week he still expects the state to be sued over the legislation, should it pass into law.

“We will probably still get sued by some group out there that doesn’t think Tennesseans and their legislators should know how many illegal immigrant children are in our schools,” Lamberth said. “There’s going to be a group out there that doesn’t think we should be able to ask that. I think that’s ridiculous, but it’s likely still going to happen.”

With the passage of House Bill 793, the General Assembly’s two chambers now have two differing versions of the bill. The Senate could agree later this week to adopt the House version. Watson said Monday he hasn’t “paid a lot of attention” to the House version and would make a decision when it comes to the Senate later this week.

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

ICE detained a Memphis student on his way to a school soccer game. What will happen next is unclear.

2026-03-11T17:33:28+00:00

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An 18-year-old Memphis student is being held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center after he was detained on the way to a school soccer game just over two weeks ago.

Yasser Jose Lopez Soza was riding in a car with teammates to the soccer game on Feb. 20 when the driver was pulled over for a traffic violation, Soza family attorney Jay Paul Fearnley said this week.

An officer asked each person for a form of ID and Soza was unable to provide one, prompting the officer to call immigration officials. Soza is charged with being present in the U.S. without a valid travel document or proof of admission, Fearnley said.

The Memphis Business Academy junior has spent more than two weeks in federal custody. Soza is listed as being in ICE custody in the West Tennessee Detention Center database. Memphis-Shelby County School officials declined to comment because the arrest took place off campus, and ICE did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

Fearnley said Soza’s case was caused by a “perfect storm” of local immigration crackdowns and changes in federal policy.

“At the end of the day, the government is doing things that they’ve never done before, and they’re doing things that don’t make sense, and they’re detaining 18-year-old high schoolers, who all they wanted to do was get an education and better themselves,” he told Chalkbeat on Tuesday.

Soza immigrated to the U.S. from Nicaragua with his mom when he was 15 and requested asylum under a President Biden-era program that was meant to streamline the process of entering the country. On his first day in office last January, President Trump revoked the program.

Soza already had an asylum hearing scheduled for March 2027. For decades, having a scheduled hearing meant detention wasn’t mandatory unless the person was a terrorist or flight risk, Fearnley said.

But in the fall, the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that asylum seekers are not considered admitted to the country. That means Fearnley has to appeal to the federal court for a bond to be posted. Fearnley filed a habeas corpus petition on March 4 to challenge Soza’s detention.

If he isn’t able to get Soza out of detention, Fearnley said the asylum hearing could be expedited to this May.

“Yasser is not a felon, but he’s being treated like a felon,” Fearnley said. “So long as you’re in compliance with everything, you should be left alone and be given your due process to prepare for your next court date outside of custody.”

Immigration enforcement has been snaring students around the country for the past year, including in Detroit and New York City. Trump campaigned on running the “largest deportation operation in American history” and has increased immigration raids and arrests nationwide since taking office.

Fearnley said he hasn’t been able to speak directly with Soza, who is being held at the West Tennessee Detention Center in Mason. He said the center is “making it extremely difficult for attorneys to get contact with their clients.” A call he had scheduled with Soza last Sunday was canceled without explanation. And he’s been turned away from visiting clients there in person.

Memphis students, one lawmaker rally around Soza’s case

Soza’s case has sparked protests from his fellow students and interest from Tennessee Rep. Gabby Salinas, a Memphis Democrat who visited Soza in detention on Sunday for one hour.

Salinas told Chalkbeat that an administrator from Memphis Business Academy came with her. She said they were his first visitors in over two weeks.

Salinas also said she wasn’t allowed to bring any schoolwork into the facility for Soza, who is worried about falling behind before his senior year.

“He said he has some days that are good and some days that are bad, and that he is working in the kitchen because it helps the days go by faster,” she said.

A week after the arrest, hundreds of Memphis Business Academy students staged a walkout. Social media videos show students chanting “Free Yasser” and carrying signs reading “ICE out” and “Leave our neighbors alone” in the school parking lot.

Memphis teachers and students have been sounding the alarm about drops in attendance and increased fear since the Memphis Safe Task Force launched in October. The group of federal and state immigration and law enforcement officials has made over 6,700 arrests, including nearly 200 children, in the past six months.

In October, the Memphis school board voted to expand bus services in an effort to reduce absences caused by ICE crackdowns. But district officials said the next month that doing so would cost at least $10 million, and they haven’t brought the proposal up since then.

Rep. Salinas is sponsoring a bill this year that would ban ICE from entering schools and churches without giving notice and prevent the enforcement agency from using those places as staging areas. She said MSCS should publicly support the bill and advocate against others, such as one pushing for more data collection on student immigration status.

“This is a glimpse of what our future looks like if those bills become law,” Salinas said. “We are already seeing innocent people get caught up in this and students being targeted without us having to require or be forced to ask for documentation.”

Fearnley can’t predict if Soza will be granted a trial to challenge his detention. Soza could opt for voluntary removal, which would mean the 18-year-old would go back to Nicaragua and wait for a potential university admission to provide a student visa.

“I wish it was a little bit more of a home run case,” Fearnley said. “It’s a case where the circumstances are despicable, and they’re disgusting. But unfortunately, I’m seeing cases like this all the time right now.”

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Denver schools policy already aims to shield students from ICE. Latino advocates say more is needed.

2026-03-05T01:33:49+00:00

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Many of the prohibitions in a proposed policy meant to protect Denver students from immigration enforcement are already on the school district’s books, scattered across a handful of rules put in place by the superintendent.

But backers of the proposal say it’s important for the school board to adopt the policy, even if it is duplicative. Doing so would send a clear message of support to immigrant families at a time when the Trump administration has ramped up arrests across the country, they said.

“Our biggest concern is that children are afraid, and parents are afraid to send their children to school, and we need the board to come out and tell them, ‘We’re creating the safest learning environment we can for you and this is what we’re putting in place,’” said Milo Marquez, chair of the Latino Education Coalition, a local advocacy group.

The school board is set to discuss the proposed policy at a meeting Thursday. The proposal would designate all school buildings, buses, and bus stops as “safe zones” and bar staff from cooperating with federal immigration agents without a judicial warrant, among other provisions.

But some proposed provisions go further than the current rules and may test the limits of the school district’s authority. At a meeting last month, several board members pushed for a legal review.

“I don’t want to give any false hope or false protection,” said board member Marlene De La Rosa, “because that is also very, very harmful for our students and our families when they believe something and it’s not possible to have it.”

The proposed policy was written by advocacy groups including the Latino Education Coalition and Movimiento Poder. The latter group has for years raised concerns about how students getting ticketed or arrested at school could lead to their deportation.

“We want to be proactive and ensure that doesn’t happen,” said Berenice Aguirre, the organization’s interim executive director.

DPS has consistently backed immigrant students

Denver Public Schools has long been supportive of immigrant students, even suing the Trump administration to try to reinstate a federal policy that previously treated schools as generally off limits to immigration enforcement. DPS dropped that lawsuit in June after a judge found there was little practical difference between that policy and the Trump administration’s guidance.

After the school district experienced an influx of immigrant students from Venezuela and other South American countries in 2023 and 2024, Superintendent Alex Marrero put in place a new administrative policy detailing how staff should respond to federal immigration officials.

The policy, known as Administrative Policy KLG, complemented prior administrative policies that barred U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from district property unless they had a search warrant, for example.

The policy also prohibits the district from collecting information about a student’s place of birth or citizenship status. It says the district won’t share student records unless required by law. And if an ICE agent shows up at a school, the policy directs staff to collect the agent’s name, badge number, and copies of any warrants and subpoenas, and then contact the district’s lawyer.

All of those provisions are also in the policy being considered by the school board. But advocates and district staff said there’s a key difference between the superintendent’s policies and policies passed by the board. The latter, they said, are harder to change.

Whereas a superintendent has the sole authority to write and rewrite administrative policies whenever they want, changing a board policy requires a public discussion and a majority vote by board members, who must ultimately answer to Denver voters.

“In this sense, redundancy is not necessarily a bad thing,” DPS General Counsel Aaron Thompson wrote in an email to Chalkbeat. “It can be an intentional governance decision.”

Marquez, of the Latino Education Coalition, also said the policies should be in place regardless of who the superintendent is.

“If the superintendent has these policies, that’s great,” Marquez said. “If the superintendent leaves tomorrow and a new superintendent comes in, then those policies could be gone. But if the board puts them into place, then they’re protected.”

He pointed to an executive order from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston last week that declared schools “protected spaces” from ICE as an example of a high-profile move that signaled support for the immigrant community, even if not all of the provisions were new.

Proposal could require DPS to renegotiate deal with police

The proposal would be an addition to an existing school board policy called Executive Limitation 10. Executive limitations are rules for the superintendent, who answers to the school board.

But as written by the advocacy groups, the proposal says school-based police officers and independent charter schools would have to follow the rules too. That could require the superintendent to revise the district’s contracts and agreements with the Denver Police Department and each charter school, Thompson said.

For instance, the proposed policy says the superintendent should not allow school resource officers, who are Denver police officers assigned to work in DPS schools, to arrest or ticket a student if doing so would put them at risk of deportation.

It also says the superintendent should not allow school resource officers to share student information with ICE agents or “any law enforcement officers not assigned to the school.”

The school board doesn’t supervise school resource officers, Thompson said, and “cannot direct (Denver Police Department) arrest decisions in real time through board policy.” But the board can direct the superintendent to negotiate and enforce expectations for the officers through the district’s written agreement with the police department. That agreement already says officers should not get involved in routine school discipline.

The board can also ban school resource officers altogether, as it did in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd and concerns about racist policing before reinstating them in 2023.

A spokesperson for the Denver Police Department said its officers do not help enforce civil federal immigration law but declined to answer specific questions about the proposed policy. Thompson said DPS school resource officers “generally will not know a student’s immigration status, and DPS does not want an SRO attempting to determine it.”

Aguirre, of Movimiento Poder, said the board’s 2020 decision to remove school resource officers shows it has authority over the officers’ presence and scope. She said her organization believes officers should only get involved in situations involving weapons or violence.

“We don’t think we’re asking for anything radical or that hasn’t been done before,” Aguirre said.

The proposed policy also seeks to add a new provision prohibiting DPS from cooperating or complying with ICE detainer requests. Such requests are usually made by ICE to jails to hold someone who has been arrested so that ICE may take custody of them. Thompson said that to his knowledge, DPS has never received an ICE detainer request.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee GOP effort to track K-12 student immigration status advances

2026-03-04T22:52:20+00:00

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Tennessee Republicans continue to advance legislation that would require public schools track and report the immigration status of their students despite heated pushback from local educators.

House Bill 793 would require schools to start tracking and reporting anonymized data on students’ immigration status as early as next school year.

But an amendment filed Wednesday indicates a controversial 2025 effort to either block undocumented students from enrolling in K-12 schools or charge their families tuition is dead for the year.

Bill sponsors previously wanted to use the legislation as a vehicle to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe that protects access to public education for undocumented students.

Senate Republicans passed Senate Bill 836, the bill to charge tuition, last spring (Tennessee has two-year legislative sessions). But its House companion bill stalled amid bipartisan concerns that it could have jeopardized more than $1 billion in federal education funding.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican from Portland who sponsors the HB 793, has repeatedly said he was in discussions with the U.S. Department of Education for further guidance on the bill, including a guarantee it wouldn’t jeopardize Tennessee’s federal funding.

That guidance has not materialized, even after Republican leadership said it had worked closely with the Trump White House to develop a hardline immigration package this year.

Lamberth has instead dialed back the bill to a documentation bill at odds with the Senate version.

“We’ve sent several questions to them to try to get answers to a very straightforward question: Would the bill in the previous form endanger $1.1 billion? We have not been given a guarantee that it would not,” Lamberth said.

HB 793 passed out of a House finance subcommittee on Wednesday and is now headed for a hearing in the full committee next week.

The new House bill requires Tennessee public schools to collect documentation on either a student’s citizenship or immigration status. Schools would then be required to report that anonymized data to the Tennessee Department of Education, legislative leaders, and the Tennessee Immigration Enforcement office. That sparked concerns from some immigration advocates about data privacy.

It’s not yet clear if Senate Republicans would agree to changes to the bill. But even dialing back the legislation to a documentation effort could lead to a legal challenge to Plyer.

In 2012, a federal appeals court ruled a similar Alabama law requiring schools to check students’ immigration status when they enrolled was unconstitutional.

Tennessee educators have criticized the legislation, decrying it as both unfair to children and an impractical logistical burden to place on schools whose resources are already stretched thin.

The bipartisan Knox County Board of Education late last year voted to formally oppose immigration documentation requirements. On Wednesday, Knox County Board Member Katherine Bike testified against the legislation in a committee room packed with protesters.

Bike cited a report released this week by the Immigration Research Initiative that estimated requiring Tennessee schools to verify and track the status of 963,000 students could cost the state up to $55 million and require hundreds of new school employees. The legislature’s fiscal analysis has not determined an estimated cost to local districts.

However, the state’s documentation requirements for its recently implemented voucher program, which does not accept undocumented immigrants, show verifying special immigration status such as specialized visa documentation can be complex.

“Where are we going to come up with this money? Is that our special education services that are going to be cut ? Is that our Student Support department, our security budget?” Bike asked. “Where is it going to come from? We always make do but don’t make us do this. I urge you to vote no on this harmful bill.”

Meanwhile, a separate bill that could also require student tracking is progressing through the General Assembly. House Bill 1711 is set up as a trigger bill, meaning it would not be enforced unless the Supreme Court’s Plyler v. Doe ruling is overturned.

A Wednesday committee vote on HB 1711 was delayed until next week.

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Schools should be ‘protected spaces’ from ICE activity, Denver mayor says in new executive order

2026-02-27T01:50:35+00:00

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As part of a wide-ranging executive order Thursday aimed at shielding Denver from a federal immigration enforcement surge, Mayor Mike Johnston emphasized that public schools should be “protected spaces” alongside churches, libraries, courthouses, and other public buildings.

“We’ve seen communities terrorized, we’ve seen schoolchildren taken, we’ve seen Americans like Renee Good and Alex Pretti killed for peacefully raising their voices,” Johnston said at a news conference, referencing two people shot in Minnesota by federal agents. “And Denverites ask me every day, ‘What will we do if that chaos comes to Denver?’”

Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero and school board member Marlene De La Rosa stood behind Johnston at the news conference. A district spokesperson declined to comment on the executive order. So did school board President Xóchitl Gaytán.

De La Rosa said she attended to hear what Johnston had to say because the school board is considering adopting its own policy that would bar federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from school property without a valid warrant, among other actions. The board is set to discuss the policy at its March 5 meeting.

“We want to take a deeper look into what this executive order is and how it impacts our schools and our students,” De La Rosa said.

Denver Public Schools has long been vocal in its support of immigrant students. DPS already directs its employees to forward any requests from ICE to the district’s attorney. A policy put in place by the superintendent says the attorney won’t allow ICE on district property “unless required by law” and “will do everything in the District’s lawful power” to protect students’ rights.

The policy under consideration by the board would strengthen that commitment.

“The desire is to possibly codify it in policy in a public way so we can take an official stance,” Marrero said at a board meeting last week.

The district sued the Trump administration a year ago to try to reinstate a federal policy that treated schools as sensitive locations that were generally off limits to immigration enforcement. It dropped the lawsuit in June after a judge found there was little practical difference between that policy and Trump administration guidance for ICE agents to use discretion.

Schools were only briefly mentioned in Johnston’s executive order. The order directs Denver police to protect peaceful protestors, use their body-worn cameras to document the activity of federal immigration agents, and provide aid to anyone harmed by them.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

IPS adopts new student policy in latest move involving ICE lawsuit from Attorney General Rokita

2026-02-26T01:51:10+00:00

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The Indianapolis Public Schools board adopted a new policy on student privacy Wednesday in response to a lawsuit from the state attorney general claiming the district unlawfully impeded federal immigration enforcement.

The new policy on student access, safety, and privacy seeks to ensure there is a “uniform administrative protocol” that ensures all district actions are “within the bounds of applicable law,” the board said in a resolution passed 6-0 along with the policy.

But Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office is still pursuing the lawsuit.

Since the lawsuit, the district has removed resources for undocumented students on its website, a move that highlights the growing impact the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement is having on schools. In Indiana, lawmakers are seeking to require greater cooperation between local governments — including school districts — and federal immigration authorities.

Rokita’s November lawsuit took issue with a resolution the board passed in 2017 that reminded employees not to assist immigration enforcement efforts “unless legally required and authorized to do so by the Superintendent.” It also challenged IPS guidance for staff and principals on what to do if immigration enforcement shows up on school grounds.

Both documents, Rokita’s office argued in its lawsuit, violated a state law that prohibits governmental entities from restricting enforcement of immigration laws.

The fight will likely continue through a Marion County Superior Court case that will weigh the rights of students against a state law restricting school districts from restricting immigration enforcement.

The board last month rescinded the 2017 resolution as it floated the new student safety policy for consideration. But Rokita’s office said in a court filing on Monday that “IPS in no way repudiated the policies described” in the 2017 resolution when the board voted to rescind it.

The new IPS policy directs the superintendent to develop guidelines on how staff should coordinate with legal counsel when external agencies seek information or access to students. The superintendent will also develop protocols for the protection of student records.

In a statement before the vote, board President Hope Duke Star said the policy was neither a symbolic gesture nor a political statement, but rather “a governance instrument designed to bring clarity, uniformity, and accountability” on how to administer safety districtwide.

“Indianapolis Public Schools serves students from many backgrounds and life circumstances. The district does not adjudicate these circumstances,” Star said. “Our fundamental charge is narrowed and more concrete: to operate schools that are orderly, predictable, and compliant with the law, therefore allowing teaching and learning to occur without undue disruption.”

Attorney general says IPS hindered deportation attempt

The lawsuit alleges that IPS policies hindered the deportation of a “Honduran national” who opted to voluntarily leave the country in January 2025 with his son, an IPS student.

On the day of the scheduled flight, the student went to school despite his father’s wish for them to depart the country together, the complaint states.

The child’s father sent a family friend to meet the student at the school to be reunited with his father, according to an affidavit of a contracted school resource officer that Rokita’s office filed earlier this month. IPS staff refused to turn over the child, who like his father was an undocumented immigrant, to the family friend, according to the affidavit.

In its response to the lawsuit, the district said that the person who claimed to be a federal immigration officer — whom district staff spoke to by phone that day — did not produce any legal documentation to support the request to take custody of the student. IPS denied the allegation from Rokita’s office that the father missed his deportation flight because of the district.

A district staff member allowed the student to go home with an immigration attorney in violation of district policy, according to district responses to the attorney general’s interrogation filed in court. But the district said Immigration and Customs Enforcement never came to the school, and staff never spoke with the student’s father that day.

The new policy adopted Wednesday maintains that the district will continue to provide “equal access to public education” regardless of immigration status while complying with local, state, and federal laws.

State law forbids a governmental body from adopting a resolution or policy that restricts cooperation with federal officials when it comes to sharing information on a person’s citizenship or immigration status. Government entities may also not restrict federal immigration enforcement “to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.”

At the same time, the federal Families and Educational Rights Privacy Act, known as FERPA, restricts the ability of schools to provide student information to outside parties. And the Supreme Court’s 1982 ruling in Plyler v. Doe affirmed undocumented students’ right to a free public education.

The next hearing in the case involving Rokita’s lawsuit against IPS is set for March 5.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Dylan’s mom goes to Washington: Mother of detained Bronx student joins Schumer at State of Union

2026-02-23T23:02:01+00:00

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As President Donald Trump touts his accomplishments in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, one woman in the audience is meant to serve as a reminder of how his immigration policies have taken a toll on families and school communities.

Raiza Contreras, the Bronx mother whose son was the first known New York City public school student detained by immigration agents, is expected to attend the Washington, D.C. event as the guest of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York.

Raiza has fought to bring her son, Dylan Lopez Contreras, home since his arrest nearly nine months ago at his routine immigration court hearing in Manhattan. Schumer’s invitation to Dylan’s mom comes as Democrats remain in a protracted standoff with Republicans and the Trump administration about placing limits on immigration enforcement tactics.

At the time of his arrest, Dylan was a student at Ellis Preparatory Academy in the Bronx, a school serving recent immigrants that rallied to his defense. ELLIS has continued to support him however they can, as well as their other students, many of whom are grappling with their own immigration cases. Dylan was also working part time as a delivery driver to help his mother care for his two younger siblings, enabling them to move out of a city-run shelter and into their own apartment.

Dylan was trying to do everything right and follow the rules: He turned himself in at the U.S. border in April 2024 after a trek from his native Venezuela, eventually making his way to New York. He requested asylum and was permitted to enter the country under a Biden-era program revoked by Trump that was meant to formalize and streamline the process of entering the country. He legally obtained a work permit and applied for Special Immigration Juvenile Status, a type of legal protection for youth.

He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in May at a routine court date and has spent most of the time since at Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest detention facility in the Northeast. In September, he lost his asylum case after facing a judge with a 95.8% denial rate, his lawyers said. After his lawyers appealed, Dylan remained detained at Moshannon Valley.

As his appeal remains pending, his lawyers from the New York Legal Assistance Group are also litigating a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where Dylan is being held. His lawyers claim Dylans’ detention is unconstitutional and violates immigration laws.

“He has been detained for 8.5 months and is being held in Pennsylvania, far from everyone who loves him,” Raiza, his mother, said in a statement. “All he wants is the chance to study and build a future. I am simply asking for fairness and for my son to be brought home.”

Schumer said his guest showed how ICE was “hurting families and terrorizing communities” across the country. “When someone complies with the law and appears before a judge, they should not leave in handcuffs,” he said in a statement.

Schumer and his colleagues have been calling for urgent reforms of ICE enforcement, including prohibiting agents at sensitive locations like schools and courts, banning the use of masks during enforcement, and strengthening oversight and coordination with state and local authorities. Federal immigration agents need guardrails and accountability measures to stop them from causing chaos in communities, he and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, recently wrote in a letter to Republican leadership. Republicans are mixed on supporting the changes outlined, with most opposing getting rid of masks, according to reports.

Dylan’s legal team from the New York Legal Assistance Group hasn’t given up on trying to return him to his family in the Bronx.

“NYLAG is working tirelessly to get Dylan home to his mom, his siblings, and his school, but unfortunately, the federal government is fighting tooth and nail to prevent him from even having a modicum of due process,” said Kate Fetrow, associate supervising attorney in the group’s immigration protection unit.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Indiana schools eye the potential impact of Indiana’s sweeping immigration bill

2026-02-18T16:10:23+00:00

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An Indiana bill that compels greater cooperation between local governments and federal immigration authorities could affect the state’s K-12 schools.

But it’s not yet clear how the sweeping immigration bill that touches on information collection, detainer requests, hospitals, and employment may affect schools — or even which schools it would apply to.

Indiana law already prohibits governmental bodies and postsecondary institutions from impeding federal immigration enforcement, but SB 76 specifies that this applies when any level of government is doing the enforcement, as long as the actions don’t violate state or federal law.

The bill also focuses on detainer requests and specifies that governmental bodies can’t impede officers from gathering information about citizenship or immigration status.

Groups like the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents say they’re still working to understand how the provisions of the bill might affect public schools.

The potential effects of SB 76 also sparked questions at a recent Indianapolis Public Schools legislative council meeting. The district recently changed its policies on immigration enforcement following a lawsuit from Attorney General Todd Rokita.

“I’ve got a lot of questions on if this bill is just structured to still repeat what they already had a right to do,” said IPS board member Ashley Thomas. “It is going to be really important for us to stay vigilant on that one.”

The legislation reflects federal policy changes in how immigration officers operate near schools. While schools were traditionally treated as sensitive locations off-limits to immigration enforcement, the Trump administration rescinded that policy in January 2025. Still, the administration maintains that ICE “does not raid schools.”

Minneapolis schools have reported U.S. Border Patrol officers on school property, and agents recently arrested a day care worker in Chicago. Advocates say increased fear of immigration enforcement has led to greater absenteeism and even more virtual learning days in other states.

House lawmakers passed SB 76 last week. On Monday, senate lawmakers filed a motion to adopt changes from the House, but have not yet voted. The Senate next meets on Thursday.

Which schools and employees does SB 76 apply to?

House lawmakers voted down amendments by Indianapolis Democrat Rep. Ed DeLaney that would have exempted school districts and school resource officers from the requirements of the bill.

As written, the bill applies to state universities and governmental bodies, which includes school districts under Indiana law — but not necessarily charter schools. DeLaney said his amendment would treat both types of K-12 schools the same way.

But the House sponsor of SB 76, Union City Republican Rep. J.D. Prescott, said the bill does not change the underlying definition of a governmental body that already exists in state law.

The amendment was also unnecessary because “ICE very rarely enters a school corporation,” he said during House debate on the bill.

But groups have said the uncertainty of immigration enforcement in schools also has effects.

In a call to action on the bill, the Indiana State Teachers Association said it could potentially lead to “higher levels of school absenteeism and negative changes in school climate, student mental health and community trust.”

In a recent blog post, Michael J. Petrilli of The Fordham Institute, a conservative education reform think tank, wrote that it was important to ensure that students attend school in person.

“Current immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota and elsewhere are significantly suppressing school attendance and harming student learning,” Petrilli wrote in a proposed letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “We ask that you work with Secretary Noem, officials in the White House, and others to ensure that all students feel safe going to school.”

Another aspect of the bill requires local governments that have custody of an individual to comply with a federal immigration detainer requests, such as holding the person longer to give immigration authorities time to assume custody.

An amendment by DeLaney would have exempted school resource officers and university police from these requirements. However, it did not pass.

Prescott said these types of officers don’t typically hold individuals long-term, but instead make an arrest and transfer custody. Adding the exemption would amount to a loophole, he said.

How will SB 76 affect school policies on judicial warrants?

The bill doesn’t outline what policies could be considered an impediment to immigration enforcement. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office deferred questions to Prescott, who did not return a request for comment.

Rokita filed a lawsuit against IPS last year over policies that required officers to present a judicial warrant to enter schools and barred employees from collecting information about students’ immigration status, saying these illegally limited cooperation with immigration enforcement. The district has changed its policies in response to the lawsuit.

SB 76 gives greater authority to the AG’s office to pursue penalties for these violations, potentially teeing up further fights between Rokita and schools over what policies could be considered an impediment to immigration enforcement.

It comes down to how the law will be applied, said Lisa Koop, the National Immigrant Justice Center’s national director of legal services.

“On its face, I don’t see SB 76 as telling schools, you have to throw open the doors and let them in,” she said.

But if schools are considered governmental bodies, it’s possible the bill and the underlying law could be used to compel school officials to comply or to challenge school policies that require staff to ask immigration agents for a judicial warrant to enter school buildings.

“You can always consent to allow law enforcement to enter. The person in charge — the superintendent or school principal — can say, ‘sure come in,’” she said. The question then becomes about the Fourth Amendment rights of the children in the building, she said.

In a letter to IPS, Rokita argued that making a judicial warrant a condition of ICE activity on school grounds is not consistent with state law.

“There are multiple ways in which local school officials may assist ICE — from consent to ICE’s entry onto school grounds to cooperating with ICE in the apprehension of an individual who is the subject of an administrative warrant,” the letter said.

How does collecting information intersect with FERPA?

Another part of the bill specifies that a governmental body can’t restrict the gathering of information related to immigration status, as long as the request doesn’t conflict with federal law.

This could set up conflicts on the interpretation of federal law and policy regarding student information.

In the same letter to IPS, Rokita argued that schools can release directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, which could include information related to a student’s immigration status.

Schools also traditionally don’t collect immigration status because the landmark case Plyler v. Doe established that they cannot deny enrollment to a student based on citizenship status.

“There’s no reason to obtain that information,” Koop said.

Indiana and other red states have tried in the past to challenge the ruling in Plyler. Bills proposed last year would have allowed Indiana school districts to deny enrollment to immigrant students and report how many undocumented students are enrolled each year, but they did not advance.

Because a person may be in the process of obtaining citizenship, it can be difficult for a school official to correctly determine the citizenship status of a child, Koop said. Allowing officers into schools to question the citizenship status of students is an intrusion for immigrant and non-immigrant students alike, she said.

“I hope we can continue to tell clients that there’s nowhere safer to be than at theIr public school in the care of their public school teachers,” she said. `

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

Minnesota school district steps up to support students amid heightened enforcement

2026-02-18T11:57:00+00:00

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The operation starts before dawn and continues until late in the evening.

Volunteers pick up vulnerable Fridley Public Schools employees and make sure they make it to schools. These teams from Education Minnesota, the state teacher’s union, make sure everyone gets home safely too.

School leaders track unfamiliar vehicles and field calls from concerned families. One can’t make rent. Another is running low on food. They check in with the families of students who aren’t in school. Have they been detained by ICE?

Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Lewis watches for ICE agents encroaching on school property and checks in with principals on her morning rounds. She hopes her presence is a deterrent.

Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lewis also has a new morning routine: She visits every school accompanied by security.

“People are always like, ‘Did you see ICE?’ We see ICE every day, right?” Lewis said, as Steve Monsrud, a district security official, drove her around the perimeter of school buildings on a recent February morning.

At each stop, she checked in briefly with the principal before moving to the next school.

She was looking for more than just suspicious vehicles. She was watching for immigration agents encroaching on school grounds or interfering with the school day. And she’s making sure they know that she’s watching.

“Our role isn’t to spot ICE,” she said. “Our role is to ensure that our children and staff and families are safe at school.”

Fridley Public Schools is a diverse, tight-knit community just north of Minneapolis. Its 2,700 students include significant numbers of Somali and Ecuadorian students. The district has long been a place where school means more than just education, where social workers help families with basic needs.

A Hayes Elementary student boards the bus after school in Fridley, Minn., on Feb. 9, 2026.

Fridley Public Schools serves a diverse student population that has been heavily affected by immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities.

But Operation Metro Surge, in which the Department of Homeland Security flooded the Twin Cities area with some 3,000 immigration agents, has compelled this district to dramatically expand how it supports families.

A student works on their laptop in the Fridley High School library.

In Fridley, the school district has become more than a collection of schools. It has become the first line of defense: a logistical support system, a crisis response team, and for many families, a rare point of stability.

For Lewis, the role of public schools has never felt more clear — or more strained.

Lewis recalled walking through a school building recently when a student stopped her and asked if she was the “ICE fighter.” With a bewildered smile, Lewis said she responded that her job is to keep students safe.

“We shouldn’t normalize this,” she said.

Students are learning at home, but it’s not like COVID

Lewis said immigration enforcement became the district’s business when it disrupted the basic promise of public education: that children can access school without fear.

Enforcement has always been inconsistent and unpredictable, Lewis said, but in recent weeks, it has crossed new lines.

Crossing guards help Fridley students safely get to their bus after dismissal. Superintendent Brenda Lewis said ICE agents sometimes have interfered with crossing guards and refused to stop.

Lewis described an incident in early February when ICE agents blocked off a roundabout near a Fridley school, interfering with dismissal. Children couldn’t cross safely, and agents intimidated crossing guards, she said. Agents yelled at the principal and followed a school board member who lives nearby. They also followed a mother as she left pickup.

The incident occurred the same day Fridley Public Schools, along with Duluth Public Schools and Education Minnesota, filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking to restore “sensitive locations” protections that would bar immigration agents from operating within 1,000 feet of schools.

Days later, the Fridley Police Department informed Lewis that it would send patrols to school grounds. Lewis is hopeful their presence will deter federal agents.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.

Lewis said she is “cautiously optimistic” that border czar Tom Homan’s promise to wind down Operation Metro Surge will give schools some relief.

Multiple school districts in the Twin Cities have created virtual learning programs for students whose families don’t want them to leave their home. Lewis said Fridley launched its program in just four days. The district has extended virtual learning through the end of February, with approximately 400 children signed up.

An empty hallway during a Fridley Tigers girls varsity basketball game against Columbia Heights. Fewer students turned out to cheer their team than normally would.

Some have compared the district’s shift to virtual learning to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis said, but this moment feels fundamentally different: “That was a virus. This is man-made.” The threat is more targeted and only directly affects certain students and families.

During the pandemic, Lewis said, everyone was home. “Now only some are, and they are afraid.”

For students with disabilities, the disruption can be even more difficult. Teachers and paraprofessionals are doing what they can within the limitations of virtual learning, but the kind of support that happens naturally in a classroom is harder to provide through a screen.

ICE detained her students. This Minnesota superintendent couldn’t keep quiet.

Students are also cycling in and out of school, and that instability creates its own challenges for learning and for district operations.

Lewis pointed to one student who was detained with their family and recently released. The student’s mother told her, “My son is so excited to come back.” But because the child had been out for more than 15 days, the district lost funding for that student.

District stepping up to help with groceries, rent

Multiple times a week, Danielle Thompson, Fridley’s director of student support services, delivers boxes of food and other necessities to families who are sheltering in place. In the beginning of January, she created an online form to track what families needed. Now her team is helping around 60 families.

Danielle Thompson, Fridley director of student support services, delivers groceries to a family sheltering in place.

The school pantry is overflowing. Staff shop directly for fresh ingredients. Thompson described using gift card donations to purchase specific items families request, even something as particular as fish tank conditioner.

Thompson’s official role is to oversee special education, food assistance, and other support services, but she said families’ needs have grown far beyond that. With parents afraid to go to work, rental assistance has become an urgent need. Thompson and her team spend full days coordinating financial assistance, gathering documentation, speaking with landlords, and triaging emergencies.

Boxes of food and other necessities fill the Fridley school district’s food pantry. The district's support services team tries to provide groceries tailored to families' needs.

Hygiene products stacked on a shelf in the Fridley school district’s food pantry. Many immigrant families are afraid to leave their homes even to go shopping and are short on cash because parents are afraid to go to work.

After work, her own children have asked her if they are going to go shopping for themselves or to help someone. She said she hopes, at least, that she’s providing an example for her kids.

Danielle Thompson, Fridley director of student support services, said she sometimes feels overwhelmed by the amount of need in the community right now.

When asked how long the district can continue operating like this, she said at some point, the money will run out.

She applauds her team, who are “working hours outside of their school day,” she said. “They are just going above and beyond, and they’re my people.”

Thompson looked out the window and began to cry.

“Every day just feels like, ‘OK, what am I doing? Am I actually helping?’” she said. “Last week there was a day, I just cried the whole day, because it was like, ‘How are we going to help everyone that needs help?’”

Community support can’t erase students’ burden

As dismissal time neared, Monsrud, the security officer, repeated his route, with neighbors waving as he passed by. His patrol has become part of their routine.

The route remained quiet at first. Then his phone rang.

Students leave Fridley Middle School on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. District security officials resume their patrols at dismissal time in effort to deter immigration enforcement.

A neighbor reported a suspicious-looking truck with out-of-state plates parked in front of a board member’s home. Steve turned down quiet suburban streets glazed with ice, scanning for vehicles that seemed out of place, checking in with other security officials at points along the way.

They could not locate the vehicle after its initial sighting.

Lewis described the aftermath of previous incidents, when the district put out calls and observers flooded in. Volunteers arrived to watch the entrances, standing nearby, bearing witness. She called it both “brutal and beautiful.”

It has been horrible, Lewis said, to feel like she needs to protect schools from a federal agency.

Amid this uncertainty, the normal activities that make up the school week continue.

Fans watch the Fridley Tigers girls varsity basketball game against Columbia Heights on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Both suburban districts serve diverse immigrant communities and have been heavily affected by increased ICE activity.

The Fridley Tigers girls varsity basketball game against rival Columbia Heights would normally be packed. Due to fears around Operation Metro Surge, the game was sparsely attended.

The next evening, the Fridley High School gym filled with noise. Sneakers squeaked, cheerleaders practiced their routines, and band members carried their instruments to the upper bleachers.

Olga, 14, says she is always nervous when her parents go to work, even though they are legal immigrants. Despite her fears, she still came out to take in the Fridley Tigers girls varsity basketball game.

But the game was more sparsely attended than it normally would be. The students cheered loudly for the varsity girls basketball team, which was playing their rival Columbia Heights — another Twin Cities-area school district that has been heavily affected by Operation Metro Surge.

Fourteen-year-old Olga said she worries when her parents go to work because they are immigrants, even though they are here legally. Another student said they missed their friends and didn’t think any of this was fair.

The game ended with a win for Columbia Heights. The students didn’t linger, and the building quickly emptied.

Backlash against student ICE protests targets educators, schools

2026-02-18T02:48:15+00:00

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Republican leaders across the country are trying to limit the role teachers play in activism as part of a backlash against students protesting immigration enforcement.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday announced an investigation into three school districts for “facilitating and failing to keep students safe and accountable during various student protests.” They include Dallas Independent School District, the second-largest in the state. Paxton’s office launched an investigation into Austin’s school district for similar reasons, requesting documents from the district earlier this month.

In response to a wave of teacher sick-outs in Tucson, Arizona, that were part of a national immigration protest, GOP lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban teachers from engaging in any kind of organized work stoppage.

And in Oklahoma, a group of Republican lawmakers asked the state schools chief to investigate educators accused of facilitating student protests.

These efforts come as students and teachers have joined a wave of protests and general strikes in response to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. In some communities, tens of thousands of demonstrators have filled the streets, while in others, a few dozen students have walked out of school and held signs at nearby intersections.

Students have walked out of schools for decades, from demonstrations against the Vietnam War to calls for better gun control in the aftermath of school shootings. This round of protests appears to have struck a nerve with Republicans.

In early February, Florida’s schools chief warned that any school staff encouraging, organizing, or promoting protests could face disciplinary action.

Students have faced consequences too, from suspensions to threats of truancy court. But the rising action targeting educators has revived debate over teachers’ place in campus activism.

Greg Abbott, Texas’ governor, has condemned the protests, saying the “core responsibility” of public schools is to “educate our kids.”

That’s a common sentiment among those criticizing demonstrators. A Fox News story highlighted low standardized test scores at some schools where students protested. The piece gained traction online among conservative commentators who said schools were “prioritizing protest over math.”

Academics and teachers unions argue that teachers’ responsibilities are more complicated and sometimes entail actions to keep kids safe when they walk out.

“This is not a teacher-led issue, guaranteed,” said Zeph Capo, president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. “Teachers would rather be in their classroom, not outside in the street. But they have an attachment to their students, and they are concerned about them.”

Capo said he had heard of one case where a teacher may have facilitated a student protest. In other cases, teachers know students plan to walk out and want them to be safe. They might hand out brightly colored vests, for example, so students will be visible near busy streets. More often, teachers have told him they are grappling with where to draw the line.

In some instances, teachers have engaged in protests themselves. At least 20 district schools in Tucson had to cancel class on Jan. 30 because thousands of educators called out sick as part of a national shutdown protest. In response, two Republican state lawmakers introduced a bill Monday that would ban future sick-outs, cutting some funding for the district or charter school involved.

“If regular school days are moved online because of coordinated political action, funding must reflect that,” wrote Matthew Gress, a GOP member of the Arizona House of Representatives who co-sponsored the bill, in a news release.

But to Capo, Paxton’s investigations and the broader rebuke from Republicans are politically motivated.

“They’re going after school districts in an attempt to punish them for students taking a position on issues that genuinely matter to them significantly,” he said. “Many of the students in our public schools in Texas see their family members, see their story. And how would you not understand them connecting in that way?”

This moment is “particularly draining” for teachers, wrote Juan Carrillo, a professor at Arizona State University’s teaching college, in an email response to questions. Teachers fear they could face consequences for protesting, but also for sharing ideas with students.

“This context is positioning teachers as doing something wrong, and walking on political landmines can have all sorts of consequences,” Carrillo wrote.

Those consequences can even mean termination. A charter school teacher in Los Angeles was fired after he opened a locked gate for student protesters last week. He told reporters he was only looking out for student safety, not trying to foment further protest.

In an article last March in the National Review, conservative scholar Stanley Kurtz wrote that Texas teachers had thrown “political neutrality entirely out the window” by lobbying state lawmakers during field trips. He views the current round of investigations through that lens.

“Texas is absolutely right to crack down on teachers or administrators who facilitate student political walkouts,” Kurtz, a senior fellow with the Ethics and Public Policy Center, wrote in an email.

But Alan Singer, a professor of teaching at Hofstra University, dismissed the idea that teachers are recruiting students to protest.

“Educators have a responsibility to help students analyze what is taking place, so that the students can then make a decision about the kinds of things they want to be involved in,” he said.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org.

Immigration trigger bill would require Tennessee schools to track, report student status

2026-02-17T23:30:09+00:00

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A controversial proposed law that would require public schools to track and report the immigration status of their students advanced in the Tennessee House on Tuesday despite pushback from educators and immigrant advocates.

House Bill 1711 is the second piece of legislation currently in the Tennessee General Assembly that could require educators to report the legal status of public school students in the state.

It is not yet clear how the bills could be implemented without running afoul of federal education policy and endangering the more than $1 billion in federal education funding Tennessee currently relies on to help fund its public schools.

A 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, established a longstanding legal precedent that it is unconstitutional to deny children access to a public education based on their immigration status.

Last year, Tennessee Senate Republicans passed Senate Bill 836, which was aimed at overturning the Plyler precedent, despite objections from Democrats and some Republicans who criticized the effort to draw children into a political debate over immigration issues.

The House companion bill stalled in committee over concerns it would jeopardize Tennessee’s federal education funding. The House sponsor, Majority Leader William Lamberth, requested further guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.

That guidance is forthcoming, Lamberth said earlier this year, and Republican leaders want to push forward with the bill this year.

The U.S. Department of Education has not returned a Chalkbeat Tennessee request for comment, though, nor has it taken a public position on the legislation over the past year as lawmakers have discussed the issue.

House Bill 1711 is written as a trigger law, which means Tennessee public schools would not be required to track and report the immigration status of students until the Plyler precedent has been overturned. Tennessee Republicans have passed similar trigger laws on other issues in the past, such as the state’s abortion ban that was inactive until the fall of Roe v. Wade.

Rep. Elaine Davis, a Republican from Knoxville, is sponsoring the legislation. Davis on Tuesday argued that local officials need to know the immigration status of people accessing public benefits, such as public education, social services, and public medical benefits for financial accountability.

“We are a nation of laws,” Davis said. “We have a social contract with each other. Part of that duty and responsibility is to make sure we’re not ripping each other off. If people are here taking advantage of services and dollars we have specifically set aside for our citizens and our communities, that to me is a violation of our laws.”

Tennessee public schools are largely funded through sales taxes, which are paid by all consumers in a community regardless of immigration status.

A Tennessee teacher testified against the bill on Tuesday, arguing the bill would “introduce fear and distrust in our schools.”

“Do you want schools to focus on positive student academic outcomes, or do you want schools to be an instrument of immigration enforcement?” said Betsy Hobkirk, who has been an elementary school teacher in Knox County for 15 years. “How would immigrant status data be collected in an educational system that is already overtaxed? It would divert resources away from our mission of educating children.”

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit teachers union asks district to reaffirm commitment to immigrant students in new contract

2026-02-17T21:58:34+00:00

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The Detroit Federation of Teachers plans to ask for more support for teachers whose students are impacted by immigration enforcement in its new contract.

The district’s current agreement with the teachers union will end June 30 and discussions around the new contract will begin in the coming weeks, said Detroit Federation of Teachers President Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins.

The request will come after months of unmet teacher and community pleas to the Detroit Public Schools Community District and its board to provide more training around dealing with federal immigration enforcement. Educators have repeatedly asked the board to do more to protect newcomers and their families as at least five students in the school system have been detained in the months since federal immigration enforcement has ramped up in the second Trump administration.

While the district has provided some training to certain staff, Wilson-Lumpkins told Chalkbeat it can “do a much better job.”

“Parents are still afraid,” she said. “If you go into some of those neighborhoods, where you would normally see hundreds of parents walking their kids to school, you don’t see those parents. That has truly hurt our classrooms.”

The DFT will also seek contract language that reinforces the school system’s commitment to being a sanctuary district, said Wilson-Lumpkins.

Kristen Schoettle, an English as a second language teacher at Western International High School and DFT member, said she wants the contract to include mandatory training for all district staff as a baseline.

Schoettle said the contract should have protections for immigrant workers, as other unions in large urban districts have achieved.

“There are quite a lot of employees with varying immigration statuses,” she said. “They are not represented at all in the contract. There are no special protections for them.”

At last week’s board meeting, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said he recently met with community leaders in Southwest Detroit, where a large portion of the district’s immigrant students and English learners attend school, to discuss strategies to support kids.

Vitti said it is clear enrollment is down and chronic absenteeism has increased in Southwest schools due to fears of ICE.

“We are actively working with Southwest leaders to proactively anticipate increases in ICE presence in Detroit,” said Vitti. “We’re doing this through individual leaders, community organizers, and groups. School staff and central office staff are working with those leaders to provide additional resources to immigrant families that have lost family members or are fearful of the ICE presence.”

The DFT’s bargaining priorities

The teachers union will fight for more competitive wages and better benefits so the district can better attract and retain staff, said Wilson-Lumpkins.

“Stability in our workforce directly impacts student achievement,” she said.

Vitti told Chalkbeat in an email the district and the DFT share the goal of “aggressively increasing teacher salaries to continue our improvement in recruiting and retaining the best teachers to serve our students.”

“A persistent challenge in providing our teachers with what they deserve — which is to be the highest paid teachers in the nation — is unequal and inequitable state/local funding,” he said.

The DFT’s bargaining priorities also include paid maternity leave.

The district provides protected maternity and paternity leave for up to 16 weeks, but it goes unpaid. Another four weeks may be allowed for those who qualify for family and medical leave. Some employees may also use paid sick or vacation time for their leave.

Most states don’t guarantee paid paternity leave, a recent study found, and just one-third of teachers reported access to any paid parental leave in a 2024 survey.

The union is also seeking more resources for students with autism spectrum disorder, saying that working conditions for teachers in special education and autism spectrum disorder or mild cognitive impairment classrooms are leading to burnout, said Wilson-Lumpkins.

This school year, the district revamped its special education department and restructured classrooms to be at centralized hubs. It also hired more staff to keep up with the growing demand for students’ special education service evaluations.

Even with the additional staff, Wilson-Lumpkins said members say the timeline for completing evaluations is unrealistic and causing staff to leave their jobs.

“The last contract scratched the surface,” Wilson-Lumpkins said at a recent board meeting. “This contract must be progressive, creative and innovative, so that there is no question about this district and this union’s expectations about what we have as a union and a district.”

The board went into its first closed session to discuss negotiations for this cycle of negotiations on Tuesday night.

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

ICE detained her students. This Minnesota superintendent couldn’t keep quiet.

2026-02-13T21:22:04+00:00

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The morning after federal immigration officers detained two Columbia Heights Public School District students in one day, including 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, Superintendent Zena Stenvik woke up with one thought.

“We need justice for 5-year-olds and all these other children,” she thought.

The superintendent called her school board chair at 6 a.m. She was ready to speak publicly.

In the weeks leading up to that morning, as a surge of immigration enforcement crushed the Twin Cities, Stenvik had hoped her district in the inner-ring suburbs of Minneapolis would fly under the radar.

But those weeks took their toll on the district of roughly 3,400 students: Agents circled its schools “constantly throughout the day,” Stenvik said. Agents came on school property. ICE raids nearby drove recess inside.

Columbia Heights Superintendent Zena Stenvik

“We felt that we couldn’t have any larger target on our back than we already had,” she said.

During an ensuing press conference, Stenvik and others told reporters what they knew: The story of students detained on their way to school, and of Liam, whose blue bunny hat became a symbol of the toll that immigration enforcement has taken on young children.

She felt compelled to speak for her community, she told Chalkbeat in an interview.

“When it’s impacting children, that is my business,” she said. “When it’s impacting our families and our communities, that is my business.”

The past month has altered Stenvik’s district, with fewer students in the classroom and more online. The disruptions are so severe that Twin Cities districts are considering asking for waivers to state testing requirements, she said.

Nearly half of Columbia Heights students are English language learners, and the district expected to feel the effects of increased immigration enforcement. The district began working with an immigration law firm and trained staff on what to do if an agent came to the school.

Instead, parents have been abruptly detained, and students have been stopped on their way to school. Seven students have been detained so far this year, and two are still at the Dilley Detention Center in Texas.

“We were prepared for an ICE agent to show up with a judicially signed warrant,” she said. “We were trained on what to do with that scenario, right? That’s not happening at all.”

For Stenvik, who grew up in the Twin Cities and has worked at Columbia Heights since 2007, her work is centered around community, she said.

“We’ve got our core values and we’re really showing them,” she said. “There’s so many different people… even if they’re doing one small thing to contribute, they’re doing it, whether it’s parents standing on street corners or people delivering food.”

Stenvik spoke with Chalkbeat on Tuesday. On Thursday, border czar Tom Homan said he was winding down the enforcement surge in Minnesota. Local officials have expressed both relief and skepticism. Stenvik said she would welcome a drawdown, especially one that would allow students to return to the classroom.

Stenvik discussed how the district has confronted the crisis in her community, what she’s learned from her long career teaching students from around the world, and the moments of joy she’s witnessed during a dark time.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Department of Homeland Security officials have said they are not targeting schools or students. Does this reflect your district’s experience?

This morning, behind one of our elementary schools and behind our high school at around the time where children are coming to school, there were three or four ICE vehicles parked right behind our school, so they’re very present during arrival and dismissal time. I mean, the Dilley Detention Center exists because they’re detaining children, right? Our children who went into the Whipple [federal] building, and our staff members who went with them told me that they have cartoons playing. They’ve got a stack of children’s books. So children are being impacted.

I had multiple teenagers who were just driving to school, they were pulled over. At this point, our children are carrying their passports and whatnot and they weren’t apprehended. They were able to come to school. But when you’re surrounded by six or eight masked armed men who are not identifying themselves, who are shouting different orders, and you’re a 17- or 16-year-old kid just trying to get to school, it’s very traumatizing and very impactful.

How do you stay in contact with students who have been detained?

We start making phone calls and get a hold of family members to see if they have any more information. And then we have a list of different immigration attorneys who are in Texas and here in Minnesota as well, who are willing and able to support the families. And all of the cases that I’ve personally been involved in are people who have some sort of legal status.

We had a mother who went to her regularly scheduled immigration appointment, and then was detained there, even though she was following the law and following the rules.

How do you welcome students back when they return?

There are different community members and organizations who have been helping to get them a ride home from the airport.

We have a mobile clinic that we’re working with, and they’ll go to the child’s home and give them a checkup because they’re coming home sick. They’re all coming home sick. We have mental health providers at our school who are connecting with them, social workers, school psychologists, and therapists who are connecting with them.

Yesterday, some of our teachers from Valley View Elementary School went to one of our students who came back, and brought them pizza and groceries, and all of their teachers showed up that they’ve had over the years.

We’re trying to have this balance of giving them privacy and time to settle back in with determining what their needs are in terms of mental health and just basic needs like food and supplies.

How do you balance students’ academic needs when there’s so much happening outside of school in the community?

Our teachers are doing a phenomenal job of continuing to teach and to teach the academic standards. But they’re also balancing out their lessons with just providing time and space if kids want to talk about it or write, there’s art projects happening.

I’ve been working with other districts here in the metro area, and we are going to be seeking any sort of reprieve from some of this state testing that has to happen because it’s not going to be an accurate reflection of the academic prowess that our students have.

You once taught English learners. In the midst of a crisis that disproportionately affects them, what should people know about these students?

When I was an EL teacher, my students brought the whole world into my classroom. And people always think the teachers are giving all of the knowledge, right? But I learned so much from my students. At one point, I had 12 different languages in my classroom.

When I was in kindergarten in St. Paul Public Schools, that’s when the Hmong refugees came over [in the 1970s and 1980s]. So I remember being a kindergartner and having Hmong classmates and learning about them and their culture as peers. In recent weeks, there have been ICE raids at Hmong households. So many people likely don’t understand why Hmong people came to Minnesota and [how they rescued] many of our own American pilots during the war.

It’s just taking a moment to, rather than judge, learn and listen first.

In another interview, you said, “Education is such a joyful career.” What moments of joy have you felt recently?

In some of our really darkest weeks, I texted all of my principals, and I said, ‘Your assignment today is to find one moment of joy and share it with each other on this text chain.’ It’s important to not fall into despair.

This morning, before I came into my office, I stopped at two different elementary schools. Just seeing the kids at this point, in the wintertime in Minnesota, watching little children get all their snow gear off, it’s just quite a sight to see, so adorable.

I went around and saw the small class sizes, because we have many kids online at this point. But our staff and our teachers are continuing to provide these joyful classrooms. In our elementary schools right now, there’s hearts everywhere for getting ready for Valentine’s Day.

After they’ve been stopped by ICE agents on their way to school, I’ve been meeting with [students] individually, just to check in and see how they’re doing. I’ve heard different statements over the last month, like, ‘Why do they hate me?’

So I’m asking children and staff, ‘Do not internalize this. You’re good. You are. We want you here. You belong here. We love you.’

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org.

Why these Minnesota superintendents are suing to keep ICE away from schools

2026-02-11T19:18:43+00:00

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When the Department of Homeland Security did away with the longstanding practice of avoiding immigration enforcement at schools, a memo to agents instructed them to use “common sense.”

But common sense is not what Superintendent Brenda Lewis says she sees playing out daily in Fridley Public Schools, the 2,800-student district she leads in a diverse inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis.

A lawsuit filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Minnesota alleges DHS agents followed Lewis and school board members and staged operations from at least two Fridley school parking lots. In an interview, Lewis said ICE agents repeatedly circled a roundabout near a school one morning, refusing to stop for crossing guards or allow children to cross.

Attendance is down dramatically, and under state law, the district loses money when students miss more than 15 days of school. About 400 students now are enrolled in virtual options.

Fridley Public Schools is taking the lead in the latest effort to use the courts to keep ICE agents away from schools. Along with Duluth Public Schools and Education Minnesota, the state teachers union, the district is suing the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem to restore protections for sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals.

Denver Public Schools filed a similar lawsuit in February 2025, but later abandoned it after U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico, a Trump appointee, found that Denver had failed to show serious enough effects to justify a preliminary injunction.

Whatever the reasoning in the Denver case, Lewis said the impacts in Fridley and in Minnesota more broadly are “very well documented.”

“We can show that through attendance data,” she said. “We can show that through students enrolling in virtual learning. We can show that in students and family members being detained, which then takes away from the educational environment, when they’re legally in this country. And I think we can show the mental health impacts that are happening with our children now, unfortunately, normalizing ICE agents near their school district buildings and interfering with the school.”

The lawsuit comes amid a backlash to aggressive immigration enforcement tactics after agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota. A viral image of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos drew attention to the rising number of children in detention.

Democrats in Congress have laid out 10 conditions for agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security. One of them is restoring sensitive locations protections for schools, churches, and hospitals.

That’s a priority for many education advocacy groups, but it’s not clear how much of a priority it is for lawmakers. Most of the public debate has focused on whether immigration agents should operate more like other law enforcement officers, forgoing masks and obtaining judicial warrants to enter private property.

Congress has until Friday to reach a deal, and so far the two sides remain far apart. Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue regardless.

The lawsuit describes school vans and buses stopped by immigration agents, parents arrested while waiting at school bus stops, and preschool teachers arrested in the parking lots of child care centers, including one who was tricked into coming outside by agents who told her someone hit her car. The lawsuit alleges that the decision last year to withdraw protections from schools was arbitrary and capricious and violates the Administrative Procedures Act.

The Department of Homeland Security and Immigrations and Custom Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment on the specific allegations in the lawsuit or to questions about how the restoration of sensitive locations protections would affect their operations.

“ICE is not conducting enforcement operations at, or ‘raiding,’ schools. ICE is not going to schools to make arrests of children,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement released last year. “Criminals are no longer able to hide in America’s schools to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

Duluth Public Schools, the other school district suing DHS, isn’t experiencing the same kind of direct effects as Fridley. Immigrant families make up a relatively small share of the district’s 9,100 students, and ICE hasn’t ramped up enforcement activity in this northern city.

But Duluth Superintendent John Magas estimates that 30%-50% of his staff’s administrative time is now being spent on preparations and communications and support for families. Staff members of color are carrying their passports. Parents stopped showing up for adult English classes.

Magas said he was frustrated that letters and public appeals didn’t seem to be getting the attention of people in power. He also felt like he was in a position to stick his neck out on behalf of districts that are more heavily affected and fear retribution. He had the unanimous support of his school board in joining the lawsuit.

“We believe in Minnesota in being good neighbors. and we want to stand up and be a good neighbor to the North and stand up for our communities that are being impacted,” he said.

Lewis said she hopes the lawsuit results in more protections for schools in Minnesota and ideally nationwide. But if Congress wants to act, that would be even better.

“Whatever is the quickest — and not able to be undone — method, we’ll take it,” she said.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor covering education policy and politics. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

How schools in Marion County responded to anti-ICE student protests

2026-02-11T13:00:00+00:00

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As they left their fourth period classes last week for an anti-ICE walkout, several Southport High School students said they noticed a school employee near the front door. The students decided to go through a side door instead, where they climbed over a bank of snow to reach the parking lot.

“I wanted to say something about what I believe is injustice in the country right now,” said junior Derek Stanley. “But I was nervous. I didn’t know how it was going to work out, what door we were going through, if anyone would stop us, if we would get repercussions.”

Southport High School students leave school on Feb. 2 for an anti-ICE walkout.

The group of more than 100 students walked to Madison Avenue holding signs and chanting, “no justice, no peace.” Some students brought signs or carried flags from their home countries. A police officer from the school also trailed the group in a car for safety.

Across Marion County and central Indiana, thousands of students walked out of school last week to speak out against heightened presence of federal immigration agents across the country, including agents who killed two people in Minneapolis last month.

The walkouts left schools to strike a balance between allowing for student expression and maintaining safety, both in and out of the classroom. Some districts sent preemptive emails to families and worked with students to ensure the walkouts would be safe. Districts also referred to student handbooks for attendance policies, stopping short of saying the specific repercussions. But in at least one case, at Southport, that meant suspensions.

While the district declined to say how students were disciplined at Southport, the student handbook does say students can be suspended for causing disruptions to learning.

“One of the greatest things about America is we have a right to speak out and protest. I wanted to take a stand for what I believed in, ” said Ava Miller, a Southport junior who was suspended for the walkout. “Seeing what the world is like right now, I want to act on behalf of everyone being silenced.”

Shortridge High School students protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts during a walkout Feb. 6, 2026, at the school in Indianapolis.

Protests can’t cause ‘substantial disruption’

The landmark 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines established that public school students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Students have the right to express their opinions as long as it doesn’t cause a “substantial disruption” to the educational environment, according to the ACLU.

However, student walkouts are not protected under the First Amendment, and schools must be consistent in discipline and not punish a student more harshly based on the specific message of their protest.

Students walk out of class on Fri., Jan 30, 2026 in protest of ICE detentions across the US in Denver, Colorado.

Generally, student protests against immigration enforcement have been tolerated more in blue states. In Denver, roughly 400 students walked out of a suburban district and didn’t face consequences. Yet in Texas, the state education agency warned school districts they might face state takeovers if they “encourage” student protests. And Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into student walkouts in Austin. Students also face discipline in Florida and Arizona.

Here in Indiana, the department of education sent an email to school superintendents early last week acknowledging that students were walking out “in political protest.” The department said it didn’t support student walkouts, and stressed that districts should enforce student conduct, attendance, and discipline policies, including having parent permission to leave the school building.

“Above all, student safety and parental authority must remain paramount,” the department wrote to school leaders.

Schools work with student organizers, prioritize safety

Several Marion County districts also sent messages ahead of student protests to share expectations around attendance and the schools’ response. And while some districts stressed it would be business as usual and school employees would remain neutral, other schools reached out to student planners to ensure safety.

Warren Central High School principal Masimba Taylor said her staff caught wind of the planned protest earlier in the week when students started sharing ideas on social media.

She said the team talked to students about why they wanted to walk out and worked with them on suggesting a safer route to take in a march near their school. On the day of the walkout, Taylor said it was all hands on deck for administrators to be present and provide supervision so educators could continue teaching inside the high school.

Students from North Central High School protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts during a walkout on Feb. 2, 2026, at the intersection of East 86th Street and Westfield Boulevard in Indianapolis.

The school also informed parents in advance of the walkout, and some attended to offer an additional layer of help. Justin Beattey was one of those parents and said he saw staff and administrators present, taking a neutral tone and focusing on keeping kids safe.

“I thought they did a really good job of maintaining objectivity and just making sure no one was hurt,” Beattey said.

Similarly, students at Shortridge High School said they went through rounds of negotiations with administration about their demonstration last week — originally planned as a 2-mile walk down Meridian Street to Herron High School.

Student organizers later changed their plan to protest on school grounds after talking to administration about concerns for student safety. They were not worried about potential disciplinary actions stemming from the protest.

At Crispus Attucks High School, an email to students and families encouraged students to advocate for their beliefs without leaving school grounds.

“While we respect our students’ desire to engage with the world around them and to make their voices heard, we are also responsible for their safety during school hours,” the email said.

Shortridge High School students protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts during a walkout Feb. 6, 2026, at the school in Indianapolis.

Southport students face one-day suspensions

Per student handbooks and attendance policies, students who participated in walkouts could face a range of discipline. For example, at Lawrence Central and North high schools, the district said any disciplinary action against students is due to an unexcused absence — not for the student protest.

That discipline could include an attendance agreement, parental notification, or detention depending on the student’s overall attendance, the district said.

At Southport, students said they received emails from the principal on the night of the protest saying the walkout had created an unsafe environment.

“Beyond school discipline, these actions shook the sense of safety for many of your peers and their families. For many, Southport is a sanctuary, and that sanctuary was disrupted,” the email said.

The Southport handbook does not specify disciplinary action for protesting, but says students may face suspension or expulsion for a list of behavior incidents, such as “disruptions to the educational process or to the orderly atmosphere for learning.”

Southport students said that when they returned to school Tuesday, counselors and administrators began to call them down to dole out one-day out-of-school suspensions.

For Stanley, the junior, he said the prospect of his first-ever suspension from school initially made him nervous, but he was ultimately fine with the result.

“I’ve seen both in person and online people saying how scared they are. I wanted to speak about it,” Stanley said. “I’m glad I prioritized speaking out what I believe is right over three hours of school. Looking back, I would’ve regretted not doing it.”

Miller’s mom, Kelly, said the unexcused absence was a fair consequence. But the school could have warned students in advance about what other discipline they could face, especially when it became clear that students across the state were holding walkouts. Ultimately, she said her daughter had their support to walk out.

“She’s living out her values and principles … We trust her and her instincts and we want to support her,” she said. “What more could we do than hope to develop that heart for social justice and the courage to stand up for what she believes in?”

Reporters Amelia Pak-Harvey, Erica Meltzer, and MJ Slaby of Chalkbeat and Zak Cassel of WFYI contributed to this article.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.

Shortridge High School walkout caps week of anti-ICE protests: ‘Hard workers are not the criminals’

2026-02-06T22:46:14+00:00

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A friend who is too afraid to come to school and take an important test. Rumors of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a nearby park. A drop in attendance.

Shortridge High School students have seen these impacts as ICE has come to their community. More than 100 of them poured onto the sidewalk outside the school on Friday to protest federal immigration efforts that have sparked violence and fear.

The protest capped a week of demonstrations held by high school students across Marion County and central Indiana — outside of schools, at the statehouse, and even in the middle of major streets — to object to the heightened presence of ICE agents nationwide, two of whom killed two people in Minneapolis last month.

“The current administration in the White House claims they’re only arresting felons, criminals and people who are dangerous to our communities. However, if that is true, then why are we arresting children who cannot defend themselves?” said junior Campbell Bell, one of the protest organizers. “If that is true, why are we arresting United States citizens purely based on the color of their skin?”

Students at Shortridge — located in the heart of the city along the Meridian Street thoroughfare — elicited honks from school buses, a city bus, and other cars as they held signs and chanted during the fourth and final class period of the day.

“America is supposed to be a place where we can all be free, and we can all have our own opinions, and we can just all live happily,” said junior Evelyn Peter, one of the organizers. “Hard workers are not the criminals — our president is.”

Students walk out of class to protest against ICE on Fri., Feb. 6, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In November, Indianapolis Public Schools faced a lawsuit from Attorney General Todd Rokita that claimed the district prevented the voluntary deportation of a Honduran man. The man wanted to leave the country with his son, an IPS student, who went to school against his father’s wishes, the lawsuit states. District officials refused to provide access to the student.

The protest comes as IPS considers changing its policies to respond to Rokita’s lawsuit. The district has rescinded resolutions signaling support for undocumented students and has floated a new policy on student access, safety, and privacy.

The district maintains that it supports all students and employees and has noted other state and federal laws that protect immigrant families, including the federal Families and Educational Rights Private Act, which restricts schools’ ability to provide student information to outside parties.

Olivia Ranney, a freshman, said she’s proud to go to a district that fights for her friends and families.

“I see a lot of these people as my family in many, many ways, and I think that knowing that we have adults that work at our schools and that work in our district fighting for the same cause makes me feel better about it,” she said.

While some students at other schools face disciplinary action from their walkouts, Shortridge organizers said they met multiple times with administration ahead of the protest.

Students originally planned to walk two miles down Meridian Street to join Herron High School students in protest, but held the walkout on school grounds in a compromise with school administration.

In a statement, the district said it respects students’ desire “to engage with the world around them and to make their voices heard.”

“We also remain committed to maintaining the safety of our students, and expect students, families, and staff to adhere to our Student Code of Conduct policy,” the district said.

Owen Alvis, a junior, encouraged fellow teenagers to learn more about the country’s immigration enforcement situation.

“I would just urge teenagers to do your research and get involved, because every little thing counts,” Alvis said. “And when it’s time for us to step up, we’ll be ready.”

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Denver school board could consider policy to protect students and staff from immigration enforcement

2026-02-06T04:44:18+00:00

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Denver teachers would be prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration agents without a warrant, and school police officers would be barred from ticketing or arresting students if it would put the students at risk of deportation under a policy the Denver school board could discuss later this month.

A draft of the proposed policy was posted online Thursday before the school board’s late afternoon meeting. But the board didn’t discuss it, and the proposal wasn’t formally introduced.

The idea for the policy came from Latino community groups whom board President Xóchitl Gaytán said feel “a sense of urgency” as immigration enforcement activity has ramped up nationwide.

“All district-managed and charter school properties, including school buildings, grounds, bus stops, school transportation, and school-sponsored events, are designated as Safe Zones and Sensitive Locations for students, families, and employees,” the proposal says.

Gaytán wanted to add a special public comment session to Thursday’s meeting to allow two advocacy groups — Movimiento Poder and the Latino Education Coalition — to speak about the proposal, which she said they helped write.

But other board members said they hadn’t had a chance to read the policy, since it was only posted earlier that day. All six members besides Gaytán voted against holding the special public comment session. As such, Gaytán said the board couldn’t discuss the proposal Thursday. She implied it would happen at the board’s next meeting on Feb. 19.

The proposal says the superintendent and all employees of Denver Public Schools’ district-run schools and independently run charter schools should:

Not give federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents “access to property, records, or video recordings without a valid judicial warrant signed by a federal judge.”
Not allow students to be questioned, detained, or removed from school custody by federal agents without a warrant and a review by the school district’s attorney.
Not comply with ICE detainer requests.
Not collect or disclose information about the immigration status of students, families, or employees unless it is required by a court order or by state or federal law.
Not allow school resource officers “to consult, communicate, or share student or family information” with federal agents or police officers not assigned to a school.
Not allow school resource officers to ticket or arrest a student “if the ticket or arrest would put a DPS student at risk of deportation.”
Help staff who have legal protections under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, navigate “potential legal, employment, and immigration challenges” if DACA is rescinded.

DPS has long been vocal in its support of immigrant students. The district sued the Trump administration a year ago in an attempt to reinstate a policy that treated schools as sensitive locations that were generally off limits to immigration enforcement.

DPS dropped the lawsuit in June after a judge found that there was little practical difference between the previous sensitive locations policy and the Trump administration’s changes, which directed agents to to use discretion “and a healthy dose of common sense.”

But lately, federal agents’ tactics have intensified across the country. While there have not been raids in schools, parents have reportedly been detained at bus stops and agents have reportedly tackled people and deployed chemical irritants on school grounds.

The proposal would be an addition to an existing policy about student conduct, discipline, and attendance called Executive Limitation 10. Executive limitations are essentially rules for the superintendent, who answers to the school board.

In voting against the special public comment session, board member John Youngquist said he respected the work of the community groups, but that introducing policies in that way wasn’t the board’s normal practice. Member Kimberlee Sia said that if the board was going to hold a special session, it should have been advertised before the meeting. Others agreed.

“My personal goal is to ensure that transparency is at the center,” board Vice President Monica Hunter said. “I fully support the mission of Movimiento (Poder) and I want to be able to honor their work and get a chance to review the materials.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Immigration enforcement gets closer and closer to schools. The effects are wide-reaching.

2026-02-03T20:07:55+00:00

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Penny Chavez has been watching immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis with increasing panic, seeing public school students like her two grandchildren being detained.

Rumors are swirling that her town, Springfield, Ohio, could be the next target for a surge of activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in part because of its Haitian community. Chavez and her two grandchildren, ages 5 and 4, are U.S. citizens, but she’s still fearful that they will be detained at or near their schools because they are Hispanic.

Chavez has pressed Springfield’s school district for answers around how school leaders would react if agents were to enter a district school, but she hasn’t been reassured by their answers. For parents without legal status whose kids are enrolled in the district, a lack of clarity makes them reluctant to send their children to school, she said.

“They have the right to know whether or not it’s safe to pick the kids up or drop them off,” she said.

A year after the Department of Homeland Security rescinded a policy limiting operations in and around schools, agents are not raiding schools, but immigration enforcement has nearly arrived at the schoolhouse door. There are reports of parents getting detained at bus stops and images of agents tackling people on school grounds.

Some of those places adjacent to schools would have been off-limits under the previous policy, raising questions about where the federal government will draw the line and putting pressure on school leaders to reassure families like Chavez’s.

Legal experts say the Fourth Amendment hasn’t changed: It still limits agents from charging inside a school without the right paperwork. But the overall approach by agents has been unpredictable, creating highly charged circumstances around schools.

Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, and others have called for a reinstatement of the federal policy, with some organizations pressuring Democrats in Congress to withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security until it is restored. Recent incidents show that ICE is getting closer to going inside schools, she said.

“They’re not physically inside the buildings yet, but they’re literally at the school yard gate,” she said.

A tracker launched by K-12 Dive, an education industry news site, identifies at least nine instances in which immigration agents came onto the grounds of a K-12 school or preschool. In Chula Vista, California, last week, ICE agents arrested both parents of a 12-year-old and 4-year-old after school drop-off, according to a local news report. According to a GoFundMe for the family, the children finished their school day without knowing their parents wouldn’t be the ones to pick them up.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied some of the reports, like a recent claim that agents targeted parents in Michigan at a bus stop during student drop-off time. And a department spokesperson said they ended up on school grounds at Roosevelt High in Minneapolis, with agents tackling someone, due to a car chase involving a citizen they claimed impeded enforcement activities, the Sahan Journal reported.

School leaders don’t always have clear answers for families and are limited in what they can do, said David Law, superintendent of Minnetonka Public Schools in a suburb of the Twin Cities and president of the School Superintendents’ Association.

“They’re mad at us, like, ‘Why can’t you stop this?’ Well, we didn’t start it,” he said.

The effect on students, particularly in Minnesota, has been sweeping: more absences from school, an increase in remote learning, and grief from seeing classmates vanish. About 1 in 4 St. Paul Public School students were learning virtually amid the enforcement surge, the superintendent told reporters in January.

“Not only are they being subjected to the presence of ICE at their bus stop or at their school, but it’s this force that is lacking the control and composure that you would expect from law enforcement, and that has to be extremely traumatic for these students,” said Sarah Pierce, the director of social policy at Third Way, a center-left national think tank.

A looming question: Will ICE try to enter schools without a judicial warrant?

For decades, the sensitive locations policy limited immigration arrests at or near schools. The policy made an exception for circumstances that posed an imminent threat.

That change means spaces considered public, such as a front lawn or near the parking lot, could be subject to ICE activity, said Keith Armstrong, an immigration attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

But, in internal memos reported by the Associated Press and the New York Times, ICE has asserted broad powers to enter homes without a warrant signed by a judge, known as a judicial warrant, and to arrest people in public without any warrant. That has raised questions about how the agency might treat sensitive locations, such as schools.

Legal experts and advocates point to the Fourth Amendment, which bars agents from entering schools without a judicial warrant. A “long line” of case law also supports the notion that agents need the signed warrant, Armstrong said. If ICE is targeting families in actions on school premises, “that is something we definitely want to know about and see if we can develop a case about.”

The recent incident where agents went on the grounds of Minneapolis’ Roosevelt High signals an “attitude shift” in what agents consider OK, Armstrong said.

“It seems like there is a change in attitude where previously it would have been sort of unthinkable for ICE to, even with the rescission of the sensitive locations memo, it would have been pretty unthinkable for ICE to really try to do something that brazen,” he said.

Ken Cuccinelli, former deputy secretary for DHS during the first Trump administration, told Chalkbeat immediately after the policy was rescinded that he believed agents would tend to avoid enforcement at schools, and he did not expect them to target school drop-off or pick-up to “round up a bunch of people in transit.”

But he said in late January that limiting operations within 1,000 feet of a school would also put a “good chunk” of the country off-limits.

Still, while ICE has been more aggressive in Trump’s second term, “they haven’t had to go in a bunch of schools,” he said.

Democrats, who are facing pressure to withhold DHS funding until the sensitive locations policy is restored, are considering a variety of measures to curb ICE activity.

A tentative budget deal reached Friday did not include longterm Department of Homeland Security funding to give policymakers more time to haggle.

Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, said restoring the sensitive locations policy is a priority, but it’s one item in a list of competing priorities including preventing agents from wearing masks or ensuring they’re using warrants appropriately.

Bennet, who led Denver Public Schools from 2005 to 2009, said parents and children are separated during the school day and have the reasonable expectation that they’ll be reunited when school ends. ICE’s recent actions are upending that assumption for vulnerable families.

“There is a ripple of fear that is running through our communities,” he said. “Traditionally, schools and hospitals and churches have been sanctuaries and places where kids shouldn’t have had to worry about immigration enforcement.”

ICE unpredictability leads to school unpredictability

In Springfield, Ohio, Chavez said people of color in the community, including citizens, are making contingency plans for child care in case families are separated during the school day — much like families have done in other cities, at times with the support of public schools.

Chavez also wants assurances that Springfield City School District would develop a procedure or standards in the event that ICE agents asked to enter schools, including whether school officials would grant them access to a student without a signed warrant.

After multiple phone calls with school officials, the grandmother still feels like her questions haven’t been sufficiently answered. A spokesperson for the district did not answer Chalkbeat’s request for comment. The superintendent has told staff members in an email message to remain calm and supportive in the event of a surge in ICE activity and to not engage in any political activity, according to WOSU, a local NPR station.

School superintendents are in a tough spot, said Law, the president of the School Superintendents’ Association. He estimated that due to recent events, 80% of the job for some Minneapolis-area superintendents encompasses managing immigration uncertainty and responding to ICE activity.

The lack of cooperation or communication between local law enforcement and federal agents is unusual, he said.

“We have two police officers stationed at our high school,” he said. “Yet, when something is happening with immigration a block from school they don’t know what’s going on … Even our elected officials are trying to figure out, you know, what has caused all these changes?”

He said parents should know that schools have “longstanding practices to discourage enforcement from happening at school.” Bus drivers are trained to drive away from situations that appear chaotic and to call parents instead of dropping kids where circumstances appear questionable. When law enforcement has come in with a judicial warrant, he said administrators can sometimes reason with police officers to carry out the warrant somewhere else.

“We would much rather be a safe haven, because no student wants to see an armed person tackling their classmate or their teacher,” he said. “Those are traumatic experiences. But we have practices in place.”

For Chavez, the lack of reassurance has led her children to take her grandchildren out of school until “the school is able to assure the community they won’t allow access to the kids at a minimum,” she wrote in a text message to a Chalkbeat reporter.

They are paying for online school instead.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org.

‘People shouldn’t live in fear’: Denver students and teachers protest Trump immigration actions

2026-01-31T00:26:10+00:00

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As hundreds of Denver students and teachers marched around the Colorado Capitol Friday in a crowd the length of several city blocks, two words dominated the protest. They were written in marker on signs, printed on T-shirts and flags, and shouted through bullhorns.

“F--- ICE!”

A construction worker in a neon vest stood in the back of a flatbed truck on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, filming on his phone. When the chant died down, he hollered, “Don’t get quiet now!”

“F--- ICE!” the students shouted again with renewed vigor, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Some Denver Public Schools students and 1,136 of the district’s approximately 5,000 teachers didn’t go to school Friday, a district spokesperson said, on a day of nationwide protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions. The “National Shutdown” was sparked by an immigration crackdown in Minnesota, where federal agents have made thousands of arrests and shot and killed two people.

More than 1,000 Denver teachers called out of work on Friday, with some joining students to protest recent actions by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Two metro area school districts — Aurora Public Schools and the Commerce City-based Adams 14 — canceled school Friday due to staff absences. Denver schools were open, but the start of classes was delayed by two hours at a half-dozen schools. The district also canceled preschool classes and center-based programs for students with disabilities.

Jay Morin, a math teacher at East High School, didn’t go to work Friday. But his wife did. She teaches at an elementary school that serves a lot of immigrant students, he said.

“Her job, and what she can do, is to be a comfort for those kids and for their families,” Morin said, marching alongside his teenage son. “All of our teachers care about our kids, especially our most vulnerable families, and we’re all going to show up in our own ways. But make no mistake about it — we’re all going to show up.”

Isa, a senior at East High, said he was protesting because his family is from Central America. Chalkbeat is not using students’ last names to protect their privacy.

“I felt so affected seeing my own people being taken away,” Isa said. He said his family’s struggles and hard work allowed him to stay in school, and he felt called “to use my privilege to speak out for the people that can’t speak out.”

Enzo and Haleakala, eighth graders from DSST: Montview middle school, marched while wearing matching anti-ICE T-shirts that Haleakala’s mother made.

“Recently, they’ve been taking … Native people, and it’s technically our land,” said Haleakala, who is Taos Pueblo and Lakota. “America was built off of immigrants. And also it’s very unfair how they’re killing everybody even though they’re U.S. citizens. In all reality, ICE agents don’t need to take this violence to our streets, to our homes. People shouldn’t live in fear.”

Friday's protest featured hand-lettered signs and chants of "This is what democracy looks like!"

Students and teachers held handmade signs with slogans including, “Your Borders Don’t Trump Human Rights,” “Colorado (heart) Minnesota,” and “Deport Melania Trump.” A dog wore a sandwich board-style poster that read, “Better Trained Than Most ICE Agents.”

Office workers whizzed by on downtown Denver’s ubiquitous electric scooters and shouted their encouragement. Police officers blocked the route. When a few of the students gave two motorcycle officers a friendly wave, the officers nodded back.

Kristen Hodel marched with her son Noah, a sophomore at George Washington High.

“I’m just 54 and on board and crying my heart out,” Hodel said as the high schoolers all around her chanted, “This is what democracy looks like!”

“I’m here because I love my school,” Noah said. “GW is my home. And we have a huge immigrant population. … I’m here because immigrants make America great.”

An East High chemistry teacher in a red Denver Classroom Teachers Association T-shirt walked with a colleague toward the back of the protest. The teacher said they didn’t want to give their name because of how East High has already been targeted by the Trump administration, which investigated the school’s all-gender restroom and concluded that it violates federal law.

Just as the teacher began to talk about why they called out of work, a man sitting near a bus stop yelled, “F--- all the immigrants! Get them out of here!”

“That,” the teacher’s colleague said. “That is why we’re out here.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Hundreds of Detroit students walk out of class to protest federal immigration enforcement

2026-01-31T00:20:22+00:00

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Despite the bitter cold Friday afternoon, hundreds of Detroit students walked out of class to protest recent federal immigration actions.

Students poured out of Cass Technical High School before their last period of class began, chanting “immigrants are welcome here” and “no justice, no peace.” They marched around a loop in midtown with hand-painted signs to condemn the recent high-profile killings of two people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis.

Some signs said: “There comes a time when silence is betrayal” and “U know it’s bad when white people are dying in the street” and “It shouldn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.”

“People are scared to leave their houses,” said Miguel-Angel Martinez, a Cass senior who lives in Southwest Detroit. “People are scared to go anywhere.”

The walkout at Cass Technical and others staged at schools around Metro Detroit were part of a “National Shutdown,” an organized day without work, shopping, or school.

“They took our alumni, they took our peers at Western [International High School],” said Hailee Hallman, a senior at Cass who helped organize the protest. “After seeing all this happen in so many places and watching it happen to people we know, it’s important for us to try to make sure they know that we’re not satisfied with this.”

Students feel the effect of immigration enforcement

At least five students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District have been detained by ICE in the months since federal immigration enforcement ramped up in the second Trump administration.

One student, Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, was deported to Colombia in June.

Three students seeking asylum in the U.S. – Santiago Jesus Zamora Perez, Kerly Mariangel Sosa Rivero, and Antony Janier Peña Sosa – were detained by ICE last month.

Mor Ba, another asylum seeker who graduated from Western days before he was detained, was released on bond from ICE custody last week.

Some of the teens at Friday’s protest have been directly affected by immigration enforcement in recent weeks.

Justin Perez, 16, said a member of his church was detained by ICE on his street. His uncle is awaiting deportation now.

“If I hear about any protests happening in the area, I always try to make my way,” he said.

Valerie Ortiz Sanchez, a junior who lives in southwest, said she wants to use her voice to speak out because others in her community are afraid to.

“I want to help my people, because what am I doing if I’m not?” she said. “I don’t want to hide under fear.”

Some fear traveling to school because of ICE

Education advocacy groups say immigration enforcement tactics are having a devastating affect on students and their access to education.

On Tuesday, multiple people reported to local officials that ICE arrested four people in Ypsilanti near a bus stop as parents dropped off their kids at school. ICE officials disputed the reports and said the agency is not targeting Michigan schools or bus stops.

The Michigan Senate on Thursday held a hearing for bills that would restrict immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations,” including schools.

Last year, the Trump administration revoked a longstanding federal directive for agents to not make immigration arrests near schools.

DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has said ICE has not attempted to enter any district schools.

Many teachers, students, and community members have pushed the district for months to adopt a stronger sanctuary policy. Among their demands are better transportation options for families with immigration concerns, know-your-rights training, and mandatory instruction for all staff on interacting with immigration agents.

The district has not yet made any policy changes.

DPSCD authorized students to participate in the walkout, said Chrystal Wilson, spokesperson for the district, in an email.

“We believe in encouraging our students to exercise their First Amendment rights and strive to provide a safe environment for them to do so,” she said.

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Metro area school districts cancel classes due to high staff absences on day of planned ICE protests

2026-01-30T14:31:38+00:00

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Two Denver metro area school districts that serve large immigrant populations are canceling school Friday after a high number of teachers called out of work on a day of planned nationwide protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions.

Aurora Public Schools will be closed Friday due to staff absences, the 38,000-student school district announced Thursday night. The diverse suburb was the target of intense immigration raids last year after President Donald Trump claimed the city was a “war zone” overrun by Venezuelan gangs.

A planned staff-only work day scheduled for Feb. 6 will now be a regular school day for students in exchange, the district said in a press release.

Students in the 5,000-student Adams 14 school district in Commerce City won’t have school tomorrow for the same reason, according to a letter from Superintendent Karla Loría that was posted to several Adams 14 schools’ social media pages Thursday night.

“This decision has been made to ensure the safety, supervision, and quality of instruction for our students,” Loría wrote. “We understand that schedule changes can be inconvenient, and we sincerely apologize for any disruption this may cause to your plans.”

In a statement, the district said it respects “the many ways individuals choose to engage in civic action and make their voices heard. Civic engagement is a cornerstone of our democracy, and our staff and families represent a wide range of perspectives and beliefs.”

Denver Public Schools, the state’s largest school district with 90,000 students, did not cancel school district-wide but announced a two-hour delayed start Friday at a half-dozen campuses: George Washington High School, North High School, South High School, East High School, Joe Shoemaker Elementary, and McMeen Elementary.

The district did cancel all preschool classes and classes at center-based programs for students with disabilities.

Jeffco Public Schools had not announced closures late Thursday, though schools in the 74,000-student district were expecting staff shortages.

Activists are organizing a “National Shutdown” on Friday in response to a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, where agents have made thousands of arrests and shot and killed at least two people. “No Work. No School. No Shopping. Stop Funding ICE,” the event website says.

An email from Denver Public Schools to families Thursday said schools would be open and students would be served free breakfast and lunch as usual. In schools where lots of teachers are absent, the district will use substitute teachers and central office staff “to provide a safe educational environment for our students,” the email said.

In a video message to staff Thursday, Superintendent Alex Marrero said “what’s happening across the nation is deplorable.”

“I want to acknowledge that many of you want to show your advocacy tomorrow, and I commend you for that,” Marrero said in the video, which was filmed inside a classroom.

“However, I want to make sure that everyone understands that as long as students are in here, because of the actions we’ve taken, this remains the safest place for our scholars,” he said. “So please take that into consideration as you make your decision.”

DPS sued the Trump administration last year in an effort to keep immigration enforcement actions away from schools in Denver and nationwide. The district dropped the lawsuit after a federal judge found that there was little practical difference between a previous policy that treated schools as protected places and changes put in place by the Trump administration.

Denver Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Gould said in an email to union members Thursday that teachers “should make the choice that they feel is best” with regard to the Friday protest.

“Many members feel strongly that being in schools with our students is where they believe they can make the biggest impact, while others feel just as strongly that taking the day to participate in collective action is the best way to stand up for our students, families and communities,” Gould wrote.

Gould listed a series of actions teachers could take instead of calling out of work, including wearing blue in solidarity with teachers in Minnesota, organizing a school walk-in, or contacting Congress to advocate for barring immigration enforcement in and around schools.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Multiple parents detained by ICE in Ypsilanti

2026-01-30T03:37:34+00:00

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Multiple parents of students at Ypsilanti Community Schools were detained by ICE agents on Tuesday, according to a letter sent to the district by Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross.

The arrests came after reports of ICE activity in Ypsilanti, specifically around the school campus, though the letter did not specify which school or schools were specifically targeted. The letter also did not indicate that any students were detained.

“Our district policy remains unchanged. We do not voluntarily cooperate with ICE, nor do we grant them access to our school buildings or property without a proper judicial warrant,” Zachery-Ross wrote in the letter, adding that the district is working with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office to monitor the campus borders.

The arrests reportedly took place at a bus stop in Ypsilanti during student drop-off times, said Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer in a statement to MLive. The number of arrests made was not public as of the time of publication, and Dyer said it can be difficult to confirm as ICE does not provide notice to local law enforcement.

“There are no words to fully capture the pain, fear and disruption this causes for our scholars and their loved ones,” Zachery-Ross wrote. “To see our families targeted in this way is a violation of the sense of safety that every member of our community deserves. We stand in absolute solidarity with those who have been impacted.”

A spokesperson for ICE did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Editor’s note, Jan. 29, 2026: An ICE spokesperson told multiple media outlets Thursday that agents did not target schools or bus stops. Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer had earlier this week said in a statement that while ICE activity did not occur on school grounds, “it appears that parents were targeted at a bus stop in Ypsilanti during student drop-off times,” the Detroit Free Press reported.

Katherine Dailey is a reporter for Michigan Advance. Katherine can be reached at kdailey@michiganadvance.com.

Growing number of education groups criticize impact of ICE operations on students

2026-01-29T01:04:47+00:00

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Tear gas fired outside preschools. Parents and children detained on their way to and from school. Federal agents circling schools or parked near bus stops. Parents keeping their children home as absences and learning loss mount.

A growing number of education advocacy groups say aggressive immigration enforcement tactics are having a devastating impact on students’ access to education. They are calling on Congress to make funding for the Department of Homeland Security conditional on a less-disruptive approach to enforcement than what agents from Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have used.

Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union, who visited Minneapolis this week, said Congress should condition further DHS funding on the restoration of the sensitive locations policy, which for decades limited immigration enforcement near schools, child care centers, churches, and hospitals.

“You can see ICE circling around elementary schools so they may not actually be physically in the building, but it’s quite clear and it’s sending a very strong message to parents and families that it’s not safe to take your kids to school,” she said.

The Council of the Great City Schools, which represents urban superintendents, said immigration enforcement is being carried out in ways that destabilize entire communities and interfere with schools’ ability to serve students.

“The Council of the Great City Schools calls on federal leaders—including the Trump Administration, Congress, and the courts—to immediately halt actions that endanger children, disrupt schooling, and erode trust in public institutions,” the group said in a statement Wednesday. “Our nation has a responsibility to ensure that policies are carried out in a manner that upholds human rights and dignity, protects children, and preserves schools as places of safety, stability, and opportunity.”

In an interview, executive director Ray Hart said that restoring the sensitive locations policy is important, but city superintendents are also concerned about the widespread fear of arrest that is leading families to keep their children home. He also noted that Congress has previously considered but failed to pass legislation in the past to codify the policy.

Some say the issue is critical enough that it’s worth shutting down the government if that’s what it takes to use the appropriations process to put guardrails around immigration enforcement.

The Senate this week had been expected to approve a bipartisan package of spending bills, including an education spending bill that avoided cuts proposed by the Trump administration. The package already has been approved by the House, which is in recess this week. The spending bills must be approved by midnight Friday to avoid another government shutdown.

But in the aftermath of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Democrats have said they want to separate the Department of Homeland Security funding measure from the other funding bills to require more oversight.

“People are living in fear, which means that many children are not going to school, and children who are going to school are worrying that when they come home something will have happened to their families,” said Amy Loyd, CEO of the advocacy group All4Ed. “Children are going to school and wondering what happened to their classmates. All the things we want kids to be able to do in school to learn and grow are being impacted.”

Having previously served as an Education Department official in the Biden administration, Loyd said she doesn’t take the prospect of a shutdown lightly. But if the current approach to immigration enforcement continues, she said, it endangers all the work to close achievement gaps, raise graduation rates, and ensure students are prepared for life and the workforce.

“All4Ed is taking a stand that if we cannot unbundle the DHS funding, we are in support of a partial shutdown until Congress can best figure out how to address the impacts on our children.”

And First Focus on Children, which advocates for issues related to children’s welfare, called on Congress to protect schools and other sensitive locations and end child detention and separate the DHS funding bill to avoid a shutdown.

Many of the groups weighing in are on the progressive side of the political spectrum, but more often focus their advocacy on parents’ rights, student achievement, and school choice.

The national teachers unions took slightly different tacks. National Education Association President Becky Pringle called for freezing DHS funding. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said in an emailed statement that immigration enforcement needs reform “immediately,” including more protections for schools, and urged lawmakers to work together to avoid a shutdown.

The conservative parents’ rights group Defending Education, meanwhile, accused teachers of indoctrinating students to join anti-ICE protests and publicized a list of districts that had adopted sanctuary policies related to protecting immigrant students.

“The materials we uncovered show that students are being offered walkout guides, ‘day of action’ strategies, and training on how to respond to federal agents on school property,” President Nicole Neily said in an email to supporters.

Democrats’ demands, released Wednesday afternoon, include that ICE and Border Patrol agents not wear masks, display identification, and follow more conventional law enforcement practices around use of force, including cooperating with independent investigations.

The provisions as reported by multiple news outlets do not specifically address sensitive locations or enforcement near schools. But they do call for an end to “roving patrols” that have spread fear among legal immigrants, naturalized citizens, and communities of color more broadly.

While some Republicans have also been critical of federal agents’ actions, they still broadly support the president’s immigration crackdown.

Any changes to the spending bills would require that the House vote again, and conservative Republicans closely allied with the president could balk at restrictions on enforcement.

Updated: This story has been updated with comments from the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

Chalkbeat national reporter Lily Altavena contributed reporting.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor covering education policy and politics. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Denver’s Lincoln H.S. improves state rating amid immigration enforcement fears, other challenges

2026-01-21T20:05:44+00:00

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Abraham Lincoln High School needed to track down 13 graduates.

That’s how many it would take to boost the southwest Denver school’s rating to a middle-tier yellow grade after years at the bottom. If Lincoln could prove to the Colorado Department of Education that at least 13 more graduates were enrolled in college, career training, or the military, the school could earn enough rating points to take a step toward exiting the state’s watchlist for low performance — a feat it hadn’t accomplished in more than a decade.

“It has always been a struggle for our school to (be) a place where the community is proud of, in terms of academic achievement,” said Principal Néstor Bravo. “I want to work really hard on making Lincoln a positive point of reference for the southwest.”

Lincoln has been on Colorado’s watchlist for low performance longer than any school in Denver. Located in a largely Hispanic, working-class neighborhood, Lincoln has a vibrant history, display cases full of athletic trophies, and notable alumni including Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova and Denver school board President Xóchitl Gaytán.

But enrollment has fallen from 1,900 students a decade and a half ago to about 830 students today. Lincoln has struggled academically for at least as long. And recent immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration have made matters worse.

In the four days after President Donald Trump was inaugurated last January, Lincoln lost 100 students, many of them new immigrants from Venezuela and other countries, Bravo said.

“They disappeared,” Bravo said. “We couldn’t find a trace of them. They just didn’t show up.”

And attendance is spotty for many of the students who remain. More than 6 in 10 Lincoln students were chronically absent last school year, meaning they missed 10% or more of their school days. Bravo said it doesn’t help that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents regularly park their vehicles at the car wash across the street and at a strip mall where students walk to buy lunch, though he said he hasn’t seen them this month.

As far as he knows, none of his students or their family members have been arrested by ICE, Bravo said. But as a Venezuelan immigrant himself who came to Denver to get a graduate degree and was hired to teach Advanced Placement Spanish classes at Lincoln before becoming a principal, Bravo said he understands the fear.

“They are gambling with their future in a sense,” Bravo said. “If I stay in school, if I keep coming here, I might be captured or they’re going to take me, so what am I going to do?

“The most important thing is to give kids a reason to be here and feel safe,” he said.

How Abraham Lincoln H.S. improved academic growth

Even under those difficult circumstances, Lincoln made academic progress. While the percentage of students meeting the state’s bar on PSAT and SAT tests remained low, Lincoln’s academic growth — a measure of how much students improved year over year — was the highest it’s been since before the pandemic.

Bravo credits a series of changes he made when he became principal last school year. They include twice-weekly SAT prep classes using the online platform Khan Academy, which has an AI assistant that can chat with students in Spanish.

He also prioritized improving the way teachers deliver their lessons, both by cutting administrators without that skillset and training teachers in a method meant to get students collaborating and talking in class, which he said can be intimidating for English learners.

“As a second language learner myself, if I don’t have to talk, I won’t,” said Bravo, who said he spoke Spanish and Portuguese, but not as much English, when he took a teaching job at Lincoln more than 15 years ago.

“We have a high percentage of multilingual learners,” he said. “We have kids who need to practice English, who need to speak in their native language, so let’s get them to talk.”

Students and staff at Abraham Lincoln High School talk to each other about ways they can stay on track academically this semester at a celebration of the school's "yellow" state rating.

Bravo is trying to improve the culture at Lincoln, too. A competitive athlete, Bravo warms up with the soccer team and shoots arrows with JROTC students at the school’s indoor range. He added big screen TVs to the main hallway to broadcast the students’ achievements, such as the boys baseball team winning the city league championship last spring. Posters advertising Lincoln’s upcoming school play, “Shrek the Musical,” hang near the TVs.

Last Friday, the school celebrated its academic progress. Staff decorated the gymnasium with yellow streamers. Bravo gave a pep talk. Guitar students played a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” The robotics team, wearing matching sweatshirts, showed off a robot. And students who had earned all A’s and B’s in the first semester were called up to get awards.

“I used to not really focus on my grades at all,” a senior named Gabe said, taking the microphone and addressing his fellow students sitting in the bleachers. “I used to try to just get past high school, you know? But that limited my opportunities.

“I would say just try your hardest, even if you don’t know what you’re going to do after high school, just so you have opportunities,” Gabe said. “Just don’t close any doors.”

Moving from orange to yellow

The data shows that more Lincoln students are following that advice. When the Colorado Department of Education released its preliminary school ratings this fall, Lincoln had earned the second-lowest rating, signified by the color orange.

But Bravo suspected he could get Lincoln’s score up to yellow. High schools are rated based on their PSAT and SAT scores, graduation rates, and how many of their students go on to college, the military, or a career training program.

It was in that last category where Bravo knew Lincoln could move the needle. The state’s data seemed incomplete, he said. Lincoln staff and the advisers who work at the Denver Scholarship Foundation’s in-house college and career planning center at Lincoln knew anecdotally of more graduates who had continued their education.

So the staff began contacting former students one by one to collect the proof they’d need, like a college class schedule, to show state officials that the graduates had matriculated. In some cases, it became a game of social media telephone: They could see that one graduate was connected with another who had gone to a small community college in the mountains. Could that graduate get in touch with their friend and tell them to call the staff at Lincoln?

In the end, Lincoln staff found more than the 13 students they needed to bump up the school’s rating. And the state officially upgraded Lincoln’s rating to yellow in December.

Now Bravo is focused on keeping it there, even in this challenging time.

“I was very proud to see that last year, we were able to show that we can grow,” Bravo said. “It’s overwhelming for a public school with the limited resources we have, trying to address a societal friction, where people have strong opinions about what to do or what not to do with immigrants.

“But we don’t back down.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee GOP wants to track K-12 student immigration status

2026-01-15T19:49:00+00:00

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Tennessee Republicans want all students to verify their citizenship, residency, or immigration status as part of an aggressive immigration package they say was developed with the Trump White House.

But there were no details on how exactly the policy that top GOP leaders rolled out on Thursday would play out inside Tennessee schools.

No new legislation has been filed, though it’s possible lawmakers could use a 2025 bill to advance the issue.

Democrats and immigration advocates sharply criticized the proposed policies.

“Teachers don’t need to be worried about where their students are from or how they got here,” said Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director of TIRRC Votes, an immigration advocacy group.

Republican leadership did not say whether local schools or the Tennessee Department of Education would be responsible for verifying immigration status or where such data would be held.

Nor would they say whether the state would require that the immigration status of a student and potentially their family members be reported to federal or state law enforcement.

Republicans want to require local governments to report unverified immigration status of people seeking public benefits to ICE and Tennessee immigration enforcement.

Lawmakers also were unsure whether requiring this verification would jeopardize federal education funding, a concern that stalled a similar bill in 2025.

“I think we’re still waiting for the Department of Education at the federal level to send us some guidance from them on what it looks like on funding,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican from Crossville, said. “That’s the biggest question remaining. We’re still working through the issues of what that would look like as far as collecting the data.”

Last year, the GOP supermajority sparked major protests when top Republicans pushed legislation targeting undocumented students in Tennessee schools.

Bill sponsors Sen. Bo Watson, a Republican from Hixson, and House Minority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican from Portland, said at the time they hoped to challenge longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent that protects public education access for undocumented children.

Initial versions of the bill would have allowed schools to block undocumented students from enrolling and later charge them tuition.

The sponsors argued that undocumented students could be draining school resources if more English language learners need specialized instruction, for example. Opponents countered that Tennessee schools are significantly funded through sales taxes, which undocumented immigrants pay.

The Senate passed SB 836, but it stalled in the House amid opposition from some Republicans and concerns it would jeopardize federal education funding. HB 793 is still technically live, though, and could move forward in the House at any time in 2026.

Last year, Lamberth said he requested clarification from the U.S. Department of Education about the bill and federal funding questions. Nine months later, it does not appear the state has received any clarification.

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa atmbrown@chalkbeat.org.

IPS rescinds resolutions about undocumented students and floats new policy after Rokita ICE lawsuit

2026-01-13T19:36:55+00:00

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Indianapolis Public Schools has rescinded resolutions signaling support for undocumented students following a lawsuit from state Attorney General Todd Rokita.

Instead, a new proposed policy on student access, safety, and privacy says the district will continue to protect the confidentiality of student records and information while providing “equal access to public education” for all students who live within the district — regardless of immigration status.

The proposal comes in the wake of a November lawsuit from Rokita’s office that claims the district impeded federal immigration enforcement. Rokita alleged that IPS policies hindered the deportation of a “Honduran national” who opted to voluntarily leave the country with his son, an IPS student.

Attorneys for IPS have said in court that the district would adopt a new policy that would render the state’s lawsuit moot. The board is expected to vote on the policy proposal at its meeting in February, according to board president Angelia Moore.

The updates could ultimately change little in how the district serves and protects undocumented students, whose rights to education and privacy are already protected by a string of state and federal laws and a U.S. Supreme Court case. The lawsuit, however, claims the district policy violates a state law that prohibits government entities from restricting immigration enforcement.

Neither IPS nor Rokita’s office immediately responded to a request for comment. School board president Angelia Moore declined to comment on the proposed policy, citing the ongoing litigation.

New resolution maintains IPS support for all students

At a retreat on Saturday, the IPS school board rescinded two prior resolutions supporting undocumented students. One was adopted early in President Donald Trump’s first term, and the other was adopted early in his second term, amid high-profile and controversial immigration enforcement efforts.

One 2017 resolution stated the district’s support for creating a safe place for all students regardless of immigration status. It directed employees not to assist immigration enforcement efforts “unless legally required and authorized to do so by the Superintendent.”

Another 2025 resolution reaffirmed this commitment to all students.

But the resolution to rescind these prior commitments still maintains that the district supports all students and employees. It also references a variety of state and federal laws to protect immigrant families, including the federal Families and Educational Rights Privacy Act, known as FERPA, which restricts the ability of schools to provide student information to outside parties.

The resolution also references the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable search and seizure. Legal experts say Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can only enter school grounds under certain circumstances.

And the resolution references the 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe that undocumented students have a right to public education.

The proposed IPS policy states that IPS will operate within the legal framework provided by the United States Constitution, the state constitution, federal and state civil rights laws, federal education privacy laws, and Indiana statutes on public education.

The superintendent will adopt training and protocols for staff regarding student privacy and requests from outside agencies seeking information or access to students, the proposed policy states.

Rokita’s ICE lawsuit hinges on deportation flight

Rokita’s lawsuit alleges that an IPS student, the son of a Honduran national, went to school on the morning of his father’s scheduled deportation flight. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement later contacted IPS to “help the father take custody of his son,” the lawsuit claims.

The district said it would not release the child to an ICE officer without a judicial warrant or court order, the lawsuit states.

“ICE responded that it simply was asking that the son be released to the father so that they could depart the country as he had agreed to do and that such action did not require a court order,” the lawsuit states.

Rokita’s lawsuit targeted several district policies, including the 2017 resolution.

His office has previously argued that FERPA does permit the disclosure of some information, such as directory information, that could be related to a student’s immigration status. He has also argued that school officials could still give consent for law enforcement to enter school grounds without violating the Fourth Amendment.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Indianapolis Public Schools to change immigration-related policies after Todd Rokita’s ICE lawsuit

2025-12-15T21:55:02+00:00

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Indianapolis Public Schools plans on changing its policies to address a lawsuit from Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita that claims the district impeded federal immigration enforcement.

In a court filing last month, the district said it was in the process of changing its policies at the heart of the lawsuit, which took aim at a 2017 resolution directing employees not to assist immigration enforcement efforts without the superintendent’s approval.

It’s unclear what policies the district plans to change. In response to questions from Chalkbeat, the district last week referred to a previous statement that reiterated its “non-negotiable” commitment to the safety of its students. But that 2017 resolution, which reaffirmed the district’s commitment to a safe environment for students regardless of immigration status, is no longer on the district’s website.

A link to that resolution was on an IPS web page that Rokita also targeted that provided support for undocumented students and families. That web page is no longer online. It assured families that the district does not ask students about their immigration status and adhered to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act that keeps student records private. ICE officers must generally provide a judicial warrant to enter school grounds, the website said.

Rokita sued the district in November, alleging that IPS policies hindered the deportation of a “Honduran national” who opted to voluntarily leave the country in January with his son, an IPS student. Those policies, he argued, violated state law that prohibits governmental entities from restricting immigration enforcement laws.

In a court hearing on Monday, Ken Falk of the ACLU of Indiana, which is representing IPS, said that the school board will vote on the policy changes around mid-January. Those changes could address Rokita’s concerns and render the lawsuit moot.

Marion County Judge John Chavis agreed to give the district until Feb. 2 to respond to the complaint. The district will also share the policy changes with the attorney general’s office by that date, after which the office could either decide that the changes satisfy state law or continue the lawsuit.

Last month, the district said in its filing that it does not concede that the policies are in violation of state law.

The changes come as schools deal with the fallout from ramped-up immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump’s second term. During Trump’s first term, IPS and districts nationwide moved to protect undocumented students on school grounds by adopting various resolutions committing to their safety.

The lawsuit claims that the student disregarded his father’s desire to leave the country and went to school on Jan. 8, the day of the father’s scheduled deportation flight. When Immigrations and Customs Enforcement contacted IPS to “help the father take custody of his son,” the district refused to release the child to ICE without a judicial warrant or court order.

“ICE responded that it simply was asking that the son be released to the father so that they could depart the country as the father had agreed to do and that such action did not require a court order,” Rokita said in the complaint.

The lawsuit also claimed that the district adopted an “officer response protocol” in early 2025 that directed staff not to share information on the immigration status of students, family members, or staff members with federal authorities.

In the lawsuit, Rokita argued that the district could still allow ICE on school grounds without a warrant.

The school board and community members have criticized Rokita’s lawsuit, calling it a political stunt. The school board has also launched an online petition about the issue.

“While political posturing may seek to divide, we remain united in our belief that education should never be weaponized or politicized,” says the petition, which has over 2,500 signatures.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

JB Pritzker signs bill aiming to protect immigrants at Illinois child care centers, public colleges

2025-12-09T23:50:15+00:00

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Illinois has enacted new protections for families at child care centers licensed by the state and prohibited public colleges and universities from disclosing certain immigration and citizenship status, amid ramped-up federal deportation efforts.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed House Bill 1312, which restricts child care staff from disclosing the actual or perceived immigration status of children or their families, unless it is otherwise required by law. It also requires staff to use a child’s emergency contact if a parent is detained by law enforcement, and requires centers by Jan. 1 to create policies for how staff should interact with law enforcement and train staff on those policies.

The new law also requires the state’s Department of Children and Family Services or the Department of Early Childhood to provide information on their websites about parents’ constitutional rights. That information should include the form from Children and Family Services authorizing the appointment of a short-term guardian, in order to temporarily transfer custody of a child to someone the parent trusts, the law says.

Public colleges and universities are now also barred from disclosing the immigration and citizenship status of students as well as employees.

Illinois advocacy groups have praised the passage of House Bill 1312 for providing more protections to immigrant communities and providing clarity on what institutions should do to support immigrants. In January, President Donald Trump revoked a policy that previously restricted immigration enforcement at schools, child care centers, churches, and hospitals.

The law makes other sweeping changes. It restricts the arrest of people at or in courthouses if they are witnesses and under other circumstances, and requires hospitals to create policies for how staff will interact with law enforcement.

“We know that this new set of laws can’t mitigate all of the harm, but it gives us new protective tools, and is a symbol of our shared action against those terrorizing our communities and our state,” said Pritzker during a Tuesday press conference in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, where he was joined by state lawmakers, community leaders, and advocacy organizations.

“I am proud that in Illinois we are committed to fulfilling that obligation to every child and young person, despite their or their family’s immigrant status,” Linda Xóchitl Tortolero, president and CEO of the Latino Policy Forum, said on Tuesday.

“No parent should fear dropping their child off at childcare. No young person should worry about their safety on their college campus,” added Xóchitl Tortolero.

From mid-September until late November, the federal government stepped up immigration enforcement in Chicago under an effort known as Operation Midway Blitz. The operation has led to over 3,300 arrests over the past few months, according to the Chicago Tribune. This enhanced enforcement caused a chilling effect on local communities, small businesses, schools and child care centers.

In one case, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained an early childhood educator in front of children, parents, and staff at a private child care center on the North Side of Chicago in November, according to a report by Block Club Chicago.

Chicago advocates and attorneys have encouraged families to set up short-term guardianships in case parents are detained by ICE agents.

Samantha Smylie is the state education reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago covering school districts across the state, legislation, special education and the state board of education. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.

Increasing Memphis school bus services would cost at least $10 million, leaders say

2025-12-03T03:14:51+00:00

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Memphis school leaders say expanding student bus services to help boost attendance will raise transportation costs by a minimum of almost $10 million next school year.

Board members advanced the idea in late October to increase busing after multiple teachers testified that students weren’t showing up for class in fear of increased law and immigration enforcement. Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond was tasked with delivering a plan within 30 days.

School districts nationwide are struggling to provide student transportation due to rising vehicle and staff costs and a widespread bus driver shortage. Richmond said Tuesday that the district spent around $32 million on transportation this year and is seeking a new contract for next year.

“What’s being requested is a challenge,” Richmond said. “It may seem easy, but it’s extremely challenging.”

During Tuesday’s board meeting, Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders outlined the three options for increasing bus service under review. Board members did not set a deadline for an actionable plan from the district.

But several members said the need to make a change by next semester is urgent. And they asked for plans that specifically target students that aren’t showing up, including immigrant students and those in specific neighborhoods.

“If you have an elementary school that already has a 99% attendance rate, adding a bus route is not going to change their experience,” board member Amber Huett-Garcia said. “We have concentrated areas of our district where kids are not getting to school. That is what I care most about.”

MSCS bus eligibility is determined by parent responsibility zones, or PRZs, which dictate when parents need to bring their children to school. That includes students living within 1.5 miles of their elementary school or 2 miles of their middle and high school.

Decreasing those zones by half a mile — the shortest distance suggested Tuesday — would require almost 100 more buses. That would increase transportation costs by $5.7 million for the remainder of this school year and $9.8 million next school year.

Board members pushed MSCS leaders to ask Memphis City Council and the city mayor for help, or explore a partnership with city public transportation.

“Over 90% of our schools are located inside the city of Memphis,” Stephanie Love said. “And they say they want to do a lot of things for the students. Get them to school.”

More than 26,000 MSCS students currently ride the bus to school, and the buses make over 6,000 daily stops.

Here are the options MSCS is considering, which assume all newly eligible students will ride the bus:

Option 1: PRZ becomes 0.5 miles for elementary and 0.75 for middle/high school.

Over 6,600 more daily stops and 24,000 students added.
206 more buses needed.
$12 million budget increase for 2025-26 school year and $20.6 million for 2026-27.

Option 2: PRZ becomes 0.75 miles for elementary and 1 mile for middle/high school.

Over 5,000 more daily stops and 17,000 students added.
149 more buses needed.
$8.7 million budget increase for 2025-26 school year and $14.9 million for 2026-27.

Option 3: PRZ becomes 1 mile for elementary and 1.5 miles for middle/high school.

Over 3,000 more daily stops and 9,000 students added.
98 more buses needed.
$5.7 million budget increase for 2025-26 school year and $9.8 million for 2026-27.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit teens detained by ICE should be released, advocates say

2025-11-26T01:05:30+00:00

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Valerie Brown doesn’t personally know her two classmates at Western International High School who were detained Thursday morning by federal immigration officials and sent to Texas, but that didn’t stop her from helping organize a press conference that became a rally for bringing the students home.

“I have friends who have told me they are afraid to go to school. You shouldn’t be afraid to come to school,” Brown told Chalkbeat after speaking during the press conference, saying the fear is magnified by rumors of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents taking kids “whether they have papers or not.”

“They’re scared to be outside, to be with their friends. They’re kids.”

The press conference was organized to support the two 16-year-old students, who are cousins and attend Western International High School in Southwest Detroit. Outlier Media and Chalkbeat reported Monday that students were born in Venezuela and arrived in the U.S. in 2023. They were taken into custody along with two of their parents when agents raided their home on the Eastide in search of a different migrant.

Brown and others spoke in front of a backdrop at Detroit’s Clark Park. Dozens of people were there, some of them holding signs and shouting “for shame” whenever a speaker brought up something they thought was particularly egregious. All of them called for the release of the teens and the parents.

Some of the speakers, including Valerie, called on school, city, and state officials to be more involved in ensuring the safety of students who fear moving throughout the community because of immigration actions. Some called on the Detroit school district to have an immigration attorney on retainer to assist students who’ve been detained and to ensure students know their rights.

“Instead of the (students) chilling with their friends, they got to be stuck in a detention center with ICE,” Brown said during her speech. “We don’t even know where they’re going. We don’t even know if they’re going to a country that’s theirs or is even safe for them or even if they have family anymore.”

Teens and adults from across the city came out to Clark Park Tuesday to call for the release of two Detroit high school students who were detained by federal immigration officials.

One of the speakers, attorney George Washington, said ICE agents entered the home while the occupants were sleeping. “Suddenly, ICE appears at the door, busts into the place, and tells them that they’re all being arrested.”

All four who were detained had pending asylum petitions, Washington said.

“We have a tremendous immigration lawyer from Detroit who did everything he could,” to assist the four while they remained in Michigan. But, Washington said, they were sent to Texas “too quick.”

“He’s going to continue representing them and we’re going to get them out,” Washington said.

After the event, Sen. Stephanie Chang, a Democrat from Detroit, issued a statement about the detentions:

“I am standing with Detroit teachers, friends, family and community members of these two students in urging their immediate return home to Michigan,” Chang said. “I understand that they have been following the asylum process and have upcoming immigration court dates. ICE should release them and allow them to proceed with the asylum process.”

Many of the youth attending the event were from Western International, located across the street from Clark Park. Others came from schools such as Southeastern, Cass Technical, and Detroit International Academy for Young Women.

Theo Edwards, a student at Western International High School, attended the press conference and rally on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, to show support for his classmates who were detained.

Kenneth Russell, who attends Southeastern, was among the speakers.

“It’s better for us to all be connected than apart,” Russell said.

“It’s awful what’s happening,” said Theo Edwards, who’s attended Western for nearly a month. He was holding a sign that said “People are not illegal,” with the “not” underlined. “It’s scary, especially for those who are Hispanic.”

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach Lori at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Two Detroit students from Western International High detained by ICE

2025-11-25T01:07:02+00:00

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Federal immigration agents arrested two 16-year-old Detroit cousins at their home on Thursday. The teens are being held in Texas.

The cousins — born in Venezuela and arrived in the U.S. in 2023 — were taken into custody along with two of their parents when agents raided their home on the eastside in search of a different migrant.

Both teens are formally seeking asylum in the U.S. and had upcoming court dates. They have work permits and jobs at Chili’s, said Kristen Schoettle, a teacher at Western International High School who works with one of the teens in an English class for newcomers.

“She is an excellent student, really wants to learn English,” Schoettle said, adding that the teen sometimes shares recommendations for Spanish-language indie-rock music.

Outlier Media is not identifying the teens because their parents did not give consent.

Schoettle said her knowledge of the situation is based on conversations with her student’s mother, who had spoken with the teen’s father in detention.

Outlier confirmed that the father of one of the teens is being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center, a facility operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, through the agency’s Online Detainee Locator System. Schoettle says the teens are there too, though the database does not provide information about minors in detention.

“We need all Detroiters to stand up against these kidnappings,” said Lindsey Matson, deputy director of youth organizing at 482Forward.

“If you care about education justice in the city, defending the rights of immigrant students who are dealing with fear and trauma is a first step. 482Forward and the [Detroit] People’s Assembly is calling on all Detroiters, including elected officials, to do all they can to get the immediate release of these young people and their family.”

Matson said students are organizing a press conference and rally at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Clark Park in Detroit.

The two cousins are at least the second and third Detroit students detained by federal immigration authorities this year. This spring, the arrest and deportation of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old student at Western, prompted protests.

The Trump administration is waging an aggressive campaign to deport as many immigrants as possible. To meet that goal, agents have broken with decades of precedent to target asylum seekers, often arresting them immediately after court hearings. Record numbers of people are being held in federal immigration detention facilities, three-quarters of whom have no criminal convictions.

Detentions of children, often lasting months, skyrocketed after President Donald Trump’s return to office.

Last week, immigration officials say two Ecuadorian migrants struck an agent during an arrest in metro Detroit. One escaped, but officers used a stun gun on the other. A video of officers shoving her limp body into their vehicle circulated widely on social media last week.

Youssef Fawaz, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, linked the students’ arrests to the agency’s effort to track down the fleeing migrant.

“While executing a search warrant for an escaped fugitive Ecuadoran national who assaulted a Detroit Border Patrol Agent last week, agents encountered three Venezuelan aliens who were illegally present in the United States,” Fawaz said.

According to Schoettle, four Venezuelans were detained: the cousins along with one parent each. Fawaz acknowledged that “a fourth individual from Venezuela” was arrested later that day.

Fawaz did not directly confirm or deny whether the cousins were taken into custody.

The Trump administration’s crackdown has separated families and fueled fear in communities across the U.S. One sign of that climate is falling attendance at Detroit schools with large immigrant populations. Students at those schools missed an additional 4,900 days of class compared to schools with fewer immigrants over the months following Trump’s second inauguration, Outlier found.

The teens were not arrested at or near a school, but news of their arrest could deepen those fears and keep more students home unnecessarily, said Chrystal Wilson, a spokesperson at the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Research shows that every day of missed school undermines student learning.

The district does not work with ICE or share information with the agency, and its policy forbids staff from allowing immigration agents into schools without a warrant or subpoena.

“It’s crazy to be picking people up like this,” Schoettle said. “There was no arrest warrant for this family. ... Now you’ve got kids in a detention center, and they’re just stuck there for I don’t know how long. It’s ridiculous.”

Koby Levin is a reporter for Outlier Media. You can reach him at koby@outliermedia.org.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Chicago educators try to allay students’ immigration enforcement fears

2025-11-24T19:00:00+00:00

This story was originally published by Borderless Magazine. Sign up for their newsletters here.

Editor’s note: Borderless Magazine has chosen not to publish the full names of some of the sources mentioned in this story to protect their safety and privacy. For questions, please contact us at board@borderlessmag.org

Kat wrote a plan for her mom: where to find her spare car keys, caregiving instructions for her dog, where to find her asthma medication and passwords to several of her personal accounts.

The list, Kat says, serves as a guide in case federal agents detain her.

Kat is a teacher born and raised on the Southwest Side, an area that’s been a target of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids since September.

“It felt a little bit like I was sharing how to check the boxes in my life if I’m not there,” said Kat. “Which feels like a crazy thing to have to do as just a person living your life in places that I have always been.”

The fear of being detained follows the Southwest Side resident every day that she drives to work on the North Side. She sees the same worry and vigilance over immigration raids in her students. When a helicopter flies by during recess, her students ask: “Is that ICE?”

Her students worry about whether their parents will be home when they return to school, she says.

Teachers like Kat are noticing students on high alert and withdrawing in class. Some have also seen a dip in student attendance as federal immigration agents have carried out military raids citywide. Many students skip school, while others who used to be accompanied by a parent now walk to school on their own.

School staff and community members have responded in and outside of schools to make families feel safe when students attend school, creating informal escorting systems, in-school food pantries, and sanctuary teams to support affected families.

Since “Operation Midway Blitz” began in September, ICE encounters have escalated with agents teargassing neighborhoods, fatally shooting a man near schools and raiding an apartment complex with children in the middle of the night. U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino told WBEZ Chicago that agents were arresting people partly based on “how they look.”

In several instances, federal agents have waited outside schools, detaining parents and teenagers as other parents and students look on, elevating fears throughout school communities. In response, educators and neighbors have sought ways to alleviate the fears that have swept through immigrant communities.

“People are very high alert,” said Kat. “I think it’s affecting students and parents and teachers, and that wears on your nervous system. It’s hard to be vigilant all the time.”

Learning under a cloud of fear

Northwest Side teacher Mahli has noticed a decline in student attendance. Some students miss a day or two at a time, while others are absent for more than a week at a time.

Earlier this school year, about half her students showed up after hearing rumors of ICE targeting schools a day prior, she says.

“Attendance has definitely suffered, especially in our bilingual classrooms,” she said. “I would say that focus is affected, and there [are] more complaints about tummy aches and headaches and the energy just being down.”

According to an analysis by Chalkbeat, attendance rates dropped by 1.25 percentage points after Sept. 8, when news of immigration sweeps in Chicago became public. The decline is more than double between the first and second months of school over the last two years.

Psychologist Ricardo Camacho says children’s sense of security, trust, and safety is currently threatened by aggressive immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods. This can manifest into withdrawal, difficulty concentrating and physical symptoms, he noted.

For children and students in immigrant or mixed-status families, exposure to distressing or violent social media content about immigration enforcement can reinforce feelings of fear and instability, Camacho says.

In Chicago, over one-third of school-age children have at least one immigrant parent, according to a WBEZ analysis of 2024 Census data. A recent survey by A Better Chicago, a venture philanthropy organization, found that over half of Latino youth in Chicago over the age of 15 say they “worry a lot” about a family member or friend being deported due to their immigration status.

Kat notices students are worried in her classroom, openly discussing their fears with one another.

“There are both visible and invisible effects to this, and it’s affecting every part of the community,” says Kat. “I think even more now they need that to bring joy and curiosity into the classroom.”

Navigating how and when to acknowledge their fears has been difficult, Kat and Mahli agree.

“It’s been a delicate balance between wanting to acknowledge the weight of the moment, but then also wanting it to be a joy-filled space where they feel safe in a space where they can forget about the weight of the world for a little bit,” Mahli said.

“It is my responsibility”

For teachers like Mahli, the experience has prompted her to act.

Mahli is part of her school’s sanctuary team, led by social workers, which aims to protect students and families. The team checks in on families, connects them with mutual aid and legal services, and tracks active detention cases involving parents of students. Mahli said she knows of about five cases in which ICE has detained parents from her school community.

Gabriel Paez teaches bilingual Spanish language arts, English as a Second Language and social studies to 7th and 8th grade students in a school on the Northwest Side, most of whom are immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the last few years.

“As an educator, we already know that we have to see our children as whole people,” said Paez. “If you are not physically safe, if you feel like you are in jeopardy or your family is unsafe, we know that higher-level thinking will not develop as it should in children.”

Inside the school, he connects his students with resources and information, including “Know Your Rights” cards and hotline numbers, which he has posted around his classroom. He is also in touch with the school counselors who work with students who are afraid of losing their parents.

Outside, he works with other neighbors to respond to ICE raids in his neighborhood. “It is my responsibility as an adult, as an American, as a naturalized U.S. citizen and as an educator to push back against ICE and make their job as hard as possible,” said Paez.

Chicago Public Schools teacher Gabriel Paez adjusts a sign in Albany Park that marks where the community prevented federal agents from detaining a neighbor.

The frequency of ICE raids has spurred conversations among students about deportations.

Chicago Public Schools teacher Silvia Gonzalez said her students are having these conversations right now.

“[Students are] just having questions that they want me to answer or want to think about with me,” she said.

Gonzalez created a resource for other teachers, including a curriculum on how to have conversations with young people about these issues and “Know Your Rights” information, with the context of a classroom.

Silvia Gonzalez, center, works with a group of educators and school staff at a breakout session during a community teach-in at 18th Street Casa de Cultura on Nov. 15, 2025.

In West Town, a group of parents volunteered to take turns driving a student to a school in the North Side. They organized after learning she had been missing school due to fear of encountering ICE. The group coordinates whose turn it is to drop her off or to pick her up, with each taking a turn about once a week.

“We sent several parents that day to make sure that she just felt really safe in coming out of the building,” said Kaili Emmrich, a parent and volunteer.

With school staff, Emmrich also organized a community response group of volunteers to monitor for ICE presence near her daughters’ school and escort students during pickup and drop-off times.

Her work doesn’t stop at the school. Emmrich and her husband have also opened their home to families to do laundry for anyone who fears visiting laundromats.

‘It is a race thing at this point.’

In the Southwest Side, escalating ICE encounters, aggressive tactics by agents and chaotic street stops mobilized students in Little Village to protest.

Hundreds of students from Little Village Lawndale High School staged a walkout in late October, following back-to-back raids in the neighborhood.

Students from Little Village Lawndale High School march towards 26th Street during a walkout in protest of recent immigrant enforcement across Chicago on Oct. 28, 2025.

Workers at shops on 26th Street smiled as they recorded students marching by in support of their immigrant parents and against ICE presence in their community.

Carrying signs, handing out whistles, and sharing “Know Your Rights” information, the students said they were marching for their parents, who face increased risks of detention amid the heightened ICE presence in their Little Village neighborhood.

“They left the only thing they knew,” said Lia Sophia Lopez, one of the student organizers of the walkout. “Their people, their family, in the hope that their children could call this country their home. A country that was supposed to be safe. And now, we have to live with the fear that our parents will not be here the next day.”

Lia Sophia Lopez, center, joins fellow students during a walkout in protest of recent immigrant enforcement in Little Village and Chicago on Oct. 28, 2025.

Cristian, who was protesting for the first time in his life, said he had witnessed people being taken by or teargassed by ICE in his neighborhood.

“They won’t take our people,” said Cristian, whose parents are immigrants from Mexico.

During the march, students chanted, “Trump escucha, estamos en la lucha (Trump, listen, we are in this fight).” Michel, a sophomore, held a pink speaker playing Chalino Sanchez, a Mexican singer, because she listens to his music with her parents. “Chalino [represents] our culture.”

“I was a little nervous, but parents can’t do this, so we had to come out here,” said Ashley, a student at the school. “It is a race thing at this point.”

Hope under pressure

CPS says schools remain “the safest place for students” and recommends that families update emergency contacts and create plans for childcare in case parents are detained by ICE. The district also said it does not ask families for immigration status, coordinate or share student records with ICE or allow ICE agents or other federal representatives access to CPS schools or facilities.

“We know that anxiety remains high, especially in our Black and Brown communities, and among our immigrant and mixed-status families,” CPS said in a statement. “I wish that our school communities were not saddled with this burden, and that we could all just focus on helping our students learn and grow. As it stands, though, we want to remind everyone why our schools remain the safest place for students, and once again provide guidance for staying safe outside of school.”

Despite Kat’s worries about ICE in her personal life and at work for her students’ families, she remains hopeful about how people have stepped up to protect one another.

“What ICE is doing and what really the federal administration is doing is chaotic and hateful and haphazard,” she said. “It’s unsafe. They’re trying to turn Chicago into a warzone, and Chicagoans are stepping up with love in the face of that.”

Aydali Campa is a Report for America corps member and covers environmental justice and immigrant communities for Borderless Magazine. Email Aydali at aydali@borderlessmag.org.

Chicago parents make custody plans amid stepped-up federal immigration enforcement

2025-11-21T18:33:07+00:00

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Last month, the day after a Chicago student’s father was detained by federal immigration agents, the girl’s aunt drove to her school with short-term guardianship papers in hand.

The girl’s father had worried about what would happen to his daughter if he was picked up by federal agents, according to the school’s principal, who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak with the press and did not want to make her school a target for federal law enforcement.

Like a growing number of immigrant parents in Chicago, he had the papers drawn up as a precaution.

Those documents gave the aunt temporary custody of the student and allowed the school to release her to the aunt during dismissal that day, the principal said.

The principal, whose school is located in a neighborhood with a high percentage of immigrant families, also said the guardianship papers allowed for a smoother process to transfer the child to a different school near the aunt’s home.

“The dad did what he was supposed to do,” she said.

As federal immigration enforcement in Chicago has intensified and resulted in more than 3,300 arrests over the past several months, parents in the city’s immigrant communities have grappled with the fear of what happens to their children if they are detained.

Chicago Public Schools has encouraged parents to set up caretaking plans for their children in their absence. Several community-based organizations and attorneys advise parents to set up short-term guardianships, which transfer temporary custody of their children to a trusted person after a specific event, such as federal detention.

In a statement, CPS spokesperson Sylvia Barragan said the sudden loss of parents is “highly unique and school and District leaders respond to each situation on a case-by-case basis in an effort to provide as much support as possible for impacted students and families.”

At minimum, families should identify someone they trust with their children in their absence, said Rebekah Rashidfarokhi, director of guardianship and immigration programs for children at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, a legal aid group for low-income families.

“I always tell people, it’s more important and necessary that they talk to people about what their plan is,” she said.

CPS has long required families to submit emergency contact information in case, for example, parents don’t show up for pickup.

Since President Donald Trump took office for the second time and stepped up immigration enforcement, CPS began encouraging parents to create “family plans” that outline child care plans in their absence and give a trusted person access to important documents.

Typically, if no one comes to pick up a child from school, staff will call emergency contacts. Staff may also check enrollment paperwork or short-term guardianship papers to find others who may have the authority to “make decisions for the student,” a CPS spokesperson said.

If the school cannot get in touch with emergency contacts or people listed on other paperwork, principals are instructed to contact the CPS Student Safety Center, a 24/7 office that handles safety issues or emergencies, the district said.

Asked about situations where a child is in someone else’s care without an official plan in place, CPS referred Chalkbeat to Illinois State Board of Education guidance, which says districts “cannot require adult caretakers or relatives with whom a child lives to establish legal guardianship as a condition for gaining access to the district’s schools” but can require “reasonable reassurance” that the new caretaker will accept responsibility of the child. This can be done through a letter or affidavit, the guidance said.

The principal of the school where the child’s father was recently detained has experienced what happens when there’s no written record of who should be caring for a child. A few years ago, she said, an unaccompanied child from Central America arrived at the principal’s school with an aunt who lives nearby. At first, school staff wasn’t sure whether they could let the aunt make decisions for the student.

The staff eventually called the child’s mother, who was in the child’s home country and confirmed that she sent her child to live with the aunt, the principal said.

Staff wanted to be careful, but they also felt uncomfortable asking for additional legal custody paperwork, she noted. CPS policy and state guidance say schools shouldn’t ask for immigration status or related documents.

“What do you do? You gotta help this family,” the principal said.

Some parents worry that without a custody plan in place, child welfare officials will step in and place their children into foster care. That’s not necessarily true, according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

DCFS gets involved only “if there is no safe caregiver available or if there are credible concerns of abuse or neglect,” said Deborah Lopez, associate deputy director of communications for DCFS. As of last month, the agency had not placed any children in foster care whose guardians were detained by federal immigration agents, Lopez said.

Even informal child care plans “should be followed,” and DCFS “does not need to be notified about the arrangement,” the agency says. The agency considers it appropriate for the child to stay with a trusted relative, family friend, or neighbor so long as the child is safe, Lopez said.

If there’s no caregiver and no care plan in place, DCFS can be contacted through the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, at 1-800-252-2873, Lopez said.

Still, attorneys, organizations, and DCFS have encouraged families to establish short-term guardianships, which are free to create and give a trusted person temporary custody of their children after a “triggering event,” such as being arrested or having health issues.

Rashidfarokhi, the attorney from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, said she would rarely receive a request for help with short-term guardianships, regardless of who was in the White House. But requests have skyrocketed this year.

“Demand for these has increased exponentially, dramatically, to the point where I’m getting many requests a day,” Rashidforakhi said.

The agreements can last for up to a year unless otherwise specified, she said.

The principal at the school where the girl’s father was detained said soon after the federal government announced its Chicago deportation campaign — known as Operation Midway Blitz — in September, at least 150 families called or emailed the school to share additional emergency contacts or share temporary custody plans.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Meet the Chicago moms helping their school communities amid immigration enforcement

2025-11-17T11:00:00+00:00

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In the last two years, Cristina, the mother of two middle schoolers on Chicago’s Southwest Side, moved to the city and joined the parent mentor team at her children’s school.

That role gives Cristina and other parent mentors a front-row seat to the needs of students and families. This year, it also put them face-to-face with an unexpected crisis: the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement push targeting Chicago.

Over the last two months, armed, masked agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, and other federal agencies have fanned out across neighborhoods, rousting people as they worked or slept — sometimes detaining U.S. citizens — and fueling dread among the city’s immigrants.

The anxiety has spilled into schools. Recently, Cristina said, she walked into a classroom that is usually filled but saw many empty seats.

“Because they just have not been coming in,” said Cristina, one of seven moms who work on parent mentor teams and talked to Chalkbeat on the condition that their full names not be used out of fear that federal agents might target them or people they support.

The moms, who joined the parent mentor program through a community organizing group, are part-time workers and volunteers; some work one-on-one with students during the week and others provide support to those volunteers. Since the stepped-up immigration enforcement campaign began, they’ve noticed fewer kids coming to school and parents worried about bringing them. They’ve heard from families afraid to leave home.

Even as these moms, many of whom are immigrants themselves, plugged away at their work in schools, they felt called to take on new responsibilities to help their neighbors feel safer.

One of the moms, Mary, helped spark the idea for a food drive at her school. Another has joined a grassroots rapid response team that is supposed to watch for federal immigration enforcement activity, including around schools. A third is giving kids rides to school. All have shared information with families about legal rights for people of varying immigration statuses across the community.

“I told my kids, ‘Look for the helpers,’ and normally you think that would be policemen, firemen — it’s not them. It’s us,” said Krystal, another parent mentor worker. “It’s the women on the street who are blowing the whistle. It’s the principal standing out front trying to make sure everyone gets picked up correctly and no one gets taken.”

How immigration enforcement is affecting Chicago schools

On the Southwest Side, signs of the immigration crackdown are everywhere. Federal agents took over a parking lot across from Back of the Yards High School, sprayed tear gas into crowds, and clashed with protesters, including an incident during which local elected officials said they detained students from Juarez High School.

In other parts of the city, agents have released tear gas near a Logan Square elementary school and during a Halloween parade and detained a day care teacher at a private child care facility. She was later released after a federal judge said her detention without bond was illegal.

The fear is palpable, the mothers who spoke to Chalkbeat said, and it feels like people are often targeted because of the color of their skin, regardless of immigration status or criminal background.

The specter of immigration enforcement activity in Chicago permeates social media and is present in conversations at school and work. The arrests of street vendors is particularly jarring in their culture, the mothers said, because it feels like agents are “attacking the weakest of us all.”

And it’s having a deep impact on children and schools, they said.

Several said they have reduced their daily routines, focusing only on getting to and from school or work. Some are afraid of dropping kids off to school. Teachers are helping give rides, and sometimes students wait for hours to get a ride home, some of the mothers said.

Attendance at CPS schools dropped after the immigration blitz was announced Sept. 8, a Chalkbeat analysis of student-level attendance data found.

Several of the mothers who talked to Chalkbeat described their own children who are CPS students growing more anxious about parents leaving home. Two said their children’s grades are dropping. A recent study of a school district in Florida linked a modest dip in spring test scores with Trump’s increased immigration enforcement policies.

When Mary tells her teenage daughter that she’s leaving home or attending a meeting, “she’s like, ‘Mom, no, don’t go, don’t go,’ or she’s sending messages [saying] ‘Where you are? What time you’re gonna come back?’”

At school, Mary said the presence of nearby trucks with blacked-out windows can spark panic among educators and families that federal agents are outside.

Another mother, who asked to be identified as Ms. Hernandez, said before this year, her son was interested in dance and theater and was known as a “politician” because he would talk to anyone. Since immigration enforcement has ratcheted up, he’s become more anxious, focused more on videos of federal agent activity on social media and keeping indoors.

The 14-year-old has started carrying a stuffed toy with him when he walks to “calm himself down,” she said.

Parent workers step up to help amid fears

The immigration crackdown has created a difficult balancing act for the moms in the parent mentor group, who are focused both on more stressful situations in their school roles and helping to protect neighbors.

That might mean helping guide other parent volunteers during the school day, then rushing out to the scene of a rumored ICE raid as part of a “rapid response team.”

Many Chicago communities, including those in wealthier, whiter communities, have set up daily watches for federal agents outside of schools, confronting agents when they pull people off landscaping jobs or in businesses or blowing orange whistles to alert neighborhoods about ICE activity. Involved parents are openly starting GoFundMe pages or gathering support for families whose relatives have been detained by federal law enforcement.

But on the Southwest Side, where so many people fear making themselves or their relatives targets, it can be difficult to get lots of people involved, the moms said.

At Cristina’s school, an organization passed out Know Your Rights cards and offered whistles during parent-teacher conferences. Many parents didn’t show up, and many of those who did did not want to grab whistles because they worried if they’d be “putting myself and my family in danger” by pushing back on federal agents, Cristina said.

Other times it’s hard to get families to open up and ask for help because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves or simply because they’re not used to relying on others, the mentors said.

“We got each other, but we’re also scared,” Krystal said. “We’re very, very scared.”

Still, the mentors have been checking in with the parents at their schools. They said they feel proud of what they and many others have done across the Southwest Side to help families feel safe: Preparing meals, giving people rides, sharing information.

Cristina created a binder full of information to share among families at different schools in the area, including on legal rights for people of various immigration statuses and family emergency plans if parents are detained. She’s encouraged the other moms to share whatever they feel is important for their school communities. Every mom said she distributed the information to parent volunteers and families in their schools.

Mary was getting grocery requests from mothers of young children. One of them said she didn’t want to leave home “because if they take me, what are they going to do with my kids?” Mary recalled.

She relayed those requests to a teacher at her school, who was also hearing from students that their families were in need of help with groceries. Together they came up with the idea of collecting donations for school families, she said.

Hernandez is part of a rapid response team. Last month, another mother’s daughter said she saw someone waiting for a bus detained by federal agents outside her home. That mother alerted Hernandez, who then informed her fellow team members. The team drove around the immediate area and nearby schools to see if any agents were nearby.

Sometimes, Hernandez is the one who checks for ICE agents when their team receives a report, she said. They recently received an alert of a local bread vendor getting picked up by agents; the woman was gone before the rapid response team arrived, Hernandez said. They couldn’t figure out her name, making it nearly impossible to figure out where she’s being held or how to help her.

When Hernandez meets with parent volunteers or goes home to her own family, “we have to put on our strong face,” she said.

But the work can take a toll. Sometimes when she gets back in her car after going to school, she’ll take a moment to cry. Then it’s time for the next task.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Immigration enforcement appears to hurt test scores, and not just for immigrant students: study

2025-11-10T06:14:55+00:00

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Dramatic increases in immigration arrests could be hurting students in the classroom, including U.S. citizen students from Spanish-speaking households.

A study released Monday as a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research uses test score data from a large countywide school district in Florida and immigration arrest data to track the impact of increased enforcement after President Donald Trump took office. Study authors David Figlio and Umut Özek found modest but noticeable declines in spring test scores compared with recent years.

The test score declines didn’t just affect foreign-born students. The effect, which was concentrated in high-poverty schools and among students who were already struggling, was similar for Spanish-speaking immigrant and U.S. citizen students.

That’s “compelling evidence” that students are affected by being part of a community that’s subject to more scrutiny and arrests, regardless of their own or their parents’ immigration status, said Figlio, a University of Rochester economist.

Florida students take state standardized tests three times a year, allowing researchers to see how students were doing before and after immigration enforcement increased under the Trump administration. The analysis found that each percentage point increase in immigration enforcement intensity reduced Spanish-speaking students’ scores on state tests by an amount equivalent to about 10 to 15 points on the SAT.

This decrease accounted for about 10% of the average test score gap between English- and Spanish-speaking students in the district, the study found. The study does not name the district; researchers often grant anonymity to districts and organizations in exchange for data access.

Higher-performing Latino and Spanish-speaking students largely maintained their scores when compared with peers from previous years, but lower-performing students did not.

“This is not turning a kid who was knocking it out of the park into a kid who is struggling academically, but it does appear to be a drag on kids who were already struggling,” Figlio said.

The study adds to a body of research that had already established wide-ranging effects of immigration enforcement on young people, from increased anxiety to higher dropout rates. But this new research reflects the impacts of much more intense interior enforcement efforts under Trump.

Increased immigration enforcement was also associated with a decline in disciplinary incidents for both Latino students and Spanish-speaking students. Figlio and Özek are not sure if this was because students tried to avoid getting in trouble, or if administrators responded with more leniency out of sympathy for student hardships, or if they wanted to avoid exposing students to law enforcement.

Figlio and Özek did not find significant impacts on students’ attendance in the school district they studied, but other recent studies have.

Thomas Dee, a Stanford University education professor, found a 22% increase in daily absences in the two months after a January immigration raid in California’s Central Valley, an agricultural region with large numbers of immigrant farmworkers. That was a sharp deviation from attendance patterns in previous years.

Absences were higher among elementary students, perhaps because parents worried more about being separated from young children.

Another recent study from Kirsten Slungaard Mumma at Columbia University’s Teachers College found increased absences among English learners in both Connecticut and Rhode Island.

In the past, including under the first Trump administration, interior enforcement more often took the form of large workplace raids, which might affect a large number of families in one community.

In recent months, federal agents have raided apartment complexes, arrested parents and teens outside school buildings, and recently dragged a Chicago child care worker from the center where she worked. The Trump administration did away with a longstanding policy that deemed schools and day cares “sensitive locations” where immigration enforcement was largely prohibited.

Administration officials say they are targeting violent criminals. Public records show that many of those detained have no criminal record or committed only minor offenses. ProPublica documented at least 170 incidents in which federal immigration agents detained U.S. citizens, sometimes for days.

“This is an era of immigration enforcement unlike any in recent memory in terms of its intensity and scope,” Dee said. From a research standpoint, acute events like the Central Valley raids are easier to study — there’s a distinct before and after — but immigration enforcement now is an “everywhere and always” phenomenon, he said.

Figlio and Özek try to account for that by tracking increases in immigration arrests by country of origin, identifying schools with a higher percentage of students from those countries, and comparing test scores in schools that serve more and less affected communities.

One Latino mother in Chicago, who lives in a part of the city that’s been targeted by federal immigration agents, said her son traditionally earned As and Bs and is taking several advanced courses this year as a high school sophomore. She’s now noticing more Cs. (Chalkbeat is not identifying the mother due to the sensitivity of her situation and privacy concerns.)

The family doesn’t go out as much, the mother said. Her son is watching videos of alleged ICE activity on social media, and hearing from friends who are worried their families will be targeted by ICE. One of her son’s teachers told her, “before he was more participative and turning everything in, and now sometimes he falls asleep,” she said.

Figlio said his study doesn’t tell us what U.S. immigration policy should look like, but it does point to places where students may need more support.

“Educators are responsible for educating all the students who go to school,” he said. “School districts might want to put more resources into schools that have a lot of foreign-born students and students from the countries that are subject to more enforcement, and not just for the kids who are foreign-born but for everyone.”

Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Reema Amin contributed reporting.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Indiana attorney general’s lawsuit alleges Indianapolis Public Schools hindered ICE

2025-11-06T21:54:22+00:00

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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita sued Indianapolis Public Schools over its policies on federal immigration enforcement, claiming the district thwarted an attempt in January to deport an IPS student’s father who wanted to leave the country with his son.

The lawsuit filed in Marion Superior Court on Thursday alleges that unlawful district policies limiting information and access to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement prevented the deportation of a “Honduran national” who agreed to leave the country under a voluntary deportation order.

An IPS student, the son of the Honduran national, went to school the morning of Jan. 8 in “apparent disregard of his father’s wish that they depart the country together,” the complaint states. ICE later contacted the district to “help the father take custody of his son” ahead of his deportation flight scheduled for that afternoon.

“IPS took the position that it would not release the child to an ICE officer unless the officer had a judicial warrant or other court order,” the lawsuit states. “ICE responded that it simply was asking that the son be released to the father so that they could depart the country as the father had agreed to do and that such action did not require a court order.”

It’s unclear whether the father and son left the country. In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said the agency could not provide the identity of the man referenced in the Indianapolis lawsuit due to privacy concerns.

The lawsuit challenges district directives to employees that restrict immigration enforcement officials from student information and physical access to school grounds. The lawsuit claims such policies violate state law, which prohibits governmental entities from restricting enforcement of immigration laws.

The legal action occurs as districts nationwide — some of which adopted policies designed to protect undocumented students during the first Trump administration — once again grapple with potential immigration enforcement on school grounds.

In January, the second Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era policy that classified schools as “sensitive” locations where enforcement should only occur under an imminent public threat.

The lawsuit follows a warning from Rokita in February in which he threatened legal action if IPS did not comply with immigration authorities. At the time, IPS said it was committed to fostering a safe, welcoming environment for all students and would comply with all state, local, and federal laws.

“Sanctuary policies are bad in any context, but they are especially troubling in our schools,” Rokita said in a statement Thursday announcing the lawsuit. “Schools across the country are vulnerable to infiltration by criminal illegal aliens—it’s happened in many other states—and it is essential that ICE be able to take action when that occurs to help keep our kids safe.”

In a statement, the IPS board said it is committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all students and will continue to uphold the law.

“While IPS takes all legal obligations seriously, we respectfully hope that all concerned parties will recognize the heavy burden that silly litigation and political posturing places on students, families, and taxpayers,” the board said. “Every dollar spent on defensive legal posture is a dollar not spent on instructional support, teacher development, student services, or enrichment. In this case, Mr. Rokita prefers those dollars go to fight gratuitous political battles, as has too often been the case.”

In a Thursday statement, the Indiana State Teachers Association also indicated opposition to Rokita’s lawsuit.

“Turning schools into extensions of immigration enforcement threatens that trust and undermines the learning environment every student deserves,” the union said.

Lawsuit: School district policies hinder immigration enforcement

The lawsuit takes particular issue with a resolution that the IPS school board passed in 2017 reminding employees not to assist immigration enforcement efforts “unless legally required and authorized to do so by the Superintendent.”

The lawsuit also claims that this year the district restricted staff from sharing information regarding a student’s immigration status with federal authorities. Last January, IPS said it would not let ICE enter schools without warrants.

The federal Families and Educational Rights Privacy Act, known as FERPA, restricts the ability of schools to provide student information to outside parties.

But Rokita has previously told the district that FERPA does permit the disclosure of some information, such as directory information, that could be related to a student’s immigration status. And school officials could still give consent for law enforcement to enter school grounds without violating the Fourth Amendment, his office has argued.

The district has also previously stated on a section of its website that it will not allow ICE officers onto school grounds without a judicial warrant. That section of the IPS website is still active, but no longer mentions the need for a warrant.

Rokita’s office alleges these policies violate state law. The complaint also states that school staff connected the student with a private immigration attorney.

The complaint does not say whether the IPS student was a U.S. citizen or had documentation of his immigration status. But it argues that ICE does not need a judicial warrant to make an arrest.

“Unquestionably, schools are locations that may be exploited and infiltrated by criminal illegal aliens,” the lawsuit states. “When that occurs, it is critical for public safety that ICE have the full cooperation of local school officials in ICE’s efforts to locate and arrest such aliens.”

The school board said in its statement that it has been collaborating with Rokita’s office to review relevant policies, but that Rokita permitted IPS only five business days to respond to his review.

The board said “these important issues deserve thoughtful, deliberative weighing of important legal rights — not impulsive, superficial efforts for political gain.”

“Additionally, IPS is deeply offended that the Indiana Attorney General persists in willfully dehumanizing our children and their families by labeling them as ‘aliens,’” the board said.

Undocumented students have a right to a public education under the Supreme Court’s 1982 ruling in Plyler v. Doe. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has argued that the Fourth Amendment protects students from unreasonable search and seizure, and therefore restricts ICE from entering the private areas of school grounds without a judicial warrant.

In January, Gov. Mike Braun reiterated support for federal law enforcement, issuing an executive order highlighting the state’s support for Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.

This story has been updated to include comments from the Indianapolis Public Schools board and ICE.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Families ‘horrified’ after daycare teacher pulled out of preschool by armed federal agents: parents

2025-11-05T23:42:37+00:00

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Federal immigration agents pulled a teacher from inside a North Center daycare Wednesday morning, causing a chaotic scene and “traumatizing” workers, parents and children, neighbors and officials said.

At least three agents showed up about 7 a.m. Wednesday at Rayito de Sol daycare, 2550 W. Addison St., where they detained a worker who cares for infants, witnesses said. A video shows them taking the worker out of the daycare while holding her arms behind her and at her sides, with screaming and shouting audible.

The agents had followed the woman as she drove to her job and chased her inside the daycare and preschool, Ald. Matt Martin (47th) told Block Club after the incident. The teacher got into the daycare’s vestibule, but the agents “tore her away,” Martin said. The agents, who were armed but did not draw their weapons, pushed other people who were looking to intervene, he said.

Agents also went into the daycare and preschool center to inquire about other staff, disputing a claim from a Homeland Security spokesperson that the officers did not “target” a daycare, elected officials said at a press conference.

Both incidents happened in front of parents and children, said Martin, citing video of the incident. Other workers became afraid to come in, and the center closed for the day, parents said.

“It’s some of the most chilling video footage I have ever seen, certainly in my time in office,” Martin said. “We are, of course, demanding that she be released immediately.”

The teacher who was taken works with infants at Rayito, and she is a mother, said Tara Goodarzi, a parent with a child at the center. Parents and officials said they believe the woman had permits to work in the country.

“I am horrified by what has happened here today,” Goodarzi said. “Our community has been shattered. Our families have been traumatized. The children were crying; the parents were crying.

“It’s a scene that I don’t think any of us have ever witnessed before and will ever forget.”

Children, teachers left ‘terrified,’ parents say

The immigration law enforcement operation caused a chaotic scene at the bilingual daycare and preschool, teachers and parents said.

Nathaniel Meadow, a parent at Rayito de Sol, said parents arriving during the incident left their kids in their cars “to spare them from their teachers crying.” A crowd of parents formed by the agents shouting “shame.”

Several teachers fled with a student and hid in a back of a pickup truck, “terrified of being found,” Meadow said.

“They weren’t sure what was going on. ICE, an attack on the school — they didn’t know,” Meadow said.

One Rayito teacher was working with a 3-year-old when the agents arrived, U.S. Rep Delia Ramirez said. The teacher took the young student and hid because the teacher “was afraid that she may die today,” Ramirez said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the local immigration enforcement campaigns, said agents attempted to pull over the woman while someone was driving her, but she proceeded to her place of employment. The woman who was arrested is from Colombia and does not have legal immigration status, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

“ICE law enforcement did not target a daycare,” McLaughlin said in a statement.

Despite the arrest occurring in the facility’s vestibule, security video from the incident shows the federal agents walking into other rooms throughout the daycare and preschool, according to Martin and Ramirez.

Ramirez said security footage from the center shows agents entering the building multiple times. Agents were also seen in footage questioning a worker and escorting them to their locker to “prove she has papers,” Ramirez said. Rayito has yet to release any security footage.

“They didn’t just walk in chasing one person, they went into multiple rooms asking and looking for teachers while children were present,” Ramirez said. “This is an agency that has gone rogue and it an agency that believes that as long as they can cover their face, they can get away with anything.”

The detention was “traumatizing,” said parent Abby Salat, whose son goes to the center. Salat said her husband arrived about 7:15 a.m. and said federal agents were gone by then.

“The idea of a child seeing their caretaker with whom they have a strong attachment to being taken away in distress, it’s going to impact every single child whether they saw it or heard about it,” said Salat, who works as a school psychologist.

Rayito de Sol is a Spanish immersion daycare and preschool with locations in Edgewater, Lincoln Park, Uptown and the suburbs. The Addison Street location sits across from Lane Tech High School.

Sarah Wirth said her husband was on his way to drop off their young son at the daycare when the parents were “bombarded with messages not to go.”

“Other teachers are not coming into work because they’re terrified,” Wirth said.

‘They’re Supposed To Be Going After The Worst Of The Worst’

Rayito parents, who have been communicating in group chats since the incident, believe the employee taken had legal documentation to work in the United States, Wirth said.

“These are human beings we trust to take care of our children every day,” Wirth said. ”We’re all shell-shocked.”

During a Wednesday news conference, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley said he and his colleagues are demanding the teacher be released. He said the teacher had a work permit. The congressman also said daycares, schools, shelters, churches and hospitals were considered sensitive locations and were protected from immigration enforcement under former President Joe Biden. President Donald Trump ended these protections in January.

“They can say they aren’t targeting a daycare, but that’s where they were this morning,” Quigley said. “They’re supposed to be going after the worst of the worst, if they’re now trying to tell us that what’s left of the worst of the worst is someone with papers whose educating kids at a daycare than I think everything they say comes into question.”

Parents have already organized a GoFundMe to help with the teacher’s legal fees. As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe had raised more than $10,000. Parents also started a Change.org petition calling for local and federal elected officials to take action and help get the teacher released.

Martin’s office is coordinating with other North Side groups to stage a rally against immigration officers targeting educators at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Northcenter Town Square, 4100 N. Damen Ave.

This story originally appeared in Block Club Chicago.

Attendance drops at Chicago schools in communities with increased immigration enforcement

2025-10-31T20:19:47+00:00

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At Mather High School in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood, music teacher Eriq Vazquez said as many as 10 of his students have told him they were staying home because of Operation Midway Blitz — the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the city.

Some students said they’re afraid of being picked up by masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents, he said. Others are babysitting younger siblings who are being kept home or are working extra shifts because their parents, who are undocumented, fear going to work.

In the four weeks since the start of the high-profile immigration operation, attendance at the 1,662-student school dropped by 4 percentage points — nearly three times the attendance drop citywide, according to data obtained by Chalkbeat through an open records request.

Similar attendance declines are playing out in other immigrant and Latino enclaves around the city, data show. Many families are scared of going to school as they curtail activities like grocery shopping or going to restaurants to avoid being detained by federal agents, according to nearly 20 interviews with parents, educators, public officials, and community organizers.

“It’s generated a great level of fear within families,” said Jeff Bartow, executive director of the Southwest Organizing Project, a community-based organization that operates parent mentor programs in 19 CPS schools.

“Do I take my child to and from school, or do I find someone else they can walk with?” he said, describing the questions he’s heard from parents. “When do I come, when do I go? ”

The fear of immigration enforcement is especially intense during school dropoff or pickup, with multiple people comparing it to the anxiety of leaving home during the COVID-19 pandemic. School staff and district officials are trying to calm fears and make sure immigrant students don’t fall behind. But there are signs that many students — like those in Vasquez’s class at Mather — are staying home.

During the first month of school this year, student attendance across all CPS schools was about the same as it was last year, according to data Chalkbeat obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and analyzed.

But in the second month, after the Sept. 8 announcement of the immigration sweeps, attendance rates dropped by 1.25 percentage point — more than double the drop in attendance between the first and second month of school the last two years, according to Chalkbeat’s analysis.

What’s more: 38 of Chicago’s 77 official communities saw attendance drop more sharply than the district; about 40% of those are home to large immigrant or Latino populations.

CPS officials said the attendance rate among English language learners, many of whom are immigrants, also dropped by 1.3 percentage points during the first nine weeks of this school year compared to the same period last year.

The immigration crackdown in Chicago has garnered headlines across the country for federal agents’ aggressive tactics and military-like scenes playing out in residential neighborhoods. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino has drawn scrutiny from a federal judge over tear-gas usage and told WBEZ some of the agency’s arrestees were targeted, in part, based on “how they look.”

Some students have protested against ICE. And a few immigration enforcement actions involved young people, including two high schoolers being detained and released by federal immigration agents last week, according to local elected officials.

Other U.S. school districts are reporting attendance drops coinciding with Trump’s second term and more aggressive immigration enforcement. A recent Brown University study found “significant” drops in average monthly attendance and increases in chronic absenteeism among Connecticut’s English learners since Trump’s inauguration in January. A Stanford University study found an average 22% increase in student absences after the inauguration in a California region with many Latin American immigrants.

Asked to respond to criticism of ICE agents and the idea that their presence could impact student attendance, an ICE spokesperson said, “The reality is simple: if you are not breaking the law, you have nothing to fear. If you are, the responsible choice is to self-deport rather than continue placing your children in harm’s way and disregarding their well-being.”

Several Chicago Board of Education members are advocating for a remote learning option in response to worries about student attendance, which CPS has so far declined to do.

Vazquez said he tells students that school is the safest place to be and has sometimes suggested they make a plan, such as walking to Mather with a friend.

“I haven’t come up with anything that can totally stomp out those fears,” said Vazquez, the music teacher. “I’m not a parent, but maybe if I was, I would be thinking twice about sending my kid to school, especially if they had my skin color.”

Several Latino communities saw school attendance drop more sharply after Operation Midway Blitz started

Of the 38 communities seeing bigger attendance drops than the rest of the district after Operation Midway Blitz was announced, include Belmont Cragin, Albany Park, Pilsen, Little Village, and Back of the Yards — all places where ICE activity has been reported.

Many of the immigrant and Latino communities that saw drops in attendance during the second month of school this year also saw attendance decrease during the same period last year. Just three saw attendance drop by as much as they did this year.

The absences raise fresh concerns about student learning and mental health, especially for English learners, who on average perform behind their peers academically.

Mary Ann Fergus, a spokesperson for CPS, said the district told school staff and principals in September that they can allow excused absences for “circumstances that cause reasonable concern for a student’s mental, emotional, or physical well-being.”

Under this policy, students can make up missed work, and “teachers are instructed not to penalize students for excused absences related to these concerns,” Fergus said.

Chicago schools encourage attendance for immigrant students but acknowledge fears

Alejandra, a mother of three kids in Pilsen who asked that her full name and immigration status be concealed out of fear of being targeted by federal agents, has lived in the U.S. for 18 years, most of that in Pilsen, one of the city’s Latino strongholds.

Pilsen is in a community area that saw attendance drop by slightly more than the drop citywide after Operation Midway Blitz began. Alejandra said she already pulled her kids out of outdoor sports in the fall fearing potential run-ins with ICE agents. She and other neighborhood parents she knows are hesitant to send their kids to school, she said through a Spanish translator.

Alejandra’s children are U.S. citizens, but she said she’s still worried given reports of citizens being detained. Her teenage daughter goes to school and an internship by herself.

“My fear is that one day my daughter doesn’t come home,” she said through tears.

About 10 miles northwest, in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood, the attendance rate at Henry Lloyd Elementary School, which is usually stable this time of year, dropped by nearly two percentage points during the second month of school – after immigration enforcement ramped up – compared to the first, data show.

Residents and community groups have reported seeing ICE agents on the Northwest Side since Operation Midway Blitz began, including at a Home Depot in Belmont Cragin, an area that saw the attendance drops larger than schools citywide.

Laurel Salgado, Lloyd’s principal, said he had heard about ICE activity about one-and-a-half blocks away from the school. The possibility of encounters with ICE is scaring parents, he said.

One mother told Salgado that relatives or neighbors help her with tasks that require leaving her home, such as grocery shopping. Salgado explained that it’s important for her kids to attend school. She responded, “‘You don’t understand my situation … because you’re not undocumented,’” Salgado recalled.

Some parents and teachers push for virtual learning, but CPS is hesitant

Salgado, who just celebrated securing a Spanish dual language program at Lloyd, is exploring ways to encourage fearful parents to send their kids to school, such as sending staff to help pick up or drop off students.

“We don’t want kids to fall behind,” Salgado said.

Alejandra, the mom from Pilsen, said she planned to ask CPS for a remote learning option so that kids can receive instruction from home and not get marked absent if their parents are fearful of taking them. Other parents and some school board members have called for the same.

The Chicago Teachers Union, which has advocated against aggressive immigration enforcement, has asked the district to open more seats in its Virtual Academy.

In a statement to reporters, the district said the Virtual Academy serves about 500 students who have specific medical needs and provides nearly 3,000 others with part-time accelerated courses, such as algebra.

“While CPS can explore expanding this model in the future, it would not effectively meet the needs of English Learners or other populations most affected by federal immigration activity,” Fergus said.

CPS would otherwise need the governor to declare an emergency, similar to the pandemic, to allow a remote learning option for other students, Fergus said. She added that remote learning “brought real challenges for our students — from learning loss to increased feelings of isolation and stress” during the pandemic.

In Chicago’s historically Mexican-American neighborhood of Little Village, mom Ana Espitia asked her son recently if any of his classmates have been absent. The kids he named were mostly newcomer immigrants, she said.

Espitia hopes to create a “walking train” at her school, where parents who feel comfortable can escort kids of parents who are afraid of being stopped by ICE.

Other schools have created their own walking trains. Many also have staff and volunteers who stand outside during arrival and pickup with whistles to alert people about possible ICE presence.

One of those schools is Mather. Over the past two months, Vazquez, the Mather music teacher, said he and more than a dozen of his colleagues have distributed information to students and families about their rights with immigration agents and volunteered their time to monitor for ICE activity during arrival and dismissal.

About a month and a half ago, two Mather students heading to school were briefly stopped by federal immigration agents as they left the shelter they live in, Vazquez said. Staff wondered if telling the school community would cause panic. But they also wondered what they could do to prevent other students from being stopped by federal agents.

The answer, Vazquez said, is “not a lot, which makes it really, really hard.”

After the incident happened, he recalled, many teachers stopped their lessons and went over “Know Your Rights” slides with their students instead.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Memphis school board expands student busing to reduce absences caused by increased immigration enforcement

2025-10-29T02:06:11+00:00

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Memphis school leaders are planning to expand student bus services to combat attendance drops caused by the recent surge of law and immigration enforcement in the city.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members voted unanimously during a meeting Tuesday to approve the resolution, which says the deployment of the Tennessee National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement this month has “created a climate of heightened fear and anxiety for many students and their families leading to significant increases in absences from school.”

“This is not just about expanding a bus route; this is about protecting lives and families,” said board member Michelle McKissack.

There haven’t been any reports of ICE activity on Memphis school campuses. But MSCS educators told Chalkbeat Tennessee that parents and students are afraid of being detained by ICE while traveling to and from school buildings. That’s caused Hispanic students in particular to miss class in recent weeks or withdraw from school.

The resolution hopes to curb those attendance effects by expanding bus eligibility to students living less than two miles away from their school building. Previous district policy designated those areas as a “parent responsibility zone” for transportation.

Superintendent Roderick Richmond is tasked with developing an emergency plan and budget for increased bus service in the next 30 days. It’s unclear how much the expanded program will cost or how many additional buses will be needed.

During public comment, dozens of Memphis educators and community organizers pushed the district to adopt the protective measure for students and families. Lucero Amador, an MSCS kindergarten teacher, said she sees patrol cars parked along the street when she leaves work each day.

“A couple of families have withdrawn their students and claimed they’re going back to their home countries,” she said. “The students that do attend are living in fear.”

The resolution says Richmond will also lead a study on the long-term feasibility of expanded bus routes, including cost and legal parameters.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

ICE agents detain Colorado teacher after routine immigration appointment

2025-10-28T22:37:10+00:00

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A fifth grade teacher from a metro Denver charter school was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week.

The teacher is now being held with family members, including minor children, in a Texas detention center, according to a letter sent to school staff by Stacy Bush, principal of Global Village Academy-Douglas County in Parker.

The teacher was arrested with her family on Friday during a routine immigration appointment at a Centennial ICE office, the letter said.

Michael Henderson, executive director of Global Village Academy Collaborative, which oversees the Parker school and two other Colorado locations of the language immersion school, said in a statement that the network had inspected the teacher’s employment documentation forms and conducted a background check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

“This employee has a valid employment authorization document, authorizing her lawful employment in the United States, with any U.S. employer through the spring of 2029,” he wrote.

The teacher is from Peru and has taught at Global Village Academy-Douglas County since July, according to a LinkedIn account that matches her name. Chalkbeat is not naming the teacher to protect her privacy. The school’s Douglas County campus offers language immersion programs in Spanish, French, and Mandarin.

Global Village Academy Collaborative is one of several plaintiffs in a recent lawsuit against the Trump administration over a federal plan to charge $100,000 for each worker on an H-1B visa, a type of visa that allows American companies to employ foreign workers in certain jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

President Trump unveiled the proclamation on H-1B visas on Sept. 19, with the new rule taking effect on Sept. 21. The lawsuit was filed in early October by Democracy Forward and other legal organizations on behalf of groups that represent nurses, doctors, teachers, college professors, researchers, and religious workers.

Henderson declined to comment on whether the teacher is an H-1B visa holder.

The lawsuit is ongoing, but the Trump administration recently appeared to ease the new visa rules. Updated language on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website suggests that generally the $100,000 fee may not apply to people already in the United States who are changing from certain immigration statuses to H-1B visas.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

In increasingly Hispanic Memphis schools, immigration enforcement surge brings fear, absences

2025-10-28T22:29:00+00:00

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Memphis educators say Hispanic students are showing up to class distressed and distracted, or not showing up at all, in the wake of a controversial federal law and immigration enforcement surge in the city.

The full impact on Memphis-Shelby County Schools is not yet clear. The district has not released complete attendance data for October, though leaders indicated there hasn’t been a sharp decline in attendance in the last few weeks. But educators say effects are being felt in classrooms at an increasingly diverse Memphis school system.

Board member Amber Huett-Garcia said multiple high school teachers told her that students “have just stopped showing up.”

“And they’ve stopped going to extracurricular activities, because they don’t want to be out of the house,” she added.

Nationwide, the increase in immigration enforcement has disproportionately affected Latino communities. Nearly one in five MSCS students is Hispanic, compared to just over 11% in 2014, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Education. And in local charter schools, the number of Hispanic students has more than doubled in the past decade.

One MSCS teacher in a predominantly Hispanic charter school said a parent pulled her child out of school entirely because of concerns about immigration enforcement.

“She sent me a message and just said that she was scared, that they were in a difficult situation and they would have to leave the city,” said the teacher, whom Chalkbeat is not naming due to her concerns about protecting her students. “They withdrew the next day.”

Now, some state and local immigration advocates are pushing district leaders to create “safe buffer zones” and increase busing to ease concerns about students and families encountering immigration officials on the way to and from school.

Last week, Huett-Garcia pressed MSCS leaders for attendance numbers and asked about resources available for concerned families. Superintendent Roderick Richmond said the district hasn’t put any new support measures in place because he hasn’t heard reports of ICE activity on school campuses.

But Memphis educators and local officials, including Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, say ICE agents are targeting Hispanic residents and focusing on neighborhoods where they live.

“Every single day this week, I have seen pickup trucks with the label ‘Border Patrol’ on Summer Avenue,” Huett-Garcia said. “When there are outside factors that affect our attendance, we should know and be aware of that. Our kids feel safe in our buildings, it’s just getting to and from those buildings.”

Memphis educators: Classes are emptier, students more fearful

In the past month, hundreds of federal and state agents, including from the Tennessee National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have arrived in Memphis in a push President Donald Trump has said is meant to reduce violent street crime.

Tennessee and Memphis Republicans have backed Trump’s law enforcement surge, arguing increased law enforcement is needed to address longstanding crime issues within the city.

“For too long, citizens of Memphis, Shelby Co, and West TN have dealt with the ravages of out-of-control crime,” Rep. Mark White, a GOP state lawmaker from Memphis, said in September. “We must fix this problem now and get routine offenders off the streets to save our city.”

State Democrats and local leaders have sharply criticized the National Guard deployment and the increase of federal agents in the city, saying the moves trample local authority and lack transparency concerning who’s arrested. Preliminary data suggested a majority of the task force’s arrests have been for non-violent offenses and immigration-related charges, the Commercial-Appeal reported this month.

In other cities subject to the Trump administration’s federal deployment, ICE has detained students. Chalkbeat reported the detainment of at least one public school student, a U.S. citizen, in Chicago, and the arrest of a 16-year-old student in New York last week.

There have been no reports that Memphis students have been detained, and no reports of ICE activity in Memphis schools. But Huett-Garcia said she talked to one MSCS teacher last week who cried with a student for hours because two of their family members had been detained that day.

“Memphis is in this state of reality now where people are disappearing,” she said. “As a community, as a country, we have to answer, ‘Are we OK with that?’”

The MSCS teacher at the predominantly Hispanic charter said she’s had “all time low” attendance this month. For three days in a row, 25% of her students were not in class, she said. When her young students do show up, she said, they’re “extremely scared” and distracted.

“My students are telling me that they miss their mom, that they want to go home even early in the day,” she said. “It’s been constant.”

During an October school board meeting, Stacey Davis, director of enrollment and attendance, said there has not been a “significant difference” in student attendance since the National Guard arrived on Oct. 10. Chalkbeat Tennessee requested individual school attendance data last week, but the district said it couldn’t provide that information until late November.

One principal of a predominantly Hispanic school in Memphis said attendance is “hit or miss,” with families deciding to send their children based on what they see on the news or hear through their network.

“Parents are fearful about being out, dropping off their kids, picking them up, so they’re keeping them home more frequently,” the principal said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to protect their students’ privacy.

Meanwhile, the MSCS charter teacher said the threat to students and their families “can be paralyzing when you don’t have access to the right training.”

Could MSCS do more in response to ICE?

Although she said immigration enforcement is “outside of our control or jurisdiction,” Huett-Garcia said she’s open to working with county and city government officials to brainstorm creative solutions, especially when it comes to transportation barriers.

And she said she wants to hear from teachers about support they need, including grief training.

In Chicago, some board members and educators are calling for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to permit an emergency switch to virtual learning, although Pritzker has expressed skepticism about the idea. Chicago Public Schools has also sent out messages assuring parents that school buildings are safe from ICE interference and reminding them of their rights.

But in other communities, many support efforts are happening on a school-by-school basis.

MSCS does have a list of parent rights and resources on the district website when it comes to immigration issues. But the elementary teacher said district leadership should offer teacher training on how to interact with federal agencies, even outside of school grounds.

“Realistically, I’m not expecting ICE to show up at my door and try to take away one of my students,” she said. “What I am expecting is for them to wait down the street and arrest a parent at a traffic stop, because that’s what we’re seeing happening.”

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

16-year-old Bronx high schooler arrested by ICE at check-in

2025-10-24T21:30:47+00:00

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A 16-year-old public high school student in the Bronx was arrested at a check-in with ICE agents in Lower Manhattan on Thursday — marking the latest in a growing number of children and young adults swept up by the Trump administration’s deportation dragnet.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the teen’s arrest in a statement Friday. Joel Camas, a student at Gotham Collaborative High School, was being held at an Office of Refugee Resettlement youth shelter in The Bronx, his attorneys said.

Joel, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador in 2022, had been living with relatives after his mother recently self-deported, according to his attorneys.

The New York Times, which wrote about Joel’s case ahead of his appointment this week, first reported his arrest at that appointment.

Joel came to the U.S. fleeing gang violence with his mother in 2022, according to the habeas writ. The two didn’t have a lawyer, and lost their asylum cases and were ordered removed by an immigration judge in February of 2024, his attorneys said. Joel was later connected to legal resources, who applied for other relief as he was still a minor, which he was granted in family court this past April.

Despite that protection, however, ICE still required him to report to the agency for a check-in where he was arrested on Thursday.

“His mother self-deported to Ecuador, and Camas remained in the USA alone as a minor. Fortunately, now Mr. Camas will be reunited with family,” Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement confirming his arrest.

When THE CITY then asked about Joel’s SIJS status, McLaughlin replied only that “he has a final deportation order.”

According to Joel’s lawyers at the NYCLU and The Door, who filed an emergency writ of habeas corpus Friday seeking to have a federal judge halt his deportation and order his release, Joel had qualified for Special Immigrant Juvenile status in April. That means a state family court judge and the federal government had agreed he had been “abused, abandoned, or neglected” by one or both parents and thus might qualify for lawful permanent residency.

“ICE’s actions of arresting a child – with legal status reserved for particularly vulnerable minors – at a routine check-in is breathtakingly cruel and a clear violation of U.S. immigration law and the Constitution,” said Elizabeth Gyori, senior staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union. “When the Trump administration punishes children with lawful status for following the rules, it turns our justice system into a farce.”

Once a person qualifies for SIJS, it can take years to secure a green card due to a backlog tens of thousands of people long, and a limited number of these types of visas issued each year.

The Biden administration had halted deportations of these young people saying DHS’s resources were better spent on “higher priority cases, such as noncitizens who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security.” But the Trump administration withdrew that directive in June, prompting immigrants rights groups to sue, in a case that is ongoing.

“Many young people with special immigrant status are getting detained all over the country,” said Beth Baltimore, the Deputy Director of Legal Services Center at The Door. “It’s not something we’ve seen before.”

The Trump administration, Baltimore said, is effectively “saying they don’t have any protection — that’s it. Sorry.”

Nicole Brownstein, a spokesperson for the city’s Education Department, said the agency was “very saddened” about Joel’s arrest. “This is a student who should be at school today with his classmates,” she added.

An expanding dragnet

While immigration courthouse arrests in New York City have targeted adults and unfolded in public courthouses often in view of court watchers and photographers, ICE agents have arrested dozens of children behind closed doors at ICE check-ins, which occur either inside the agency’s offices at 26 Federal Plaza, or at one of three satellite offices ICE operates through a subcontractor.

ICE data from the Deportation Data Project shows federal agents in the New York City area arrested 48 children in June and July as part of a wave of immigration arrests across the country. Of those children, 32 have already been deported. More than 60 children born after 2008 between late January and late July. More recent data is not yet available, in part because of the government shutdown.

Among them have been a number of public school students including Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, Joselyn Chipantiza-Sisalema, Dylan Lopez Contreras.

In August, the summer THE CITY reported on the case of a 6-year-old and her mother who were arrested at an ICE check-in at 26 Federal Plaza. The mother and daughter were swiftly sent to a family detention in Texas before they were deported to Ecuador days later.The Trump administration has announced other efforts to target young immigrants, including a new effort targeting unaccompanied immigrant youth turning 18, encouraging them to leave the country with cash payments of $2,500.

Chicago student, a U.S. citizen, detained for hours by federal immigration agents, alderman says

2025-10-24T00:24:41+00:00

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A junior at Benito Juarez High School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood was detained by federal immigration agents for several hours Thursday while at the scene of a Little Village protest, according to local elected officials.

A second Juarez student was briefly detained at the same protest and went to the school afterwards, but then went home, said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who held a press conference to denounce the arrests.

Both of the students are U.S. citizens and have been released, the alderman said. The two students’ names have not been released.

“This is not even about immigration,” Sigcho-Lopez said during the press conference, which he held outside the high school. “This is about crushing dissent.” He added that the immigration agents were “terrorists coming and attacking our neighbors because of how we look.”

The arrests came on the same day some Chicago school board members called on CPS to provide virtual learning due to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s aggressive presence in the city. But CPS says it cannot offer such an option unless the Gov. JB Pritzker declares a state of emergency.

Intensifying federal immigration arrests and activity in Chicago over the past month have affected school age children and their families. School staffers have reported ICE activity near schools, including the deployment of tear gas, prompting an outcry from the mayor and local leaders. Some families, staff, and elected officials say they’ve heard that attendance has dropped at some schools due to fears of ICE enforcement during pickup and dropoff.

Data obtained by Chalkbeat shows attendance from the first month of school was the same across the city as the same time period last year, at about 92%. But more neighborhoods are seeing attendance dip compared with last year, including neighborhoods that are heavily Hispanic and have many immigrants. The district has not yet provided data for the second month of school, when ICE activity grew more intense.

Community organizations as well as elected officials have also organized school patrols to track ICE activity and report it to families.

The arrests apparently happened at the scene of a protest against federal immigration enforcement in Little Village, a heavily Mexican and immigrant neighborhood, near 27th and Whipple streets, where immigration agents carried out arrests Wednesday, according to Sigcho-Lopez and his staffer.

U.S. Border Patrol agents were accused of deploying tear gas at the Thursday morning protest in violation of a federal judge’s order, the Tribune reported, which also reported that a 16-year-old Juarez student was arrested at the scene.

A video taken by a staffer for Sigcho-Lopez shows U.S. Border Patrol agents arresting a person whom the staffer identified as one of the two Juarez students detained by federal agents.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tanya Roman, a spokesperson for ICE, which is a separate agency, said ICE agents were not involved.

CPS did not comment. But a district spokesperson forwarded a letter to reporters from Juarez’s principal, Juan Carlos Ocon, who said that “a member of our school community was impacted” by nearby federal enforcement activity, and that the incident did not happen on school grounds. Ocon’s statement did not mention a second student being detained.

It’s unclear what time Thursday morning the arrests happened, but the video shot by Sigcho-Lopez’s staff was taken at around 10 a.m., according to a time stamp. Sigcho-Lopez said the students were on their way to school, and his staffer said it’s possible the kids stopped to participate in the protest.

A separate Instagram video circulating online shows multiple federal agents firing objects toward a crowd of people in an unknown location, then pulling a young person to the ground and handcuffing him. The Instagram account identified the person as a Juarez student. The person taking the video repeatedly yelled at the agents and said, “He’s a kid!” Later, the person asked, “What are y’all arresting him for? What did he do?”

A total of four Juarez students were at the scene of the protest, and two who were not arrested went to school afterwards, Sigcho-Lopez said.

In his email, Ocon wrote the school has mental health resources available for students, and reminded families that schools do not allow federal agents to enter school without a criminal warrant signed by a federal judge.

“I know this situation has created many fears and concerns in our community, and I want to emphasize that we are taking this situation extremely seriously,” Ocon wrote.

Juarez teacher Mary Winfield said one of the arrested students is a junior who is committed to his school work. While he was not arrested on school grounds, the experience will traumatize the student and spread “through the school community,” she said.

“Students share photos, students share texts, they talk, they know what’s going on,” Winfield said. “It impacts their lives, filling them with stress and it makes my job harder … it makes learning nearly impossible.”

Multiple elected officials, including two school board members, denounced the arrests and broader immigration enforcement at Thursday’s press conference.

Emma Lozano, an appointed member of the Chicago Board of Education who represents the Pilsen neighborhood where Juarez is located, said she wants to see local and state authorities arrest federal immigration agents for what she described as unlawful enforcement activity.

“There is no due process,” Lozano said. “We have U.S. citizens being picked up, we have minors being picked up, so this is absolutely wrong.”

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

When will Chicago schools have a noncitizen advisory board?

2025-10-09T19:07:07+00:00

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As federal immigration agents ratchet up enforcement in Chicago, some advocates and parents are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to abide by state law and create an advisory board focused on the needs of noncitizen students and families for Chicago’s school board.

Illinois state lawmakers required the creation of a Chicago Board of Education Non-Citizen Advisory Board when it established an elected school board for the city under legislation passed in 2021. Lawmakers sought to provide the school board with an advisory panel focused, in part, on improving the outcomes and experiences of noncitizen students and sharing the perspectives of noncitizen parents, who cannot vote in school board elections. The law does not prevent U.S. citizens from serving on the advisory board.

But nearly nine months after the new school board was sworn in, the mayor has not yet established the noncitizen advisory board. State law does not specify a deadline for creating the board or how many people the mayor should choose.

“The current situation we’re living through with the heightened ICE raids in the city have proven why we need to have this advisory board — to be able to advise the school board and the CPS district on how to handle things like this,” said Jessica Cañas, chief of community engagement for Kids First Chicago, a parent advocacy group that helped push for the creation of the advisory committee.

In a statement to Chalkbeat, mayoral spokesperson Griffin Kreuger said Johnson’s office has hosted four meetings with “partners” about the establishment of the committee. He said the office is working to finalize an application for the board, including translating it into multiple languages. The office is also taking additional steps to ensure people’s safety, but did not share more details.

“Due to increased tensions driven by federal immigration enforcement the City has taken added precautions to uphold the safety of our partners,” Kreuger said.

The law doesn’t specify who should be appointed to serve on the board.

Both the noncitizen advisory board and the Black Student Achievement Committee, mandated by Illinois lawmakers in 2024, could run afoul of the Trump administration, which said it will pull $20 million in magnet school funding over multiple years for CPS, in part, because of a district plan to improve outcomes and support for Black students. The administration claims that the plan violates the civil rights of students who aren’t Black; CPS says the administration has not provided evidence of civil rights violations.

The Trump administration has also slashed funding for a federal office that focused on serving English language learners and rolled back guidance about the rights of English learners, many of whom may be noncitizens or have parents who are noncitizens.

Yesenia Lopez, an elected school board member who has been tracking how immigration enforcement is affecting schools in her district, said “it’s crucial” to create this advisory board in order for the school board to hear directly from immigrant students and their parents. But she noted the district is in a precarious position: The city is required to launch this board per state law, but it “contradicts what the federal government wants from us.”

Parents fearful amid federal immigration activity

Stepped-up raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents have put Chicago’s immigrant communities on high alert. During a school board meeting Wednesday, two parents raised concerns about immigration enforcement and said there was a need for a virtual learning option due to fears of ICE enforcement during school pickup and dropoff.

Other parents who spoke to Chalkbeat in favor of establishing the advisory board also called for the option to attend school remotely, and the teachers union previously called on the district to have a virtual learning option ready for families who want it. Asked Thursday if CPS should consider offering remote learning, Johnson said “we may have to explore and look at other ways in which we can keep people connected until we fully defeat the tyrant that is in the White House.”

Five things to know about immigration policy and Illinois schools

Board member Jitu Brown said school is the safest place for kids and it’s important for communities to be informed of their rights. But, he said board members have raised the question of remote learning to interim CPS CEO Macquline King, and that CPS shouldn’t table that possibility if that’s what many families want.

Elected officials and community organizations have launched school patrols during dropoff and pickup in certain neighborhoods to help alert families if federal agents are spotted nearby. After ICE raided a South Shore apartment building last week — an incident cited by a federal judge in a ruling that found ICE was making “warrantless arrests” in Chicago — and federal agents reportedly lobbed tear gas near a school in another incident, local elected officials and the union called for more support for immigrant students and their families.

CPS officials have emphasized that school is the safest place to be, and federal agents are not permitted in school buildings unless they have a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. District leaders have so far not offered remote learning options. Chicago schools, like many across the country, saw significant academic declines and negative impacts on student mental health between 2020 and 2022 when the COVID pandemic moved most learning online.

Advisory board should have been established sooner, some parents say

Valentina, a former CPS parent and longtime Chicago resident who is interested in joining the noncitizen advisory board, said immigrant family concerns could have been shared earlier and in a more formal way had the board been established.

“All children should have the opportunity that their parents raise their voice for equity,” Valentina, who is on the Kids First Parent Advisory Board, said through a Spanish translator. Chalkbeat is using a pseudonym for Valentina, who is not a U.S. citizen, because she is fearful of identifying herself publicly.

She added, “It doesn’t matter if the children come from a family that is a mixed family, like parents who have asylum, parents who have no status, parents who are not refugees — all children have a right to education.”

In a separate statement, Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden said there will be updates on the application process for people interested in serving on the noncitizen advisory board in the “coming weeks.” He said the school board is committed to launching the advisory board, as well as the Black Student Success Committee and a committee focused on special education.

“The Board is making every effort to protect partners and stakeholders, and it supports the Mayor’s Office in doing so as well as they advance the work for the Non-Citizen Advisory Board,” Harden said.

Brenda Rivera, who also sits on the Kids First Parent Advisory Board, said one way to navigate those concerns is appointing both citizens and noncitizens to the board, and those who are comfortable can speak on behalf of people who are fearful of speaking publicly.

Norma Rios-Sierra, an appointed school board member who is also tracking immigration-related concerns, said she and some of her colleagues are interested in creating an “ad hoc committee” where board members can receive more information on how CPS is responding to immigration concerns and discuss other issues related to “crisis planning,” including the possibility of virtual learning.

Lopez, the elected school board member, said establishing the noncitizen advisory board right now should be done carefully in order to protect parents who are interested in it. She also wondered how the state might support Chicago if the Trump administration tries to penalize the city for establishing the committee.

“How can the state step in to provide financial support if we get more funding cut?” Lopez said.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Amid ICE activity, CTU and elected officials call for community to protect students, families

2025-10-02T23:24:02+00:00

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In the wake of aggressive immigration enforcement in Chicago, some elected officials and union leaders are calling on the community to help protect immigrant students and their families.

Chicago Public Schools is also reminding families that it doesn’t collect immigration information and that parents should provide emergency contact information to schools.

The messages from CPS, the Chicago Teachers Union, and state and local elected representatives came after a mother and her children, ages 8 and 3, were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Millennium Park over the weekend. Their comments also come after federal agents rappelled onto an apartment building in South Shore on Tuesday, where ICE arrested more than 30 people. Many migrant families have settled in the South Side neighborhood in recent years.

Chicago Public Schools did not say whether South Shore-area schools had planned or offered additional support for their students this week after the raid.

During a press conference Thursday outside of Roosevelt High School in the immigrant-rich neighborhood of Albany Park, teachers and elected officials reported ICE activity and arrests in the neighborhood Wednesday, including near schools. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not confirm whether ICE detained anyone near the school or elsewhere in the neighborhood.

“I am standing here with educators, teachers, school clerks, teachers assistants, social workers and nurses to say that again … They are not welcome to pick up parents and detain them after they drop their children off at our schools. They are not welcome in our neighborhoods to terrorize, to ask for papers,” Stacy Davis Gates, president of the CTU, told reporters.

In a Wednesday letter to CPS families, interim CPS CEO Macquline King said teachers do not ask students or families for immigration status, and CPS does not share student records with ICE or other federal representatives without a court order or consent from the student’s guardian. Her letter also reminded families that schools do not allow federal agents inside without a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge.

Five things to know about immigration policy and your rights

Evelyn Gonzalez, a teacher and CTU delegate at Roosevelt, said teachers volunteered to stay late at the building Wednesday for kids who felt safer staying back.

“There were businesses offering refuge in case we needed it, and there were neighbors from our community stepping up to make sure our students were safe walking home,” Gonzalez said. “I hope that we can stand together and that we can care for each other.”

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez, whose ward includes Albany Park, said she closed her office early Wednesday so that she and staff could help monitor school dismissal. Her office and community organizers were able to gather 50 people in about two hours who would help “notify the community” in case ICE agents showed up, she said.

State Sen. Graciela Guzman told reporters that the children and mother arrested at Millennium Park have been released, and the 8-year-old girl went to school Thursday, crediting advocacy from the community. A federal judge ordered that both are protected from deportation for now, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“She went to school today and she played in her playground today,” Guzman said.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Dylan, Bronx high schooler detained by ICE, loses asylum case, faces possible deportation

2025-09-24T21:45:54+00:00

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Dylan Lopez Contreras, a Bronx high schooler arrested by federal immigration agents in May, was denied asylum and ordered to be deported back to Venezuela, his attorneys said Wednesday.

His legal team from the New York Legal Assistance Group, or NYLAG, plans to appeal the decision made Tuesday by a Newark immigration judge and push for his release on bond. The appeal will stop the deportation process, and Dylan will remain detained in a Pennsylvania facility.

Dylan’s lawyers have 30 days to file the appeal.

“It’s certainly not the outcome we were hoping for and not the outcome he deserves,” said Lauren Kostes, a NYLAG attorney, adding that evidence was “overlooked and ignored.”

Four months ago, Dylan showed up at his routine immigration court date at Manhattan’s 26 Federal Plaza and became the first known public school student to be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Dylan’s case, which was first reported by Chalkbeat, offered a stark example of how the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown affected New York City school communities — and how educators have tried to reassure families with mounting deportation fears. Dylan’s school, ELLIS Preparatory Academy rallied to his defense, connecting his family with legal support, raising money, and sending him letters, while also trying to reassure its other students who feel threatened by the current political climate.

Several schools across the five boroughs have since grappled with detentions of their own students, including Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, Brooklyn’s Frontiers High School, and P.S. 89, a Queens elementary school that saw a 6-year-old student deported to Ecuador.

The Education Department said they could not share how many public school students have been detained by ICE, especially since they do not track or ask families to disclose country of origin or immigration status.

But hundreds of young people in New York City have been caught in the federal government’s wave of arrests: About 275 people in New York City who were born in 2004 or later have been detained by ICE, according to government data provided by ICE in response to a public records request to the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by Chalkbeat.

Whether someone wins or loses their asylum case, Kostes said, might depend on the luck of the draw in terms of their judge, which “demonstrates a lot of the problems with the immigration system.” In Dylan’s case, his judge had a 95.8% denial rate, Kostes said, noting that the judge’s ruling was not public.

“You can have wildly different interpretations of the same law by different judges,” she said, “so different judges can have wildly different grant rates.”

Immigration Judge Maria Akalski, who oversaw Dylan’s case, had a much higher asylum denial rate than judges nationwide, according to an analysis of 2019-24 data by the nonprofit Transactional Records Clearinghouse.

The appeal process might also be challenging.

The Trump administration has fired many immigration judges, Kostes said, and many in the legal community worry that the firings have targeted those who tended to have higher asylum-granting rates.

Crackdown brings immigration slowdown

When Dylan made the trek from Venezuela across the U.S. border in April 2024 he requested asylum and was permitted to enter the country and work under a Biden-era humanitarian program. The 20-year-old made his way to New York, enrolling in ELLIS Prep, which typically serves older students who have been in the country less than a year. Dylan picked up a part-time job as a delivery worker to help his mom who worked multiple jobs. He helped her save enough money so they and Dylan’s two younger siblings could move out of a city-run shelter and into their own apartment.

Kostes said Dylan did everything right but was still being punished.

“Even with cases that should win under the law, they are not winning,” Kostes said. “It’s doing what it’s supposed to do, which is convincing people to leave and convincing people to stop fighting and convincing people to get out. And that’s heartbreaking and horrifying because they’re getting sent back to places they fled when they had a right to stay.”

President Donald Trump campaigned on promises of mass deportations and has made immigration a focal point of his second term. In his inaugural address, he pledged to return “millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” In the months that followed, many immigrants without legal status and without criminal histories — like Dylan — have been detained across the nation at routine immigration hearings.

Department of Homeland Security officials have criticized former President Joseph Biden’s policy allowing immigrants like Dylan to enter the country, saying previously, “ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.”

The federal government’s approach has dramatically slowed immigration into the country. In July, the number of immigrants unlawfully crossing the U.S.-Mexico sank to a historic low. New York City saw the effects in its shelter system: In the same month, the rate of new migrants entering city-run shelters dropped to fewer than 100 per week from a high of more than 4,000 per week two years before.

A photo of Dylan Lopez Contreras before he was detained by ICE agents.

Dylan has spent most of these past months in Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest detention facility in the Northeast. Many have been calling for the facility’s closure, following a federal complaint filed over insufficient medical and mental health care and inadequate translation services.

Dylan recently told Chalkbeat he remained committed to learning English and continued to hold out hope to pursue a college degree in the U.S.

“This unjust detention has frustrated and paralyzed my education and effort momentarily,” Dylan wrote in Spanish a few weeks ago in response to questions Chalkbeat sent through his legal team. “But it won’t make me give up on working hard toward my educational goals.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Two mothers and Trump’s Head Start rule: Child care shortages meet anti-immigrant politics

2025-09-15T12:00:00+00:00

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Solangel, a Venezuelan immigrant, is the mother of a 7-year-old who blossomed at the Head Start preschool program he attended in a Denver suburb.

He received therapy for his speech delay, came out of his shy shell, and grew to love books.

Her son is a U.S. citizen. But Solangel fears the Trump administration’s plan to bar undocumented children from the federally funded preschool program will hurt other children.

“They are little ones,” she said. “They need their education.”

But Carmit Poyras, a Sacramento mother, supports the new Head Start policy. She believes undocumented immigrants may be taking seats from citizens like her 7-year-old son, who spent around two years on Head Start waitlists when he was younger.

Poyras sees providing Head Start to undocumented children as irresponsible largesse.

“Are you going to go out and treat all of your coworkers to lobster and champagne … and come home and tell your child, ‘Oh sorry, I don’t have food for you’?” she said.

The two mothers represent opposite sides of a debate that came to a head in July, when the Trump administration unveiled a new policy barring undocumented children from Head Start. The announcement upended 60 years of precedent and played up a message that resonates with many Americans, including Trump’s base: Undocumented immigrants are taking scarce resources from citizens.

But in practice, the new Head Start policy may free up relatively few spots. And some providers fear that it will become harder to serve the most vulnerable children and families due to new logistical hoops.

The new policy, which is currently blocked by injunctions in two separate lawsuits,, comes after the White House made a short-lived push to cut all Head Start funding and disrupted the program in other ways. The administration has also pushed to make life in the U.S. more uncomfortable or wholly untenable for certain immigrants.

Advocates say that barring certain immigrant children from Head Start could keep them from learning English, getting developmental screenings, and preparing for kindergarten. But the ripple effects might not stop there.

“A lot of these attacks on public benefits, they are branded as being about … immigrants that supposedly are taking from the native-born population,” said Valerie LaCarte, a senior policy analyst at Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. “But really what they do is that they are weakening the social safety nets for low-income people overall.”

Head Start has historically welcomed undocumented children

Since it was established by the federal government in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start has never required families to prove citizenship or divulge immigration status.

In fact, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, which serves about 25,000 young children, is specifically designed to serve the children of migrant farm workers, many of whom are immigrants.

Even when a landmark 1996 welfare reform law barred undocumented immigrants from getting most forms of government assistance, including child care subsidies, nothing changed for Head Start.

Walter Gilliam, executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, said the 1996 law treated the two programs differently because they have different histories and goals.

Child care subsidies, which help low-income families pay for child care, were “designed specifically and solely to support the employability of the parents,” he said.

In contrast, Head Start focuses on child development. Edward Zigler, one of the architects of Head Start, drew heavily from his own experiences as an immigrant child who benefited from the services offered by settlement houses, said Gilliam, who counted Zigler as a mentor.

There’s no solid data on how many Head Start seats are occupied by undocumented children.

On the low end, Trump administration officials have estimated that 12,000 of 719,000 Head Start participants, or 1.7%, are undocumented. On the high end, their estimate is 115,000 participants, or 16%.

Lisa Stone, executive director of Tri-County Head Start in southwestern Colorado, said she doesn’t know how many of the 275 children served by her program may be undocumented.

“If a child is living in the United States of America and they are income eligible, there’s no questions asked” about immigration status, she said. “I think that’s been a beautiful part of this program.”

U.S. Health and Human Services officials said in a press release the new rule barring undocumented participants from Head Start, would take effect immediately and provide an additional $374 million annually worth of Head Start services to Americans.

But the government’s own analysis and legal and regulatory filings suggest a much more modest impact.

For example, two-thirds of Head Start are programs run by charitable nonprofits, which are exempt from verifying immigration status under the 1996 welfare reform law. And Head Start is still open to some non-citizens, including immigrants who have been granted asylum, refugees and six other categories of “qualified aliens.”

Even for Head Start programs that are subject to the new rule — those run by public schools, cities, and counties — government lawyers wrote in court filings that there’s no danger of “sudden and major disruption.” That’s because students who are already enrolled in Head Start can stay enrolled through the year.

But some Head Start families and providers are already reacting out of fear.

Parents in multiple states have disenrolled their children from Head Start or declined services to avoid providing their home address, according to a recent court filing. In addition, some nonprofit Head Start providers are already trying to verify immigration status by checking birth certificates even though they’re exempt from the rule.

Although the rule technically took effect in mid-July, the government has yet to issue instructions explaining how to implement it.

Nationwide, there are far more children eligible for Head Start than available Head Start seats. But the new rule alone won’t solve that problem.

In fact, the Trump administration’s own analysis finds that verifying immigration status will cost providers money, reducing some new seats made available by excluding undocumented children. Some U.S. citizens may also struggle to provide the right documents.

Meanwhile, providers with low enrollment could be forced to close.

Two mothers, two different paths for their children

Poyras, the Sacramento mother, was eager to get her son into Early Head Start when he was 2.

“I was so excited,” she said. “I heard so many good things about the program from the beginning.”

But her son, who has a speech delay and learning disabilities, never got off the Early Head Start waitlist. When he turned 3, he started on a new waitlist for Head Start. When he finally was offered a seat, Poyras turned it down because her son, then 4, would have had a long bus ride to a neighborhood she didn’t consider safe.

Poyras, a single mother, now homeschools her son. She doesn’t know for sure that undocumented children are the reason he waited so long waiting for a spot.

But she’s heard people in her school district, San Juan Unified, say things like, “The school has so many immigrant children … and like, the schools are full and the waitlists are long.”

Solangel, the Colorado mother, took a plane to the United States with her family in 2018 and sought asylum. Water and electricity outages were routine in her native Venezuela, and there were always long lines for food and gas. Speaking out often led to political persecution, she said.

“You don’t have any lifestyle,” she said. “It’s just like doing lines and just waiting.”

The youngest of her three children, the one who participated in Head Start, was born here in 2019. Solangel, a single mother, is now a citizen.

Today, Solangel runs a maternal mental health program in the Denver area. She always recommends Head Start to her clients, who include many immigrant mothers. (Chalkbeat is not using Solangel’s last name due to privacy concerns.)

“If you start segregating immigrants like me, that is so bad,” she said. “It’s a fact that the migrants, they contribute a lot [to] this country,” she said.

Trump administration decisions put Head Start’s future in doubt

Polls show that many Americans oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to access public benefits, though they don’t ask specifically about preschool. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reflected that sentiment when he announced the rule change.

“For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration,” he said in a July press release.

In reality, there’s little evidence that migrants are uprooting their lives for Head Start or other programs, said Cassandra Zimmer-Wong, an immigration policy analyst at the center-right Niskanen Center

“To suggest that it’s a pull factor for migrants, I think is pretty ridiculous,” she said.

Rather, the rule change on Head Start represents “low-hanging fruit” that can make Trump’s base feel like they’re getting a win, she said.

Neal McCluskey of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, agreed with Zimmer-Wong that Head Start and other welfare programs are not the main draw for immigrants. That said, he cited a famous quote from the economist Milton Friedman: “It’s just obvious you can’t have free immigration and a welfare state.”

Conservatives who have the president’s ear have long called for getting rid of Head Start entirely. In a draft budget proposal earlier this year, the Trump administration proposed cutting all Head Start funding, before backpedaling and proposing level funding at $12.3 billion.

But the new rule is among a host of recent disruptions, including sudden funding freezes, mass layoffs of federal workers, and closures of five regional Head Start offices that are undermining the program.

“They’re not eliminating the program at the federal level, but it’s like, community by community by community,” said Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, senior vice president of national policy at Start Early, a Chicago-based Head Start grantee.

But McCluskey, director of Cato’s Center for Educational Freedom, said that Head Start is “not something the federal government should be doing.”

To Gilliam, the new Head Start rule would send negative effects rippling beyond undocumented children to their families and the broader community.

Amid the “national debate over who is entitled to what,” he said it’s easy to lose track of what the nation gains from programs like Head Start.

“It’s important to all of us to have families that are well functioning, to have children who are growing up succeeding and are likely to be contributing members to the American society,” Gilliam said.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

In his own words: Dylan reveals what it’s like for the high schooler 3 months into his ICE detention

2025-09-12T21:10:07+00:00

Leer en español.

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Three months in detention have taken a toll on Dylan Lopez Contreras, the New York City student arrested by federal immigration agents in May.

But letters from his classmates have been a balm, he said in an interview with Chalkbeat, the first he’s given since his arrest.

“The letters I have received and the support I’ve been given have kept me going,” the 20-year-old said in Spanish, responding to questions in writing through his attorneys at the New York Legal Assistance Group. “Still, it is extremely stressful and distressing. I have seen fights, racism, and even death. It has given me many nightmares.”

Dylan turned himself in at the U.S. border in April 2024 after a trek from Venezuela. He requested asylum and was permitted to enter the country, making his way to New York and enrolling in ELLIS Preparatory Academy. He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in May at a routine court date and has spent most of the past three months at Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest detention facility in the Northeast.

Chalkbeat broke the news of Dylan’s arrest, which became a vivid illustration of how the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is playing out in New York City and affecting students. Chalkbeat has also chronicled how the students and staff at ELLIS, a Bronx high school school that enrolls students who have been in the country less than a year, rallied to his defense, raising money for his case and sending him letters.

Dylan Lopez Contreras in an undated picture before he was detained.

“I never imagined I would receive so much support,” Dylan wrote. “Honestly, it felt very beautiful and hopeful.”

Dylan’s asylum case continues Monday, when he is expected to be back in immigration court. The hearing could determine whether he’s released from detention or deported.

Hundreds of young New Yorkers detained this year

When President Donald Trump took office, he vowed to “begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” Months later, many immigrants — who, like Dylan, were without legal status but also had no criminal histories — were detained at Lower Manhattan’s 26 Federal Plaza and other courthouses across the nation at routine immigration hearings.

The Trump administration has described that as a “common-sense” approach, enabling them to find their targets without having to fan out into neighborhoods, and said they are fulfilling the promise of mass deportations that fueled Trump’s campaign victory.

Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to questions about Dylan’s case or Moshannon Valley.

Since ICE detained Dylan in May, other arrests of New York City youth — and deportations — have followed.

The city’s Education Department said they could not share how many public school students have been detained by ICE, especially since they do not track or ask families to disclose country of origin or immigration status.

This year, ICE has detained about 275 people in New York City who were born in 2004 or later, according to government data provided by ICE in response to a public records request to the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by Chalkbeat. Most of those detained were male, and roughly two-thirds were from Latin America. Three- and 4-year-olds were among those detained from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, and Venezuela.

In August, a 6-year-old who attended P.S. 89 in Queens was deported to Ecuador with her mother, according to reports. That same month, Mamadou Mouctar, a 20-year-old from Guinea who attended Brooklyn’s Frontiers High School, was detained. As in Dylan’s case, educators and city leaders spoke out in support.

From Bronx classroom to detention cell

Dylan said his days at Moshannon Valley have been monotonous: late night and early morning head counts and trying to make little noise to avoid being told by the other 60 or so people in his cell to be quiet. (Hundreds of protesters gathered near the facility last month calling for its closure, following a federal complaint filed against Moshannon Valley over insufficient medical and mental health care and inadequate translation services.)

“The majority of the people here are depressed,” Dylan wrote. “They spend most of the time talking about their last, or next, court decision, their family outside, or the injustice of being here.”

Dylan Lopez Contreras was dedicated to his studies and supporting his family.

Before Dylan’s arrest, he was focused on his studies and helping his mom care for his two younger siblings, in part, through the money he made working as a delivery driver. He was busy making friends at ELLIS, sharing his arepas at lunch with them. He said he hoped to continue learning English to pursue a degree in the U.S. — a goal he said he still plans to work toward.

“This unjust detention has frustrated and paralyzed my education and effort momentarily,” Dylan said. “But it won’t make me give up on working hard toward my educational goals.”

Dylan dreams of a day he might be released and be able to hug his family, eat good food, and sleep well. He also joked about having to make up ground after losing his 230-day Duolingo streak.

Dylan said he wanted Trump to remember that immigrants contribute to the economy, and he argued that the money being spent on an immigration crackdown could be dedicated to other things like education. At the start of the summer, Congress approved a spending bill that set aside an unprecedented $170 billion for immigration enforcement.

“I understand the president’s point of wanting his country to be better, but he must remember that this is a nation of migrants, built by them,” he wrote.

It’s possible that Dylan’s hearing on Monday will not yield an immediate outcome, members of his legal team said. The team plans to present detailed testimony and evidence supporting his asylum claim, which could extend the timeline for a resolution. There’s also a chance he could remain in detention if he wins asylum, but the Department of Homeland Security files an appeal. He also could appeal if he’s denied asylum.

Chalkbeat Senior Data Editor Thomas Wilburn contributed.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.

ICE ships 7-year-old Queens student and mom to Texas detention, prompting school principal’s plea

2025-08-15T22:05:50+00:00

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A 7-year-old student at P.S. 89 in Queens was detained along with her 19-year-old brother and their mother at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan this week — the first known ICE arrest of a New York City child under the age of 18 during the second Trump administration.

Within a day, the mother and girl were sent to a family detention center ICE recently reopened in Texas — separated from the 19-year-old, who was held inside the agency’s ad-hoc lockup on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza before being sent to Delaney Hall in Newark as of Friday morning, according to court records and one attorney working with the family.

The Ecuadorian mother of four, Martha, whose last name THE CITY is withholding due to the precarity of her situation, lived in Jackson Heights with 19-year-old Manuel and the 7-year-old girl. Martha’s two other children, a 21-year-old son, Kevin, and a 16-year-old daughter, came to the United States separately and were not required to attend the ICE check-in this week.

In a letter shared by the family’s lawyer, Laura La Sala, the principal of P.S. 89Q: The Jose Peralta School of Dreamers, begged ICE for her student’s release.

“She is a kind, respectful, and dedicated young lady. Her unexpected removal will cause significant disruption to her learning and will likely have a deep emotional impact on her classmates and our entire school community,” La Sala wrote. “She belongs with her family and her classmates, where she can continue learning and growing.”

The principal didn’t respond immediately to a request by THE CITY for additional comment.

Astrid Avedissian, an immigration attorney working on behalf of Martha’s 16-year-old daughter, said her client, who is also a public school student in Queens, is grief-stricken.

“She’s here with an older sibling who is barely an adult,” Avedissian said, adding that the 16-year-old high schooler, now in the care of her 21-year-old sibling, spent Wednesday evening weeping in her law office.

“The heartbreak of this torn family, with its unprotected and traumatized and jailed children, was overwhelming.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that runs ICE, hasn’t responded to THE CITY’s request for comment on the three family members’ arrest.

This is the first immigration arrest of a New Yorker under the age of 18 this year that THE CITY has been able to corroborate through legal advocates, family members, and ICE and immigration court records.

But ICE arrest data obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request by the Deportation Data Project shows that the New York City field office, which covers parts of Long Island and several counties north of the city, arrested 48 children in June and July as part of a wave of immigration arrests across the country. Of those children, 32 have already been deported.

Martha and the two children she was arrested with at the ICE check-in arrived from Ecuador in 2022. Kevin joined the family a year later, making the journey alone at the age of 17. Her now 16-year-old daughter arrived in 2024, also making her way to the United States border alone.

A judge denied Martha’s asylum claim in June of last year and issued an order to remove all three family members from the country, court records show. The family tried to appeal the decision, but their former attorney filed the paperwork too late, Avedissian said. A judge refused to consider the appeal, dismissing it last December.

“It’s unjust, we were trying to do things the right way,” Patricio, Martha’s boyfriend of three years, said in Spanish. THE CITY is withholding Patricio’s full name due to his immigration status.

“It’s a trap for people,” he said, adding both he and Martha worked long hours at a shoe and clothing factory in Manhattan where they met. “We’re people who came to work, but this is what we’re going through.”

From check-ins to lockups

Uproar has been mounting over ICE’s arrests of New York City students over the age of 18 at what had been routine immigration court hearings, most recently the arrest of 20-year-old Mamadou Mouctar Diallo. Those courthouse arrests in New York City have thus far not targeted children.

But Mariposa Benitez and Melisa Velez, the founders of Mitlalli NYC, a volunteer detention support network for the families of people arrested at ICE check-ins and immigration courthouses, said that ICE sometimes targets children for arrest at check-ins, where people may already have orders of removal from a judge. While adults can be trapped in detention centers for months, ICE has few family detention centers, meaning the agency often targets people it intends to deport swiftly, sometimes within days.

Benitez and Velez said they’ve seen five other families with young kids arrested at ICE check-ins at 26 Federal Plaza in recent weeks — all of whom have since been speedily deported. The group launched a campaign to pressure ICE to release Manuel.

Nicole Brownstein, a spokesperson for the city Department of Education, said when the agency learns a student has been detained, it tries to connect families with legal support.

“New York City Public Schools stands with all of our students, and we are committed to supporting every child and family in our system,” she said. “We want to reassure all families: our schools are safe, welcoming places, and we encourage you to continue sending your children to school, where they are cared for and valued.”

‘We didn’t know what happened to them’

Immigration courthouse arrests have unfolded in recent weeks before droves of volunteer court watchers, journalists, and photographers. These have exclusively targeted adults.

But ICE check-ins are a much quieter affair. Many days of the week, even on weekends, a line of adults and families wait outside 26 Federal Plaza, to be let in to check in with ICE office on the ground floor, before being ushered to the agency’s offices upstairs. Some never leave on their own accord.

ICE has three satellite offices — one in Fordham in the Bronx, one in Jamaica, Queens, and one across the street from 26 Federal Plaza on Elk Street in Lower Manhattan, where people also report regularly to the agency and private contractors working on its behalf.

Some people showing up have longstanding removal orders and have reported annually to the agency for years, assuring ICE they are still leading law-abiding lives. Others still have pending asylum claims and are newly required to check in with ICE.

Soon after President Donald Trump took office, immigrants described being ordered to show up more regularly for ICE check-ins, sometimes several days in the same week. Arrests at these check-ins have occurred sporadically since. THE CITY witnessed one spree in early June, observing over 30 arrests over the course of two days at the Elk Street office across from 26 Federal Plaza.

In the weeks ahead of Martha’s ICE check-in on Monday, she was not herself, Kevin told THE CITY in Spanish. Kevin’s last name is also being withheld because of his own pending immigration case.

“For almost a month now, I almost didn’t recognize her,” he said. “She was so depressed, crying.”

Kevin spent the past week staying with his mother and younger siblings in Jackson Heights. He had a few days off from the restaurant where he works in Patchogue, L.I., and lives with relatives there. He did his best to cheer her up. “‘Nothing bad is going to happen,’” he consoled her.

Martha’s family attended one mandatory appointment Monday at the Queens office, but officials there told her to show up the next day to 26 Federal Plaza with her two kids.

On Tuesday, Kevin stopped hearing from his mother. Instead, he got an urgent text from his 19-year-old brother saying that he’d been detained and separated from their mother and youngest sibling.

“I lost contact with her, I didn’t know if they were OK. My little sister, my brother, I didn’t know where they were,” Kevin recalled. “I couldn’t sleep, because we didn’t know what happened to them.”

The next morning Martha called Patricio from Texas. Patricio said the family is grappling with how to move forward.

“I wish the government would have a little compassion with people who came to work. Because some people are doing bad, we’re all playing,” he said. “Think of the children, the women, all of us.”

Border agents detained this Vermont superintendent. This is his story.

2025-07-29T10:00:00+00:00

Wilmer Chavarria was 5 when he began selling bread with his mom on the streets of Ocotal, Nicaragua, in the country’s northern mountains.

“We tried to do whatever we could do to survive,” said Chavarria, whose family had been displaced during Nicaragua’s bloody civil conflict. “That’s how I grew up. So when I think about the communities we are trying to protect now, to me, they’re not hypothetical.”

Chavarria, now 36, leads the Winooski School District in Winooski, Vermont, near Burlington. The district serves about 800 students, including many immigrant families who fled war, persecution, and poverty in their countries of origin.

Last week, Chavarria, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was traveling back from visiting his family in Nicaragua when he says federal agents detained him without explanation for hours at Houston’s international airport. Officials separated Chavarria from his husband and demanded access to his personal and district-issued devices.

Chavarria granted them permission to review his personal data — emails, texts, and photos — but explained that federal law prohibits him from releasing student information without a judicial order or a guardian’s consent. He also cited Winooski’s new sanctuary district policy, which limits federal agents’ access to school buildings and student data.

To gain entry to his devices, “They threatened me with sending me to the FBI, with making me lose my job, with tainting my record, so I would never get another job. They threatened me with extended detention,” he said.

Chavarria said he did not grant agents permission to review district files, but he fears student information may have been compromised while they searched his devices.

A spokesperson with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, did not respond to questions about why Chavarria was detained and whether or not agents agreed not to access student data on his devices. In an emailed statement, the spokesperson said that inspections at ports of entry help combat serious crimes and that travelers are treated with dignity.

“All travelers entering the United States are subject to inspection, a process that can take time depending on the circumstances,” he said. “These essential inspections safeguard national security. CBP cannot disclose information that could compromise law enforcement intelligence.”

In an interview, Chavarria told Chalkbeat about his recent ordeal, why he pushed for Winooski’s sanctuary district declaration earlier this year, and how his detention will change his advice for immigrant families.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why was it important to you to make Winooski a sanctuary school district?

It only made sense for a school district that is the most diverse in the state to also be the one advancing policies that tell our families that we got their backs. And we’re not going to break the law by any means, but we’re not going to willingly compromise their information and their rights.

Not everyone in the community was on board, though. What kinds of pushback did you hear?

There were multiple things, the first one being, “Why are you calling attention to yourself? You’re just going to get Trump angry, and he’s going to take away funding from you.” Our response was, “He’s going to take funding away from us anyway.” So we’re not going to comply in advance. We’re not going to be cowards just because we want to keep the money.

The second argument was that this was not really a problem, that there’s already a law that protects student privacy. They said talking about this only causes more fear.

The whole point of being a different school district is to affirm how our students are unique and make policy and create practices based on that uniqueness. There are things we have to say out loud. And when you say, “You’re just going to create fear,” I’m like, “The people I’m talking to right here in my office are already terrified,” and the least we can do is send a message that we are with you.

You travel to Nicaragua to see your family regularly. What was different this time around?

I usually go through the Global Entry line because for years I’ve had Global Entry. You go for interviews and submit documentation, so I’ve always been a low-risk traveler and have never had to spend more than a few seconds at a port of entry. I didn’t expect anything different, especially being a U.S. citizen and doing this trip multiple times a year.

But this time, they stopped me in the line and called for someone to escort me into an interrogation area. [It seemed] clear that I was in the system before I even got there, but they didn’t disclose the reason.

They start separating me from my spouse, and my husband is saying, “We are married; we should not be separated unless he is being charged with something.” And the officer looks at us like he doesn’t believe us, like with a face of disgust.

I was sent into detention with no access to a phone call, no access to lawyers, no access to communications with anyone, and no access to any of my electronic devices. My husband was sent outside the airport, and every time he tried to come back to look for answers, he was met with extreme verbal aggression and intimidation. He just waited in the baggage claim area for four to five hours with no communication from me, no idea what was going on. That is the definition of psychological terror.

What were your worst fears in that moment?

My family has survived war, survived the worst that humans can do to other people. So being disappeared is not a new thought to me. And so I was less afraid about my physical safety and being disappeared than I was about what would happen to my family and to my spouse, who is outside, terrified, not knowing what’s happening to me. I was afraid of what this would mean for my mother. And I was afraid of what this would mean for the families and the students whose information might be compromised.

You said the officers who detained you tried to access your personal and district-issued devices with protected information on them. What did you tell them?

I continued to say, “I am consenting for you to search through my personal data, from texts to pictures to files to emails. You may not do that for our district data. You may not look through family or student information.”

Did they end up looking through your devices?

They did get access to the devices. They were the ones who finally said, “We promise you we’re not going to look through district files.” So I thought they were going to look through my devices, and I was going to see what they were looking through, but no. They took the devices away, and when they came back, maybe an hour later, I just had to take their word for it. … I’m not going to assume that they didn’t look through district data.

Did you tell your school community about a possible exposure?

After I was released, that same night, I wrote a lengthy letter to the school board, letting them know what had just happened, that the district information may have been tampered with. As soon as I arrived back to Vermont, I began to change my passwords.

The community has been informed … and is rightly very much concerned. The school district is calling on the different authorities to investigate this and to take very seriously the fact that student and family information may have been compromised and accessed illegally, when there was at no point consent for that to be the case.

Will your detention change what you tell your students?

I’m now finding out that my high school students knew better than I did because before this happened to me, I would have students in my office saying, “My family or myself, we’re thinking of traveling, but not sure. What do you advise us?” They saw me as someone who knows about immigration things, because I am an immigrant.

I would say, “Do you have a U.S. passport?” If they said yes, I would tell them, “You have nothing to worry about. You have constitutional rights, and you may not be denied entry into the United States, so please don’t worry so much.” My advice to students is definitely going to have to change because I have nothing but conviction now that having a U.S. passport and being a U.S. citizen doesn’t guarantee you rights.

Can you tell me about what brought many of your immigrant students and their families to Winooki?

We do have a high percentage of immigrant communities who are refugees from areas of conflict, who have gone through political situations that make it no longer safe for them to be in their home country. We have students from multiple African countries that have been or are going through terrible things. We have families from Syria. We have families from Nepal or Bhutan, who may be stateless. We have people from Latin America, fleeing persecution or extreme poverty. We also have people of privilege in their home countries who decided they want to immigrate to the United States and now live in Winooski. So it’s as diverse as it comes.

I know many school districts are doing Know Your Rights workshops for immigrant families. Are you planning anything like that this coming school year?

We’ve done multiple Know Your Rights workshops. We have an education station in the lobby of the district [office] with Know Your Rights materials in all the languages we serve. We have a home visiting program where we send a liaison who knows about rights to people’s homes to have conversations with them. There’s so much that we’ve been doing the past eight months or so that other districts, both in the state and across the nation, reach out to us for advice.

Last month [before I was detained], we were already preparing the agenda for the staff convocation for the opening of the school year. And the main thing, instead of bringing in a speaker, what we are doing is bringing students from different migrant communities to talk about the background of our communities and what geopolitical dynamics brought them here. Every staff member will be asked to rotate through two different language communities and learn about the history of those communities here in Winooski.

As someone who chose to immigrate to the U.S., to make your life here, to make your career here, how are you processing what happened to you last week?

I feel sad because I do not feel safe here. Every chance some people get to tell me that I don’t belong here and that I’m not wanted, they use it. But I feel even more saddened for the country as a whole, even people who are not immigrants, because we’re already in new territory where the character of the nation has been compromised, and where this country is almost unrecognizable. I think it’s not going to be too long until it’s too late to fix.

Gabrielle Birkner is the features editor and fellowship director at Chalkbeat. Email her at gbirkner@chalkbeat.org.

After a child care worker is detained by ICE, a community is left reeling

2025-07-21T22:14:56+00:00

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This story was produced by The 19th and is republished under a Creative Commons license. Sign up for The 19th’snewsletter here.

Two years ago, Nicolle Orozco Forero walked into an in-home day care in Seattle, Washington, looking for a job. She was barely 22, a whole five feet tall — if that. But she was calm, focused. Her presence struck the owner, Stephanie Wishon, because it’s not easy to find qualified staff who can work with children with disabilities.

Orozco Forero had experience working with kids who had autism back in Colombia, so Wishon had her come in for a trial run and hired her after the first day. The children, who needed someone who had love and care to give in abundance, gravitated toward her. She was good at the hardest stuff. She changed diapers and outfits the moment they were soiled. She was vigilant; her kids stayed pristine. And she got them to do the things they wouldn’t do for other people, like say “ah” when it was time to get their teeth brushed or sit still long enough for her to twist a braid down their back.

Some people just have that way about them.

And people like Orozco Forero are exceptionally rare. Already, the staffing shortage in child care is near crisis levels. It’s far worse for children with disabilities — about a third of those families say they face significant difficulty finding care for their kids, partly because there are too few people with the ability, expertise or desire to work with their children. Immigrant women like Orozco Forero have been helping to fill that void. They now make up 20% of all child care workers.

At home, Orozco Forero was also caring for her own young boys, one of whom started to show symptoms of a serious illness over the past two years that doctors have not yet been able to diagnose. She took some time off to care for him last year before returning to the kids at Wishon’s day care.

Her work has kept an already precarious safety net together. Without women like Orozco Forero, families who have nowhere else to turn for care have to make difficult decisions about how to survive and keep their children safe. Without her, the safety net snaps.

And that’s exactly what happened on June 18, the day she was detained.

Routine immigration check-in upends family’s life

It was supposed to be a routine meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Orozco Forero and her husband had been to all their monthly meetings for the past year and change, since their asylum charge was denied in April 2024.

The family — Orozco Forero; her husband, Juan Sebastian Moreno Acosta; and their two sons, Juan David, 7, and Daniel, 5 — fled Colombia two years ago. Moreno Acosta, a street vendor, had been persecuted by gangs who target vendors for money.

After arriving in the United States, they sought the help of a lawyer with their asylum claim, but when they couldn’t pay his full fee ahead of their hearing, he pulled out. They represented themselves in court and lost the case. With no knowledge of the U.S. court system, they didn’t know they had 30 days to appeal the ruling, either. Ever since, ICE has been monitoring them, requiring they wear a wrist tracker and meet with an immigration officer once a month, sometimes more, according to a family member. (The 19th is not naming the family member to protect their identity.) It’s unclear why ICE has allowed them to stay in the country all this time, though it’s not necessarily uncommon; ICE typically prioritized immigrants with felonies for deportation.

Orozco Forero had seen the reports of undocumented immigrants being rounded up at their immigration appointments. President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort has led to the detention of about 30,000 migrants with no criminal record, like Orozco Forero, who now make up about half of those detained. Her husband does have a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol on his record, but he completed a court-mandated alcohol course for that and has no other convictions.

Still, Orozco Forero wasn’t worried when she headed to her appointment on the morning of June 18. If ICE planned to detain her, Orozco Forero thought, they would have asked her to come with the boys, right?

And she had been doing everything right: She’d gone to all her appointments, taken documentation to show she was going to school at Green River Community College taking courses in English and early childhood education. She had completed a child care internship that trained her to open her own licensed in-home day care. Her licensure approval was set to arrive any moment, likely that same week, and the day care was just about ready to go.

But that morning, her family was still wary, asking her to share her location just in case.

Shortly after 10 a.m., Orozco Forero texted her family member: “They are going to deport us”

“Nicolle what happened? Nicolle answer me,” they texted back. “What do I do?”

“I can’t speak I feel like I’m going to faint,” Orozco Forero replied. And then: “I’m sorry it wasn’t what we expected.”

Detention disrupts a sick child’s care

Two-and-a-half hours west, on the coast of Washington in a town called Southbend, Wishon was frantic. Orozco Forero had texted her, too. ICE was asking for the boys.

In two years, Wishon had grown incredibly close to Orozco Forero, who had cared for her own kids. After her family moved to the coast, Wishon rented out her house in Seattle to Orozco Forero, whose boys were excited to have a home with a yard.

Wishon’s husband, Gabriel, hopped into his truck and headed to Seattle. Wishon, meanwhile, got on the phone with the Orozco Forero family’s ICE agent and every lawyer she could. They were going to take them into detention at a facility 2,200 miles away in Texas, a facility that was reopened earlier this year by the Trump administration to detain families. Wishon wanted to find a lawyer who could stop the deportation order, and she wanted to make sure the boys would be reunited with their parents if they took them to meet the ICE agent.

And that was especially important, not just because they were young children, but because Juan David is still sick.

Nicolle Orozco Forero’s sons play with a child their mother takes care of.

For the past year, he’s been seeking treatment at Seattle Children’s Hospital for an illness that is turning his urine muddy. So far, doctors have determined he’s losing red blood cells and protein through his urine, indicating a possible kidney issue, but they haven’t yet zeroed in on what is causing the problem. They likely need a kidney biopsy to be sure.

“Given the complexity of his case, it is essential that Juan remain in the United States for continued testing and treatment,” his nephrologist Jordan Symons wrote in a March letter to ICE. “We kindly request that you consider this medical necessity in your review of his immigration status and grant him the ability to stay in the United States until his treatment and evaluation are completed.”

Juan David’s care team has been monitoring him closely to ensure his red blood cell and protein levels never drop too low. His condition could become serious quickly.

“You can die from that,” said Sarah Kasnick, a physician’s assistant who is familiar with his case. Kasnick is also a foster parent, and Orozco Forero provided care for her family.

When Gabriel Wishon arrived to pick up the boys, they were confused and disoriented. Where were their parents? Why was everyone crying? They didn’t want to go to Colombia, they told him on the drive. They wanted to stay in the United States.

Around 5:30 p.m. that evening, he met with the ICE agent, who had waited past her work hours for them to arrive.

“Bye boys, you are going to see your parents right now. They are right inside,” Wishon told them. He watched them walk in carrying two stuffed animals, a Super Mario doll and Chase, the popular cartoon dog dressed as a police officer.

A fragile child care network falls apart

The families Orozco Forero cares for are now in a free fall.

Jessica Cocson, whose son has been in Orozco Forero’s care for more than a year, described her in a character letter to ICE as a “blessing to us in ways I struggle to fully express.”

Orozco Forero and her husband “support working families, provide quality childcare, and demonstrate compassion and commitment every day,” Cocson wrote. “It is heartbreaking to think that someone who gives so much and asks so little could be forced to leave.”

Tamia Riley, whose two sons with autism were also in Orozco Forero’s care, said losing her was like watching “a father walking out the door.”

“These people, these day care providers, sitters, they are a form of family members for me and my children,” Riley said.

Now, the day care she was set to open lays empty. Inside, the walls are plastered with posters listing colors and sight words. There are cushioned mats on the floor and play stations. Tables with tiny chairs. A tall pink dollhouse. High chairs and a pack and play for the babies. Outside, two play houses, a ball pit, toys to ride on and little picnic tables set across an artificial turf. But no children to enjoy any of it.

Big Dreams Day Care she was going to call it, for the dreams she wanted the kids in her care to strive for, and the ones that were finally coming to fruition for her.

Orozco Forero’s detention has rattled child care workers across the country. In Texas, workers represented by the Service Employees International Union have been rallying in her name. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, spoke in support of the family’s release at a rally on June 29 in San Antonio. And a group of union workers is attempting to deliver supplies to the family. It’s an effort Orozco Forero knows little about; she only has limited communication with those on the outside.

Tricia Schroeder, the president of the Seattle-based SEIU chapter that represents care workers, said that, for years unions like hers have been working to improve quality, access, and affordability in child care, a system in such deep crisis it’s been called by the Treasury Department “a textbook example of a broken market.”

Immigrant women like Orozco Forero were part of that effort to improve access, doing jobs few Americans want to take on.

“Detaining child care providers, especially those who care for kids with special needs, just deepens the crisis in early learning,” Schroeder said.

Orozco Forero was also the connective tissue that kept families employed. Her loss has rippled across industries.

Nicolle Orozco Forero was going to community college for early childhood education and planned to open her own day care before she was detained by ICE.

Kasnick, the foster parent, said one of the children in her care had been tentatively set to start at Orozco Forero’s day care as soon as it opened. Orozco Forero had been the only provider who would take the child, who has autism and is nonverbal.

Orozco Forero had cared for the girl at Wishon’s day care as if she was her own, even taking her in once when the child’s care had fallen through and no foster family in the entire county would take her in because of the complexity of her needs. The girl arrived at Orozco Forero’s house at midnight on a weekend “with no clothing, toys, medication or any of her belongings … this did not [deter] Nicolle and Sebastian instead they immediately went and purchased all the things” the child needed, a social worker wrote in a letter to ICE. Kasnick said Orozco Forero was even considering becoming a foster parent.

Without her, Kasnick is out of options: She quit her job as a physician’s assistant to care for the child after Orozco Forero was detained.

“There are now 44 patients a day who don’t have anyone to provide their health care, and I can’t go to work because Nicolle’s day care didn’t open,” Kasnick said.

In the weeks since, Kasnick has had an overwhelming feeling of helplessness, she said. How could this happen to someone who gave back so much?

“The security of knowing that you can be in your home one day and in a prison the next week, and you didn’t do anything except exist?” she said. “It makes you feel like there’s no good left in the world.”

Community appeals not enough to halt deportation

Orozco Forero’s family was in ICE detention for nearly a month awaiting a bond hearing they hoped could buy them time in the United States. Orozco Forero and the boys were together; her husband was in the same facility but separated from them.

Juan David wasn’t eating much. It took three weeks for him to receive medical care, Orozco Forero told her attorney, James Costo.

Costo had been working to get the details of why ICE allowed the family to stay in the country with monitoring after they lost their asylum case last year. There has been an order for their deportation since then, but ICE never attempted to deport them until the Trump administration ramped up efforts. The number of immigrants without criminal convictions who have been detained has doubled since May.

The process to fight an asylum claim and appeal a denial is complicated — there are court deadlines, documents that need to be submitted and translated.

“They think maybe they can do it themselves and go in and say what happened but they are not understanding the whole legal process,” Costo said. “The system isn’t made for things to be easy.”

Costo was hopeful a judge will allow them to stay in the country temporarily as Juan David seeks care. They have almost no family left in Colombia, and no way to obtain care for him there, their family said.

But on July 10, Wishon got word that the family had been deported. The family arrived distraught at the home of the only close family they have in Bogotá, the capital.

Daniel, Orozco Forero’s youngest son, sent Wishon a voice message: “Good evening Stephanie, um, we are good. My mommy is very sad,” his little voice tells her. “Thank you for everything you have done for us. God bless you.”

A GoFundMe she set up will be used toward supporting the family as they try to transition to life in Colombia and seek care for Juan David.

A collection of support letters they hoped would move a judge somewhere to hear their case now only remain as chronicles of their impact. In the letters, Juan David’s first grade teachers call him an exceptional student who went from one of the lowest reading levels in the class — 10 words a minute — to one of the highest at 70 words a minute.

“He shows the qualities of a model citizen at a young age — dependable, ethical, and hard-working,” wrote his teacher, Carla Trujillo.

They were all on their way to shaping a better life, Wishon wrote in hers. The couple “worked tirelessly to build a better life for their children and to open their own licensed child care business. In all my years of employing and mentoring caregivers, I have rarely met a couple as responsible, driven, and capable as Nicolle and Sebastian.”

“This family is not a threat,” she concluded. “They are an asset.”

Chabeli Carrazana covers the economy and child care for The 19th.

Lawsuit challenges Trump administration rules barring undocumented immigrants from federal programs

2025-07-21T20:30:25+00:00

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Twenty states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over new rules that would bar undocumented immigrants and some visa holders from programs that provide early childhood education, career and technical education, and health care, among other services.

The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, argues that the Trump administration didn’t follow the proper procedures in establishing the rules, misinterprets federal welfare law, and puts excessive burden on local programs suddenly expected to verify the immigration status of thousands of people.

The Trump administration announced the change July 10, with the new rules taking effect a few days later, even before the public was allowed to comment. The lawsuit, filed Monday in a federal district court in Rhode Island, is the second legal challenge to the rules. A coalition of Head Start associations and parent groups last week are working to amend their April lawsuit to challenge the new rules.

“For decades, states like New York have built health, education, and family support systems that serve anyone in need,” said James in a press release. “Now, the federal government is pulling that foundation out from under us overnight, jeopardizing cancer screenings, early childhood education, primary care, and so much more.”

In addition to James, the plaintiffs in Monday’s lawsuit include the attorneys generals of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, D.C., Washington state, and Wisconsin. A coalition of states with Democratic attorneys general has sued the Trump administration repeatedly.

The lawsuit asks the court to halt implementation of the new rules and declare them unlawful.

Asked for a comment on the lawsuit, Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, referred a reporter to the department’s initial press release on the rule change.

The release said the new rules are necessary to “ensure that taxpayer-funded program benefits intended for the American people are not diverted to subsidize illegal aliens.”

At the heart of the new rules is the definition of the term “federal public benefit.”

For decades, programs that fall into this bucket — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, for example — have been off limits to undocumented immigrants. But a variety of other programs, including Head Start, career and technical education, mental health treatment, and community health centers, weren’t considered federal public benefits and so weren’t restricted in the same way.

The new Trump administration rules reclassified dozens of federally funded programs run by four federal agencies as federal public benefits, essentially closing them off to undocumented immigrants. In his department’s initial press release, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the change “restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people.”

But schools, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations that oppose the new rules fear that barring undocumented immigrants from certain programs will worsen health and education outcomes for those groups and, in turn, burden other parts of the system. These include K-12 schools, which the Supreme Court has ruled must serve students regardless of immigration status, and hospital emergency rooms, which cannot deny emergency treatment.

Some advocates also fear that by requiring checks of immigration status, the new rules will erode trust with the broader immigrant community, even those who are citizens or fall into other categories still entitled to federally funded services. Those categories include legal permanent residents, refugees, and those who’ve been granted asylum or humanitarian parole.

The lawsuit argues that many federal funded programs, such as crisis hotlines or homeless shelters, can’t easily institute immigration verification procedures before service is provided. But it also says vulnerable families and individuals — even if they are citizens — may not have the right paperwork readily available.

“For the first time, millions of people are facing a new demand before they can access the Nation’s most essential programs: ‘show me your papers,’ the lawsuit says.

The federal government has collected more than 200 public comments on the new rules so far, most in opposition.

One commenter noted that every dollar invested in Head Start saves taxpayers $7 in “downstream consequences.” The commenter added: “The fundamental flaw in the logic here is that documented citizens can somehow thrive in a vacuum disconnected from their neighbors and their community (locally and nationally).”

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Queens student to be released from ICE detention after month in Texas facility

2025-07-15T23:04:09+00:00

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A New York City public school student who was detained more than a month ago by immigration agents was set to be released on bond this week from a Texas facility, his lawyers said Tuesday.

Derlis Snaider Chusin Toaquiza, a 19-year-old from Ecuador, was completing his junior year at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens when he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents at a legal hearing seeking asylum on June 4. He was sent to an ICE facility in Livingston, Texas, on June 8, and remained there until a Texas immigration judge granted his release on a $20,000 bond, which was posted Tuesday by Envision Freedom Fund (formerly the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund). The organization is working with Derlis and his family to coordinate the teen’s trip back to New York.

Grover Cleveland High School student Derlis Snaider Chusin Toaquiza was ordered released on bond by a Texas immigration judge from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Livingston, Texas, where he has been detained since June 8. He was the second New York City Public School student detained by ICE agents following a scheduled immigration hearing.

Derlis was the second known New York City public school student to be arrested by ICE agents. The first student, Dylan Lopez Contreras, who attended ELLIS Prep in the Bronx, is still being detained in a Pennsylvania facility since his arrest at an immigration court hearing in May. Both students are being represented by the New York Legal Assistance Group, or NYLAG.

NYLAG attorneys secured the bond hearing for Derlis through a habeas corpus petition challenging the validity of his detention. New York City’s Law Department then filed an amicus, or friend of the court, brief in support of Derlis’s immediate release.

Derlis was “was caught in a trap laid by immigration authorities in a courthouse in Manhattan, where federal, state, and local courthouses cluster within a few blocks,” city officials wrote in their legal filing. “These tactics risk driving underground those otherwise inclined to follow the country’s immigration laws, undermining the very system that those laws are designed to serve.”

NYLAG filed a similar legal petition on Dylan’s behalf, claiming that his due process rights were violated. The city also filed an amicus brief calling for Dylan to be released. But lawyers are still waiting for a judge to rule on the habeas corpus petition for Dylan.

Both students were part of a wave of arrests by ICE agents at immigration courts across the country in efforts to carry out President Donald Trump’s push to boost deportations. That tactic led to a sharp increase in immigration detentions in the five boroughs starting in late May. A Massachusetts student whose detention gained attention was recently released. But another student in Detroit was recently deported back to Colombia.

“We are beyond thrilled that Derlis will soon be returning home to New York to be with his family where he belongs,” Rebecca Rubin, a NYLAG attorney and a member of Derlis’ legal team, said in a statement. “At the same time, our happiness does not erase the fact that Derlis was unjustly detained at his immigration court hearing, torn away from his family and community, and detained in a prison with adult male strangers for over a month.”

Before being transferred to the Texas facility, Derlis spent days in an overcrowded holding room at Manhattan’s 26 Federal Plaza, where he was fed just one meal a day and forced to sleep sitting upright due to lack of space, his lawyers said.

Derlis had been doing well in school, playing on Grover Cleveland’s soccer team, and was awarded “Most Improved” by his high school teachers, according to the city’s legal filing. He was also active in his church before his life was upended last month, his lawyers said.

“He has been suffering greatly in detention, as has his family,” Rubin said. “Derlis was complying with his requirements, had applied for asylum with his family and was attending immigration court when he was unjustly detained.”

Chalkbeat New York reporter Michael Elsen-Rooney contributed.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Head Start preschools to bar undocumented children under new Trump rule

2025-07-11T00:28:28+00:00

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Undocumented children will no longer qualify for federally funded preschool through the Head Start program under a major policy shift the Trump administration announced Thursday.

In a news release, the Department of Health and Human Services said it was rescinding a nearly 30-year-old interpretation of federal law issued under President Bill Clinton that allowed undocumented immigrants to access certain programs because they were not considered “federal public benefits.”

As President Donald Trump pursues his anti-immigrant agenda, this change may be the most direct and far-reaching effort to target children after his attempts to end birthright citizenship. His administration has also ramped up immigration enforcement and deportations, withheld funding for English learners, and threatened to punish states that offer in-state tuition to undocumented college students.

Administration officials have said they hope many immigrants will “self-deport” if the United States makes life here more uncomfortable. Health and Human Services leaders cast the change as a way to protect benefits for Americans.

“For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a press release. “Today’s action changes that — it restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people.”

Early childhood education advocates, meanwhile, condemned the change as violating both the spirit and the letter of the 1965 law that authorized Head Start. They also warned the change could scare away eligible families.

“This decision undermines the fundamental commitment that the country has made to children,” Yasmina Vinci, the executive director of the National Head Start Association, a nonprofit that represents Head Start staff and families, said in a written statement. “Head Start programs strive to make every child feel welcome, safe, and supported, and reject the characterization of any child as ‘illegal.’”

The change is also at odds with how the Supreme Court has treated K-12 education. In the landmark Plyler v. Doe decision from 1982, the justices ruled that children have a right to a free public education regardless of immigration status. However, the courts have upheld laws restricting immigrants’ access to welfare benefits.

Head Start provided preschool to over 544,000 children from low-income families, according to the latest federal data from the 2022-23 school year, while Early Head Start served more than 186,000 infants, toddlers, and expectant parents.

The program, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has reached 40 million children but has recently faced a number of challenges, from federal staff layoffs to threats of eliminating the program.

Head Start will now be considered a public benefit, the Trump administration said, because it offers services that are similar to welfare. Officials said the change aligns with Trump’s executive orders, including a February order titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.”

“While Head Start provides for school readiness, it also provides low-income children and their families with ‘health, educational, nutritional, and social and other services, that are determined based on family needs assessment,’” federal officials wrote in a notice announcing the change. “Further, it may serve as child care for parents of young children.”

Classifying Head Start as welfare, rather than education, could be a Trump administration strategy to avoid having to address whether the protections extended to undocumented children in Plyler apply here, said Nate Ela, an assistant professor of law at Temple University, in an email.

Reflecting Trump’s America First agenda, Health and Human Services officials said in their press release that Head Start will be “reserved for American citizens from now on.”

But a spokesperson for the Administration for Children and Families clarified that U.S. citizen children and “qualified” immigrant children would be eligible for Head Start. Under federal law, that includes legal permanent residents, children who’ve been granted asylum, refugees, and children with humanitarian parole.

In its statement, the National Head Start Association said providers were alarmed that programs would have to check the citizenship or immigration status of children before they could enroll. The law that governs Head Start has never required documentation of immigration status as a condition to enroll, the organization said, and “attempts to impose such a requirement threaten to create fear and confusion among all families.”

It is unclear exactly how the new rules will be enforced. Guidance based on the new legal interpretation is forthcoming, the Administration for Children and Families spokesperson said.

“Are they going to monitor us when they come out for their federal review?” asked Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, the executive director of the Illinois Head Start Association. “Will there be something attached to our grant that we have to certify?”

The latest version of the law governing who is eligible for Head Start says nothing about immigration status, but it does say that the program can use federal funds to train staff, counsel children, and provide other services that are “necessary to address the challenges of children from immigrant, refugee, and asylee families, homeless children, children in foster care, limited English proficient children, children of migrant or seasonal farmworker families, [and] children from families in crisis.”

The law says that children who are experiencing homelessness or whose families have incomes below the federal poverty line qualify. The Migrant Seasonal Head Start program also guarantees child care for the children of farm workers and seasonal workers.

This is not the first attempt to roll back educational rights for immigrant children and families. A number of Republican state legislators have backed bills that would limit enrollment for immigrant children or track their immigration status in ways that could intimidate families. So far, none has been successful. Meanwhile, the author of a brief from the conservative Heritage Foundation that called on states to charge undocumented children tuition to attend public school now works in the Education Department.

Restricting Head Start access could have ripple effects

Federal officials estimated that the Head Start change would free up $374 million a year for U.S. citizens and qualified immigrants to access Head Start, which represents about 3% of the program’s annual budget in recent years.

But keeping children out of Head Start could lead to more costs down the road for public schools, advocates warned. Kindergartners who don’t go to preschool may need more help with basics like learning their ABCs, colors, and how to work with classmates. They also may have missed out on health screenings.

“We’re really shortchanging our community by cutting them off from strong early childhood programs that are going to put them on the right path to be successful in K-12 schools where they have a guaranteed right to attend,” said Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, co-founder of the National Newcomer Network and deputy director of Californians Together, groups that advocate for immigrant rights in education.

There are typically many more children in poverty who qualify for Head Start than the program has funding to serve. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report found, for example, that for every 100 young children in poverty, there were typically 28 Head Start seats, with much larger gaps in some states.

Keeping out immigrant children wouldn’t necessarily close those gaps. The main factor limiting Head Start seats is a lack of trained teachers, said Diane Schilder, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a public policy think tank.

“A lot of programs are having challenges hiring teachers in preschool and infant-toddler classrooms who meet the requirements because the wages are not adequate,” Schilder said.

Low-income families are less likely to have documents proving their children are citizens, Schilder said, and anti-immigrant sentiment can scare away even eligible families from applying. Parents are less likely to work when they don’t have access to child care. The effects of these changes would be felt most strongly in urban areas and in communities with a large agricultural workforce.

Head Start providers worry that verifying children’s immigration status will create more administrative work and could make it harder for all families to enroll. Federal officials estimated the cost of assembling documents and reviewing paperwork would be an additional $21 million a year.

And there would be more transition costs to change Head Start protocols, the federal notice stated.

Federal officials said the change would take effect as soon as it is published in the Federal Register. It has not been published, but has been submitted, the Trump administration said. The public will have 30 days to submit comments.

For now, Heather Frenz, the executive director of the Colorado Head Start Association, said her organization is telling Head Start providers to wait for further instructions before un-enrolling any children.

Reconsidering the eligibility or enrollment of children who are already attending Head Start would be expensive and time-consuming, Frenz said. The process involves everything from measuring children’s height and weight to drawing up individual plans.

And if undocumented children miss out on preschool and other services Head Start provides, Frenz said it could “put a lot of strain” on other public entities when those children get older.

“They may not speak English or have never seen a dentist,” Frenz said. “That’s going to be a heavy load on the public school education system.”

Chalkbeat New York reporter Michael Elsen-Rooney, Chalkbeat Philadelphia bureau chief Carly Sitrin, Chalkbeat Chicago bureau chief Becky Vevea, and Colorado bureau chief Melanie Asmar contributed reporting.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Norah Rami is a Dow Jones education reporting intern on Chalkbeat’s national desk. Reach Norah atnrami@chalkbeat.org.

How Trump’s sweeping tax and domestic policy bill will affect children and schools

2025-07-03T18:33:47+00:00

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Republicans in Congress have approved President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and domestic policy bill that will ramp up spending on immigration enforcement and make deep cuts to social safety net programs, with major ramifications for children and schools.

The bill, which the president is expected to sign by Friday, slashes spending on Medicaid, which provides health insurance to some 37 million children and is a critical revenue source for schools. It also limits eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food assistance to over 13 million children and makes kids automatically eligible for free meals at school.

The legislation significantly raises spending on immigration enforcement, which will likely translate to more immigration arrests and deportations. The president’s deportation campaign has already left schools working overtime to assure families it’s safe to send their children to school.

“When you take it all together it’s kind of like an assault on children and families policy-wise,” said Megan Curran, the director of policy at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University. “We’re going to see that the effects reverberate well beyond what we’re even understanding” right now, she said, “and schools are going to be on the front lines.”

The nearly 900-page bill also creates a new voucher-like program that will pay for private school scholarships — a major victory for school choice advocates who have successfully expanded similar programs in several states, but have previously failed to enact a nationwide version. States will be allowed to opt out, however, and it’s likely many Democrat-led states will.

Here is more on how what the president calls the “big, beautiful bill” is likely to affect children and schools:

Medicaid cuts will hurt school budgets

Trump’s policy bill makes historic cuts to Medicaid, which is the fourth-largest source of federal funding for schools. If millions of children lost their health insurance, it would undoubtedly reduce funding for schools, though it’s unclear by how much.

“Cutting Medicaid is equivalent to cutting school district budgets,” said Jessie Mandle, the national program director at the nonprofit Healthy Schools Campaign. “School districts are very much aware of how important Medicaid dollars are to serve students with disabilities, address the youth mental crisis, [and] address students’ behavioral health needs.”

In March, Mandle’s organization and other education groups surveyed 1,400 school staffers and officials from across the U.S. about how they rely on Medicaid. Around 9 in 10 respondents used Medicaid to pay the salaries of school health staff, such as school nurses, psychologists, and speech therapists. A little under half relied on Medicaid to buy assistive technology and other specialized equipment for students with disabilities.

Cuts to Medicaid would likely require schools to lay off staff and make cuts elsewhere in their budgets, the survey found.

And schools in rural communities, where a higher share of kids are enrolled in Medicaid and schools often play a big role in providing health care, are likely to feel the cuts more acutely.

SNAP cuts could limit free school meals

The federal legislation makes a series of changes to the SNAP program, including requiring more parents of school-aged children and teens aging out of foster care to work, scrapping eligibility for refugees and people who’ve been granted asylum, and raising how much states have to kick in.

The changes could result in hundreds of thousands of parents losing their SNAP benefits, which could have ripple effects on schools — though earlier provisions that would have more directly targeted the school meal program were stripped out of the bill.

When kids are enrolled in SNAP, they automatically qualify for free breakfast and lunch at school. And when a high share of kids are enrolled in SNAP, it’s more financially viable for schools to provide free meals to all students. That has a number of academic and social benefits for kids.

If families fall off the SNAP rolls, they may not realize they have to fill out paperwork at their child’s school to get free meals. And if fewer kids qualify for free school meals, schools will get a lower reimbursement from the federal government, which will make it harder to cover the cost of providing free meals to all kids.

“The cuts to SNAP that are currently proposed will increase hunger in homes and in classrooms,” said Erin Hysom, the senior child nutrition policy analyst for the nonprofit Food Research & Action Center. “It’s really going to be this kind of double whammy for families.”

Boost for immigration enforcement likely to affect schools

The president’s policy bill includes $31 billion in additional funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hire more agents and cover the cost of deportations. The legislation also includes $13 billion in grants for states and local communities to assist with immigration enforcement.

An increase in immigration enforcement is likely to put additional burdens on school communities, many of which have already spent time and resources tending to students whose family members were arrested, advocating on behalf of students who were detained, and adding transportation and safety measures to assuage the fears of immigrant parents.

Recent research from Stanford University found that raids carried out by the Trump administration earlier this year in California’s Central Valley notably increased daily absences from school, especially for younger children. And earlier research has found that immigration raids have significant effects on children’s physical and mental health, as well as on broader school climate.

New voucher-like program will pay for private schooling

Tucked into the bill is the creation of a tax-credit scholarship program that will pay for private school tuition. Individuals can knock $1,700 off their tax bill if they donate that amount to an organization that awards scholarships to kids who attend private school.

The inclusion is a win for private school choice advocates who have long championed an idea like this.

But the program will be optional for states, after the Senate parliamentarian ruled states could not be required to participate. That will probably curb the program’s impact, because it’s unlikely that Democrat-led states — where officials have vociferously opposed using public money for private schools — will opt in.

It is unclear exactly how much the federal voucher-like program will cost, as there is no cap on the amount of tax credit payouts. (An earlier House version would have capped those costs at around $5 billion to $6 billion a year.)

Many states have their own tax-credit scholarship or voucher program.

Pell Grants now available for workforce training

Starting with the 2026-27 school year, students from low-income backgrounds who’d normally qualify for a federal Pell Grant to pay for college can get aid for short-term workforce training.

Known as a Workforce Pell Grant, the money could be spent on training programs that last eight to 15 weeks and lead to some kind of credential or academic credit toward a degree or certificate program. The idea has gotten bipartisan support in Congress, and has been endorsed by both Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

The training would need to prepare students for jobs or industries that are high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand — in line with the federal Perkins Career and Technical Education Act — and governors and state school boards would decide which programs qualify.

The Congressional Budget Office expects the program will be relatively small to start: Just $17 million in the first year and $20 million the following year.

Child tax credit bump excludes many low-income families

The bill increases the size of the credit from $2,000 to $2,200 a year, but does nothing to ensure more low-income families can benefit.

That means the child tax credit is actually “less generous” in today’s dollars than when the $2,000 credit began in 2018, because it was never adjusted for inflation, said Curran of Columbia University.

A July analysis by Curran and others found that 19 million children are in families who would get only some, or none, of the revised tax credit because they don’t earn enough money. That’s up from 17 million children who don’t fully benefit from the current child tax credit.

The final result is “head-scratching,” Curran said, after all of the bipartisan enthusiasm to expand and increase the child tax credit.

During the pandemic, the federal government temporarily raised the credit to $3,000 per child and $3,600 for younger children, and made it available to many more families with low or no income. There’s solid evidence that helped many families stay on top of household bills and pay for school supplies and other items for their children.

But the bill Trump is about to sign does not include those changes.

“It’s a huge pendulum swing,” Curran said. “The child tax credit doesn’t really do anything extra for families.”

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Las escuelas en el epicentro de la campaña de deportaciones de Trump se preparan para el verano

2025-06-27T22:16:17+00:00

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A comienzos de junio, la tensión se hizo sentir en el Complejo Educativo de Santee, en Los Ángeles, después de que agentes de inmigración allanaron un depósito de ropa de “fast fashion”, ubicado a solo una milla de distancia.

La tensión se mantuvo luego de que un estudiante se enterara de que su padre y su abuelo habían sido detenidos en las redadas de ese día. Mientras esperaba que alguien viniera a recogerlo, el personal de la escuela estuvo a su lado y se aseguró de que su familia tuviera acceso a los recursos disponibles.

Mientras la escuela, con 1,600 estudiantes, se preparaba para el día de la graduación, la directora Violeta Ruiz respondía mensajes de estudiantes preocupados por Instagram y enviaba notas de voz para asegurar a las familias que asistir a la ceremonia era seguro.

Y cuando comenzaron los programas de verano a mediados de junio, Ruiz se aseguró de que los estudiantes encontraran en ella un rostro familiar al llegar, aunque técnicamente no forma parte del personal de la escuela de verano.

“Me aseguré de estar afuera porque todos los niños me conocen”, dijo Ruiz. “Algunos estaban un poco inquietos, pero en cuanto entraron por nuestras puertas, ya estaban listos para comenzar”.

La experiencia de Ruiz refleja las medidas que han tenido que tomar las escuelas ubicadas en el epicentro de la campaña de deportaciones masivas del presidente Donald Trump para contrarrestar el miedo que se ha extendido en sus comunidades. Escuelas como Santee, donde uno de cada cinco estudiantes está aprendiendo inglés, están invirtiendo tiempo y recursos para mantener a los niños en la escuela y apoyar a familias en crisis.

El Distrito Unificado de Los Ángeles abrió 100 nuevas sedes de escuela de verano tras las redadas, con el objetivo de reducir el tiempo que estudiantes y familias pasan en traslados, ya que en esos trayectos podrían encontrarse con agentes de inmigración.

La situación es crítica: una investigación reciente de la Universidad de Stanford reveló que las redadas de inmigración en California han contribuido a agravar una crisis de ausentismo escolar que ya es alarmante.

Lo que está pasando en Los Ángeles también demuestra por qué es tan importante que los líderes escolares de todo el país mantengan comunicación con las familias durante el verano, señaló Alejandra Vázquez Baur, directora de la Red Nacional de Estudiantes Recién Llegados (National Newcomer Network), una coalición que brinda apoyo a estudiantes inmigrantes que acaban de llegar al país.

Muchas comunidades escolares están sintiendo el impacto del aumento en los operativos de inmigración, señaló Vázquez Baur, desde Charlotte, Carolina del Norte —donde un padre fue detenido cerca de la fila para dejar a los estudiantes en la escuela— hasta la ciudad de Nueva York, donde un estudiante de secundaria fue detenido durante una audiencia migratoria de rutina.

“Es especialmente importante en este momento que los líderes escolares den un paso al frente y se pronuncien sobre este tema, que se comuniquen con las familias y expliquen qué están haciendo de forma diferente para garantizar que las escuelas estén protegidas durante la próxima semana y las que siguen”, dijo Vázquez Baur. “Estas experiencias influirán en la decisión de muchas familias sobre si volverán o no en otoño”.

El peor escenario posible, dijo, sería que los padres evaluaran la situación este verano y decidieran que: “Es demasiado arriesgado mandarte de vuelta”.

Por qué el verano es un momento clave para conectar con las familias inmigrantes

En el primer día de la presidencia de Trump, funcionarios federales revocaron una política de larga data que reconocía a escuelas, iglesias, hospitales y otros espacios que brindan servicios esenciales como “zonas sensibles”, donde las operaciones de inmigración estaban restringidas. Desde entonces no ha habido redadas dentro de las escuelas, pero las acciones llevadas a cabo en sus alrededores han dejado con miedo a muchas comunidades escolares.

En Los Ángeles, por ejemplo, las redadas recientes coincidieron con los preparativos del Distrito Unificado de Los Ángeles para celebrar cientos de ceremonias de graduación y de promoción de grado. Ante el temor que generaron, el distrito sumó presencia de policías escolares en algunos eventos y debió habilitar transmisiones por Zoom para las familias que no se animaban a asistir en persona. Como resultado, algunos padres —cuyos hijos eran los primeros en terminar la secundaria— no pudieron estar presentes para acompañar ese momento tan significativo.

En una conferencia de prensa, el superintendente del Distrito Unificado de Los Ángeles, Alberto Carvalho, dijo que esperaba que la ampliación de la oferta de clases de verano demostrara a las familias inmigrantes que el distrito está comprometido a brindarles apoyo.

Los estudiantes jugaron dentro de la biblioteca durante un programa de verano del Distrito Unificado de Los Ángeles en julio de 2024.

Además de ampliar la cantidad de sitios de escuela verano —de 220 a 320—, Carvalho dijo que el distrito ofrecería transporte a cualquier niño cuya familia lo solicitara, con el objetivo de reducir el tiempo que madres, padres o tutores pasan en tránsito. También se ofrecería la opción de asistir a la escuela de verano de manera virtual para quienes tengan miedo de asistir en persona.

“Vamos a dedicar todos los recursos necesarios para hacer todo lo posible por estabilizar su situación y devolverles cierta normalidad, pese a los desafíos que estén enfrentando”, afirmó Carvalho.

Todavía no se sabe con certeza cuánto costará la expansión del programa de escuela de verano, explicó Carvalho. El costo dependerá de cuántos estudiantes se presenten en los nuevos centros y de cuántos empleados adicionales haya que contratar. El programa de escuela de verano del distrito ya era una operación de gran escala, con unos 90,000 estudiantes inscritos en programas académicos tradicionales y otros 40,000 participando en actividades enriquecedoras, como campamentos de matemáticas o natación.

“Esta es una acción sin precedentes en este distrito escolar. Es, una vez más, es la inversión adecuada, en el momento justo, para los estudiantes que más lo necesitan”, afirmó Carvalho.

El Distrito Unificado de Los Ángeles organiza un amplio programa de verano con actividades académicas y de enriquecimiento para decenas de miles de estudiantes.

Si bien es fundamental que las escuelas no prometan más de lo que pueden ofrecer en cuanto a su capacidad de protección, señaló Vázquez Baur, este verano pueden informar con claridad a las familias cuáles son sus protocolos ante la presencia de un agente de inmigración en el establecimiento y qué recursos están disponibles si un estudiante o un familiar es detenido fuera de la escuela.

Los directores escolares pueden garantizar que el personal recientemente incorporado reciba la capacitación necesaria para saber cómo actuar ante la presencia de agentes federales de inmigración. También pueden invitar a organizaciones comunitarias de confianza a participar en las actividades de verano, con el objetivo de brindar mayor tranquilidad a las familias. Además, es recomendable que las escuelas revisen y actualicen sus protocolos, especialmente si durante el verano detectan nuevas tácticas de control migratorio.

Por encima de todo, señaló, es fundamental que las escuelas mantengan una comunicación fluida y constante con las familias. Si durante el año escolar se enviaban correos electrónicos semanales, es importante sostener esa práctica, remarcó Vázquez Baur. Y si durante el verano la aplicación de las leyes migratorias afecta a la comunidad escolar en su conjunto, también es clave reconocer esa realidad y abordarla de manera abierta.

“La comunicación no debería interrumpirse durante el verano”, afirmó. “Cuando las familias no tienen información, el miedo crece todavía más.”

Para Ruiz, directora de Santee, mantener informados a los estudiantes y sus familias ha sido clave para conservar la confianza.

En febrero, por ejemplo, cuando agentes de inmigración realizaron sus primeros operativos en Los Ángeles, algunos estudiantes de secundaria de Ruiz comenzaron a salir de la escuela en señal de protesta.

Después de conversar con los estudiantes y el personal, la escuela decidió organizar una asamblea para ofrecer un espacio seguro donde pudieran expresar sus emociones. Los jóvenes presentaron pequeñas obras teatrales sobre qué hacer si un agente los detenía y cómo apoyarse mutuamente si alguien querido fuera detenido. Se enseñaron entre ellos a ser solidarios y a defenderse, dijo Ruiz.

En las semanas siguientes, Ruiz se reunió con madres, padres y personas cuidadoras para asegurarse de que entendieran cuál sería la respuesta de la escuela en caso de una operación migratoria cerca del campus. A los estudiantes se les entregaron “tarjetas rojas” con información sobre sus derechos constitucionales. Algunos docentes colgaron mariposas en las puertas de sus aulas —creadas por el grupo estudiantil MEChA— como gesto de apoyo hacia los estudiantes indocumentados.

Después de que algunas personas del personal diseñaran camisetas con mariposas para usar en la escuela, muchas otras —entre docentes, trabajadores y estudiantes— comenzaron a sumarse usando su propia ropa con mariposas.

Ruiz considera que es una forma silenciosa pero clara de decirles a los estudiantes: Estamos aquí para ustedes.

Traducido por Flavia Melisa Franco

Kalyn Belsha es reportera senior de educación a nivel nacional y está radicada en Chicago. Puedes contactarla en kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit teen detained by ICE has been deported to Colombia, attorney says

2025-06-20T13:03:40+00:00

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Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, the Detroit teen whose detention by federal immigration authorities last month caused an outcry and led to calls for his release, has been deported, his attorney said Friday morning.

Attorney Ruby Robinson said he learned late Thursday night from Maykol’s mother, in an 11:15 p.m. voicemail, that the teen was back in his home country of Colombia.

Robinson said he hadn’t yet spoken with Maykol, but hoped to do so later Friday. He said the teen is now with his grandmother in Colombia.

Chalkbeat reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to confirm the deportation, but did not get a response. His information is no longer available on ICE’s detainee locator.

Maykol, 18, was arrested on May 20 while he and a group of other newcomer boys attempted to join a field trip at Lake Erie Metropark, about 25 miles away from Detroit. Rockwood police stopped the teen for allegedly tailgating another car. Maykol did not have a driver’s license, only a City of Detroit identification card, Robinson has previously said.

His detention prompted advocacy from his teachers, fellow students, community members, and lawmakers who pleaded for Maykol to be allowed to remain in the country to finish high school. He was 3.5 credits shy of a high school diploma at Western International High School, where he was enrolled.

Kristen Schoettle, a teacher at Western International High School in Detroit, speaks about Maykol Bogoya-Duarte’s detention during a DPSCD meeting June 10.

“I’m devastated,” said Kristen Schoettle, who taught Maykol at Western.

“The cruelty of this country really shakes me,” Schoettle said. “This kid, my bright student, was passed along to prisons for a month, scared and facing awful conditions I’m sure, for the crime of what — fleeing his country as a minor in search of a better life? And the US government decided his time was better spent in prison than finishing out the school year.”

Schoettle said she hopes to hear from Maykol today.

“I hope he’s safe with his grandma. I hope he can recover from this traumatizing experience and still will dream of a better life. I’ll miss him in my classroom next year and our city and our country are worse off without people like him,” she said.

Schoettle shared examples of Maykol’s classroom work with Chalkbeat, including what he wrote when asked earlier this year to write about freedom.

“I think the freedom in this moment is a little confusing since we can’t leave safely since we don’t know what can happen and it seems strange to me since we have to be more careful than usual,” he wrote in Spanish.

Kristen Schoettle, a teacher at Western International High School, shared this image Maykol Bogoya-Duarte's writing from a class assignment earlier this year in which students were asked to write about freedom. Maykol was deported back to Colombia this week. The English translation, provided by Schoettle: "I think the freedom in this moment is a little confusing since we can't leave safely since we don't know what can happen and it seems strange to me since we have to be more careful than usual."

Thousands of people signed a petition earlier last week calling on the Detroit Public School Community District and lawmakers to condemn Maykol’s arrest.

Dozens of people spoke in support of the teen’s release for more than 2½ hours at the district’s school board meeting on June 10. Afterward, the board released a statement saying it wanted Maykol to be able to stay in the country to earn his diploma.

Maykol’s mother attended that school board meeting, though she didn’t speak. Robinson, senior managing attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, said the organization isn’t representing Maykol’s mother.

“But I would suspect she will try to return to Colombia at her own expense based on what she learned with Maykol’s month-long, taxpayer-funded, and entirely unnecessary and harmful detention.”

Kristen Schoettle, a teacher at Western International High School, shared a note from Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, the Detroit student who was detained by immigration officials. The teen, who wrote the note using a translation app, was deported this week and is now back in Colombia, his home country.

During the May 20 traffic stop that led to his detention, police officers could not communicate with him in Spanish and called Customs and Border Protection agents to translate.

Maykol, who came to the U.S. when he was 16, had already been going through a legal process to return to Colombia after receiving a final order of deportation in 2024. He was working with immigration officials and the Colombian Consulate to obtain the documentation he needed to fly out of the country with his mother.

While he made those arrangements, Maykol planned to finish high school in Detroit.

Hannah Dellinger contributed to this report.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Schools at epicenter of Trump’s deportation campaign brace for uncertain summer

2025-06-18T18:17:16+00:00

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When immigration agents raided a fast-fashion warehouse a mile from Santee Education Complex in Los Angeles earlier this month, the tension in the school was palpable.

That did not let up after a student learned his father and grandfather had been detained in that day’s raids. Staff consoled the student as he waited to be picked up, making sure his family knew about resources that could be helpful to them.

As the 1,600-student school readied for graduation day, principal Violeta Ruiz responded to worried messages from her students over Instagram and recorded voice messages assuring families it was safe to attend the upcoming ceremony.

And when summer programming started Tuesday, Ruiz made sure students saw her familiar face as they arrived, even though she’s technically not on the summer school staff.

“I made sure to be out because the kids all know who I am,” Ruiz said. “Some of them were a little uneasy, but as soon as they entered our gates, they were ready to go.”

Ruiz’s experience illustrates what schools at the epicenter of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign have had to do to counteract the fear rippling through their communities. Schools like Santee, where 1 in 5 students are English learners, are spending time and money to keep kids in school and tend to families in crisis. Los Angeles Unified added 100 summer school sites after the raids to cut down on the amount of time children and parents spend in transit, where they might cross paths with an immigration agent.

The stakes are high: Recent research from Stanford University found that immigration raids in California have contributed to an already alarming absenteeism crisis.

What’s playing out in L.A. also underscores why it’s so important for school leaders across the country to stay in contact with families this summer, said Alejandra Vázquez Baur, director of the National Newcomer Network, a coalition that works to support new immigrant students.

Many school communities are feeling the effects of heightened immigration enforcement, she noted, from Charlotte, North Carolina, where a parent was detained not far from the school dropoff line, to New York City, where a high schooler was detained at a routine immigration hearing.

“It is especially important now for school leaders to step up and speak out on this issue, communicate with families, and share what they are doing differently to ensure that schools are being protected in the next week and beyond,” Vázquez Baur said. “These are the experiences that will impact the attitudes of families as they consider whether they will return in the fall.”

The worst-case scenario, she said, would be if parents took stock of the situation this summer and decided: “It is too risky for us to send you back.”

Why summer is key time to connect with immigrant families

On the first day of Trump’s presidency, federal officials revoked a longstanding policy that treated schools, churches, hospitals, and other places that provide critical services as “sensitive” locations where immigration enforcement was limited. Since then, there haven’t been raids on schools, but enforcement carried out nearby has left many school communities shaken.

In L.A. for example, the recent raids began as Los Angeles Unified was preparing to host hundreds of graduation and moving-up ceremonies for students. The district stationed extra school police outside some events and scrambled to set up Zoom feeds for families too afraid to attend. Some parents whose children were the first in their family to graduate from high school didn’t get to witness that milestone in person.

At a press conference held Tuesday at Santee, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said he hoped the additional summer school offerings would show immigrant families that the district is committed to supporting them.

Students played a game inside the library during an Los Angeles Unified summer program at Monte Vista Street Elementary in July 2024.

In addition to expanding summer school sites from 220 to 320, Carvalho said the district would offer transportation to any child whose family requested it, again to cut down on the time parents spend in transit. Kids too afraid to attend in person would also be given the option of virtual summer school.

“We will allocate the resources to do everything we can to stabilize and normalize your condition, despite the challenges that you’re facing,” Carvalho said.

It is not yet clear how much the summer school expansion will cost, Carvalho said. That will depend on how many students show up at the new sites and how many additional staffers are needed. The district’s summer school operation was already a sprawling endeavor with some 90,000 students enrolled in traditional academic-focused programs, and another 40,000 involved in enrichment activities, such as math or swim camp.

“This is an action without precedent in this school district, but it is again, the right investment at the right time for absolutely the right kids,” Carvalho said.

Los Angeles Unified hosts a sprawling summer school program with academic and enrichment activities for tens of thousands of students. In July 2024, students participated in summer programming at Monte Vista Street Elementary.

While it’s important for schools not to over-promise what safeguards they can provide, Vázquez Baur said, schools can make clear to families this summer what their policies are if an immigration agent shows up on school grounds, and what resources they can offer if a student or family member is detained off campus.

School principals can ensure that new hires get the proper training on how to interact with federal immigration officials, and invite trusted community organizations to attend summer events to put families at ease. Schools can also review and update their protocols, especially if they notice new immigration enforcement tactics over the summer.

Above all, she said, it’s important for schools to maintain regular communication with families. If there was a weekly email during the school year, keep that up, Vázquez Baur said. And if immigration enforcement is affecting the broader school community over the summer, it’s important to acknowledge that, too.

“This is not a break from the school year communication,” she said. “When families don’t know, there’s even more fear.”

For Ruiz, Santee’s principal, keeping students and families in the loop has been a key way to maintain trust.

In February, for example, when immigration agents first swept through Los Angeles, some of Ruiz’s high schoolers started walking out of school in protest.

After talking it over with students and staff, the school decided to host an assembly to give students a safe emotional outlet. Teens put on skits about what they’d do if they were stopped by an agent and how to support one another if someone they loved got detained. They taught each other to be allies, and how to defend themselves, Ruiz said.

In the weeks that followed, Ruiz met with parents to make sure they understood what the school would do if immigration enforcement happened near campus. Students got “red cards” listing their constitutional rights. Some teachers hung butterflies on their classroom doors made by the school’s MEChA student group to show support for undocumented students.

And after a few staffers made butterfly T-shirts to wear at school, lots of staff and students started showing up in their own butterfly attire.

To Ruiz, it was an unspoken but unmistakable way to tell students: We are here for you.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Stay of deportation denied for Detroit student held by ICE, attorney says

2025-06-11T21:55:15+00:00

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Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an undocumented immigrant, hoped to finish high school in Detroit before returning to Colombia. That dream is likely over, his attorney said Wednesday, after his request for a stay of deportation was denied.

The Western International High School junior is in an immigration processing center in Louisiana, and his deportation is imminent, according to his legal team at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. Once Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, “have enough individuals to fill a plane to Colombia,” Maykol will likely be sent out of the U.S., Christine Sauvé, the organization’s communications manager, told Chalkbeat.

Even as dozens of people supporting Maykol packed the Detroit school board meeting Tuesday night, Ruby Robinson, his attorney, got word that the student had been moved to the Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in Louisiana. The news wasn’t a good sign – most charter ICE charter flights out of the country leave from Louisiana or Texas, the attorney said.

Officials from ICE did not immediately respond to confirm the status of Maykol’s case or his whereabouts.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District school board on Tuesday night made a public statement urging for the teen’s release so he can finish high school. Board members had been quiet about publicly advocating for Maykol’s release until hearing more than two hours of public comment from community members urging them to act.

Before the district made the statement, Robinson said support for the teen from his school would help his immigration case.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told Chalkbeat last week that the district has “done everything it can to protect students” while they are on school grounds. He added that Maykol was not “under the protection and responsibility of” the district when he was arrested during a traffic stop in May.

“Please help him,” one of Maykol’s friends pleaded with the board at the meeting through a translator.

Another speaker from Maykol’s neighborhood said the student’s detention is “heartbreaking” and “horrifying.”

Paula Duran, a parent of two students in the district, told the board ICE’s recent actions in the city, including detentions of students’ family members, are “destroying” the school community.

Paula Duran embraces Maykol's mother during the DPSCD board meeting on Tuesday night.

“All of us are impacted by this – the whole DPSCD community and the whole city of Detroit,” she said.

Multiple teachers told the board Maykol was a good student and a hard worker. He worked late night shifts as a doorman at a hotel, but always came to school eager to learn.

The teen was focused on earning his diploma and was only 3.5 credits away from his goal.

Maykol was arrested and detained by ICE after Rockwood police pulled him over for allegedly tailgating another car. He was driving a group of other newcomer boys as they attempted to join a field trip to Lake Erie Metropark, about 25 miles away from Detroit.

The boys had not turned in parental permission slips on time to join the trip on school buses with the other 70 to 80 other students who went, said Kristen Schoettle, one of his teachers.

“The kids wanted to be with the rest of their friends on the trip,” Schoettle told Chalkbeat.

As he was getting pulled over, Maykol called a friend in his class who was on the trip. The friend alerted Schoettle and other teachers. Schoettle said she asked an employee at the park to give her a ride to the scene of the traffic stop.

Once she arrived, the teacher said the Rockwood police did not speak Spanish and were having trouble communicating with Maykol. At that point, the police called Customs and Border Protection to translate for them, according to Robinson.

The teen wasn’t licensed to drive, according to Robinson, and only had a city identification card.

The teen already had been going through the legal process to return to Colombia. A judge issued a final order of deportation for the student in 2024, and Maykol was working with immigration officials and the Colombian Consulate to obtain a passport and the documentation he needed to board a plane with his mother.

Maykol planned on completing high school at Western International while those arrangements were made.

But those plans fell apart at the traffic stop.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

After community outcry, Detroit district board calls for release of student detained by ICE

2025-06-11T03:31:10+00:00

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After more than two hours of heated criticism from the public, the Detroit school board reversed course and issued a statement condemning the detention of a district high school student by federal immigration officials.

In its statement, the board demanded that Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old junior at Western International High School, be released and allowed to complete high school in Detroit.

Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, 18, worked night shifts at a hotel while he attended Western International High School.

Maykol was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, last month after a traffic stop and has not been released. On Tuesday night, the teen was in a Louisiana jail being prepared for “imminent removal,” according to his attorney.

Immigration advocates had been urging the Detroit Public Schools Community District board to issue a statement condemning the arrest, but at the beginning of the meeting, several members said the board has previously adopted a policy that identifies DPSCD as a sanctuary district that doesn’t welcome ICE on school grounds.

Sherry Gay Dagnogo, a board member, said that while the board stands with Western and the Southwest Detroit community, “We are cautious in not bringing unnecessary attention that will prevent us moving smoothly in having this issue addressed.”

That wasn’t enough for many of the people who spoke before the board during Tuesday’s meeting, with some suggesting the board is afraid that speaking out will affect the district’s federal funding. One urged a stronger public statement, saying, “It has never worked to cower in the face of fascism.”

Community members, teachers and students listen to public comment at the DPSCD meeting on Tuesday night.

“What we want to see is for this district, for the board, to stand up in the same ways that we’ve seen board members stand up in New York and Massachusetts, in places where we’ve seen other students detained,” said another commenter, Lindsey Matson, the deputy director of 482Forward, a Detroit-based nonprofit focused on education.

By 9:45 p.m., board members indicated they would issue a statement.

“We heard you. We agree with you. But we’ve got to get to work,” Board President Corletta Vaughn said before the board retreated into a closed session in part to write the statement.

They emerged with this:

“The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education stands firmly with our community in demanding the immediate stay of deportation for our student, Maykol Bogoya-Duarte. Maykol is part of our DPSCD family, and we are heartbroken by the fear and disruption this situation has caused his loved ones, classmates, and school community. We call for the immediate release of Maykol and request a formal stay of his deportation. We want him to complete his coursework and graduate with his high school diploma—just as he has worked hard to do. We will also continue to keep in touch with the family and keep the school community updated.”

Those who remained in the auditorium cheered after Vaughn read the statement.

Earlier during the meeting, Maykol’s mother sat in the audience and wept as the latest update on his whereabouts came that evening. She didn’t speak, but she listened through an interpreter as dozens of people hammered school officials to make a statement.

DPSCD board members LaTrice McClendon and Corletta J. Vaughn read a statement asking ICE to release Maykol Bogoya-Duarte so he can complete high school.

Teachers, classmates, politicians show support

Multiple Western International teachers told the board the school community is rattled by his arrest.

Maykol’s teachers who spoke at the meeting said he was a good, hard-working student who wanted to earn his diploma. He made a mistake driving to the field trip, they said, but his punishment should not be imprisonment and deportation.

A student named Abby, who asked to use only her first name because of immigration concerns, told Chalkbeat, “we feel his loss in the school.”

On her first day at Western International, she didn’t know where her classes were, and Maykol led her to them.

He was respectful and gentlemanly, she said, and they soon became friends.

Before the board decided to issue a statement, the teen’s attorney said a show of support from his school would greatly help his immigration case.

Lindsey Matson, the deputy director of 482Forward, speaks about Maykol Bogoya-Duarte’s detention by ICE during the DPSCD meeting on Tuesday night in Detroit.

Maykol, who had been issued a final removal order by an immigration judge in 2024, was going through the legal process to obtain the documents to return to Colombia with his mother. He hoped to earn his high school diploma first and needed 3.5 credits, according to his lawyer, Ruby Robinson, senior managing attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.

Immigration advocates urged district officials and Michigan lawmakers, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, to condemn Maykol’s arrest and call for his release so he can finish high school. By late Tuesday, they had gathered more than 1,400 signatures on a petition.

U.S. House Rep. Shri Thanedar responded on social media Monday, saying “Maykol should be “released immediately and allowed to get his diploma.”

State Sens. Stephanie Chang, Mary Cavanagh, Sylvia Santana, and Rosemary Bayer released a joint statement on the teen’s arrest Tuesday evening. They called for a stay of deportation for Maykol.

“While awaiting his court hearings, Maykol should be able to live his 18-year-old life in the community,” the statement reads.

Maykol is a ‘very good student,’ his teacher says

On the day of his arrest, Maykol called Abby. Police officers pulled him over on May 20 for allegedly tailgating another car. He had driven with classmates who were also newcomers to try to join a school field trip at Lake Erie Metropark, about 25 miles from Detroit. District officials have said none of the students in the car had permission to attend the trip.

Abby, who was on the trip, told her teachers Maykol needed help.

One of his teachers who was on the field trip, Kristen Schoettle, said she got a ride from staff at the park to the scene of the traffic stop to try to intervene.

Maykol was not licensed to drive and had only a City of Detroit identification card, according to his attorney. The Rockwood police officers who pulled him over couldn’t speak Spanish and had trouble communicating with him, according to Robinson.

Because of the communication barrier, the officers called Customs and Border Protection, the attorney said.

Maykol was then detained and sent to Chippewa County Correctional Facility around 350 miles north of his home in Detroit, Robinson said, adding that the other students were not arrested.

On Monday, Maykol was moved to the Calhoun County Correctional Center in Battle Creek, Robinson said.

On Tuesday, Robinson said Maykol was sent to the Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in Louisiana and was being prepared to be sent out of the country.

Schoettle said she helped connect Maykol to an immigration attorney the day of his arrest.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told Chalkbeat that district police tried to advocate for Maykol but were limited in what they could do because he was off campus at the time of his arrest.

Schoettle told Chalkbeat it’s important to Maykol to earn his high school diploma. If he attends summer school, he might be able to graduate by the end of the calendar year, she said.

“He was a very good student,” said the teacher. “He asks a lot of questions and puts himself in situations that allow him to be a better learner.”

A lot of the teen’s friends graduated this year, said Schoettle. He was proud of them and wanted to achieve the same for himself.

Maykol’s detention prevented him from celebrating the end of his junior year and the obstacles he overcame. Even though he often worked late night shifts as a hotel doorman, Maykol came to school ready to learn, said Schoettle.

Abby said the arrest made her “really angry.”

“There’s a great sadness knowing he’s not here,” she said.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Lori Higgins is the Detroit bureau chief. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Denver Public Schools drops lawsuit over immigration enforcement at schools, ‘sensitive locations’

2025-06-10T23:50:34+00:00

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Denver Public Schools has agreed to dismiss a lawsuit it filed over the Trump administration’s abolishment of a decades-old federal policy that treated schools as sensitive locations for the purposes of immigration enforcement.

Although DPS did not win the lawsuit, the district in a statement Tuesday declared “a victory” in the case, because a federal judge found that there was little practical difference between the previous policy that treated schools as protected places and the Trump administration’s changes.

But DPS added that it would sue again “should circumstances change.”

“Just as DPS was the first school district in the nation to challenge this administration’s policies in federal court, DPS will be the first school district in the country to return to court should there be any additional federal overreach,” the statement said.

The decision to drop the lawsuit comes two months after U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico rejected DPS’ request for a preliminary injunction that would have voided the Trump administration’s guidance in favor of the previous iteration while the lawsuit continued.

The previous iteration, last updated in 2021 under former President Biden, said immigration enforcement should only occur at sensitive locations such as schools, child care centers, hospitals, and churches if there was an immediate danger to the public.

The Trump administration’s guidance, issued in January, instructed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to use discretion and “common sense.”

DPS sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over the new guidance in February, a week after high-profile immigration raids at apartment complexes in Denver and Aurora caused fear among Denver students and drops in school attendance.

DPS argued that the current guidance made it hard to educate “students who are refraining from attending DPS schools for fear of immigration enforcement actions occurring” at schools. The district also argued that it was forced to divert resources to prepare for such arrests.

Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responded by arguing that there had been no immigration raids at schools in Denver or elsewhere, and that drops in attendance were caused by fear and false reports of ICE raids, not the changing guidance.

Domenico ruled in March that it was an “overstatement” to say that the guidance eliminated all protections for schools. He said there hadn’t been “a single instance” of the Trump administration’s guidance “resulting in someone doing something that wouldn’t have happened under the prior policy.”

The Biden administration’s policy allowed immigration enforcement at schools “either with prior higher-level approval or under exigent circumstances.”

In its statement Tuesday, DPS said its lawsuit caused the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to be more transparent about its new guidance and admit that the policy hadn’t fundamentally changed, which DPS said was “not previously known.”

The Denver district also pledged to “continue to monitor developments regarding immigration enforcement in sensitive areas.”

“In DPS, we strive to provide safe and welcoming environments for ALL of our students,” the district said. “Those words are not hollow, but rather, carefully selected. Students cannot learn unless they feel safe and welcome in our schools. We owe that to them.”

DPS said it was represented pro bono in the case and did not spend any district money on it.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

ICE raids, National Guard deployment ‘could not have happened at a worse time’ for L.A. students

2025-06-10T19:55:27+00:00

Speaking from the graduation stage, Kimberly Hernandez told the crowd in Los Angeles’ historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre how honored she was to stand before them “not just as a graduate but as the proud child of immigrant parents.”

It was an honor she shared with many of her classmates at Los Angeles High School’s commencement ceremony Monday afternoon. Some 84% of the students at the city’s oldest public high school identify as Hispanic or Latino, and many are first-generation Americans who learned English as a second language.

A few miles away, their fellow Angelenos had just mounted some of the fiercest resistance to date to President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda. In response, Trump had called in the National Guard against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials, and ordered U.S. Marines to the city.

As thousands of L.A. students celebrated their high school graduation in recent days, school officials lamented the timing of the tumult and the Trump administration’s actions. And inside the theater, the graduates wanted to tell a different story about immigrants.

Hernandez’s parents emigrated from Mexico before she was born. “They came to this country with hope in their hearts, sacrifice in their hands, and a determination that no long work hours, discrimination, and no financial hardship could shake,” the senior class vice president told the standing-room only crowd.

She then addressed her mom and dad directly, thanking them in Spanish for always encouraging her to pursue her dreams.

Los Angeles High School graduate Kimberly Hernandez poses for a portrait on a sunny day on Mon., June 9, 2025 in Los Angeles.

Her parents were cheering her on from the audience. But other graduates said that their family members had stayed home, fearing that even commencement ceremonies could be vulnerable to federal immigration enforcement.

Rumors that federal agents had targeted a Los Angeles elementary school’s culmination ceremony on Friday, while false, may have contributed to the fear. So did an immigration raid Monday in a Home Depot parking lot that unfolded within sight of a high school that was hosting a different elementary school ceremony.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has dramatically ramped up immigrant arrests, taking people into custody at routine court hearings and increasing workplace raids. The White House reportedly has set a quota of 3,000 arrests per day as officials seek to carry out the president’s mass deportation agenda.

These tactics are increasingly affecting school communities. In New York City, a high school student from Venezuela was arrested at a court hearing. In Massachusetts, a student born in Brazil was detained on his way to volleyball practice. And in Michigan, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, arrested a high school junior after a traffic stop.

In late May, a Los Angeles-area fourth grade student was detained when he accompanied his father to an immigration hearing. The father and son were separated and taken to Texas. Both are scheduled to be deported to Honduras.

At a Monday morning press conference, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said the district is providing legal assistance to at least six district families affected by immigration detentions.

Los Angeles High’s graduation ceremony took place about six miles west of the downtown Los Angeles neighborhood where thousands of area residents have been protesting workplace raids targeting undocumented immigrants. It’s about 20 miles north of Paramount, California, where the presence of federal agents Friday sparked some of the most chaotic confrontations between law enforcement and local protesters in the predominantly Latino suburb.

Trump has ordered 4,000 National Guard members deployed to Los Angeles in a move that Newsom said further inflames the situation. California is suing the Trump administration in an effort to have the National Guard stand down. On Monday, Trump ordered 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles and said they would protect federal buildings and personnel.

All of that “could not have happened at a worse time,” Carvalho said at the press conference. More than 100 graduation ceremonies were taking place Monday and Tuesday in the nation’s second-largest school district.

“I’ve spoken with parents who’ve told me that their daughter would be the first in their family to graduate high school, and they’re not going to be there to witness it, because they have a fear of the place of graduation being targeted,” he said. “What nation are we becoming? Who in their right mind would accept that reality?”

Pride, fear, and a call for unity

More than a third of Los Angeles residents are foreign-born, and 1 in 5 residents is either undocumented or lives with an undocumented family member. More than 40% of Los Angeles Unified students are English learners or started their school careers as English learners, an indication that they come from immigrant families.

Carvalho said he had ordered school district police officers to create safe zones around graduation sites and principals to ensure families could enter quickly so that they wouldn’t be exposed while waiting in line. Three district patrol cars were stationed outside the Wilshire Ebell on Monday.

In the theater, Eugenia Lopez acknowledged feeling scared, given the recent immigration raids, but said her love for her college-bound granddaughter was more powerful than her fear. Her granddaughter’s father, however, opted to stay home because “he has no papers, and he is afraid,” she said.

Lopez immigrated to the U.S. about 30 years ago and has worked as a nanny, specializing in infant care. She told Chalkbeat that even if she were forced to return to her native Guatemala one day, seeing her American-born grandchildren achieve makes her own sacrifices worth it.

“I’m so proud to see her graduate, and I hope to see her graduate again,” from college, she said.

Mexican sarapes — or graduation sashes — and colorful leis hang on a moveable cart outside the Los Angeles High School graduation ceremony on Monday, June 9, 2025 in California.

Los Angeles High School’s commencement was one of several graduation ceremonies that Carvalho attended. In a speech, he reflected on his own experience as a formerly undocumented Portuguese immigrant who experienced homelessness and went on to become the first in his family to graduate from high school.

Carvalho said that Los Angeles is “stronger and more unified” because of its diversity. He also apologized to graduates on behalf of those who make their journey ahead more difficult, telling the crowd, “I will never accept anyone trampling on your rights.”

It felt great to hear that a lot of people do care, even if a lot of people discriminate against us.
Jesse Cardoza

Janey Yea Ji Park, the school’s student body president, told the audience what it was like to emigrate from Korea four years ago, knowing little English. “I was terrified to speak,” she said, recalling how she would cry in the school bathroom every day, until she got up the courage to try things she couldn’t yet do.

“Four years later, I’m giving my speech in front of you,” she said. “In English.” Park, who is headed to Vanderbilt University in Tennessee this fall, then thanked her mother, in English and Korean, calling her the “most brave and selfless person I know in the world.”

After each of the roughly 250 graduates had crossed the stage, diploma in hand, the students and their families filtered out of the historic theater and into the afternoon sun. The graduates, holding balloons and bouquets, took photos with family, friends, and teachers.

“It felt great to hear that a lot of people do care, even if a lot of people discriminate against us,” new graduate Jesse Cardoza said.

Like many of his classmates, he said that he owed a lot to his parents, who immigrated to the U.S from Mexico. “They gave me the opportunity to make something better of my life,” he said.

In the fall, he’s going to California State University, Northridge, where he plans to study computer science.

National editor Erica Meltzer contributed reporting.

Gabrielle Birkner is Chalkbeat’s features editor and fellowship director. Email her at gbirkner@chalkbeat.org.

Advocates call on Michigan lawmakers to condemn ICE detention of Detroit student

2025-06-09T22:32:33+00:00

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Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old undocumented immigrant, had planned to return to Colombia with his mother after he graduated from Western International High School.

With roughly one semester left in school, Maykol began making arrangements to leave the U.S.

But his plans and his education were upended last month when he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Instead of finishing out his junior year this week, the teen is in custody of the federal government and faces an “imminent” risk of deportation, according to his attorney.

Immigration advocates are now calling on Michigan’s governor, several Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation, and Detroit school district leaders to fight for Maykol’s release so he can complete his schooling in the U.S.

“At this time of the year, students should be focused on graduation and summer,” said Ruby Robinson, senior managing attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, who is representing Maykol. “And here we have a student on precious time who is being deported. He should be able to finish his studies.”

Maykol is only 3.5 credits away from graduating, Robinson said, and would likely be able to finish school around the end of the calendar year.

His attorney said he is asking to be released and granted a stay of deportation to see his studies through before returning to Colombia.

Maykol was arrested on May 20 after he attempted to join a school field trip to Lake Erie Metropark, about 25 miles from Detroit. While driving with three other students in the car, Maykol was pulled over for tailgating another vehicle, said Robinson.

The teen was asked to provide his driver’s license but only had a City of Detroit identification card. Michigan does not currently issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

The local police officers who pulled Maykol over could not speak Spanish and had trouble communicating with him, Robinson said, so they called Customs and Border Protection.

“An important aspect of this story is that local police, instead of relying on internal translation services, were relying on Border Patrol agents to interpret for them,” said Robinson.

The practice of calling on Border Protection for traffic stops with people who can’t speak English could be interpreted as racial profiling, the attorney said.

Randy Krause, chief of the Rockwood Police Department, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Maykol, who came to the U.S. at 16, received a final deportation order in 2024. After that, Maykol was working with ICE and the Colombian Consulate to obtain the travel documents he needed to depart the country, according to his attorney.

“We were in compliance with their order,” said Robinson, adding the documents are required in order to board an airplane out of the country. “It takes time for those documents to be generated.”

He was still in the process of arranging to return to Colombia with his mother when he was arrested. It’s unclear if he would have been able to graduate before leaving.

On Monday afternoon, Robinson and Maykol’s family didn’t know where he was. They believed he was being moved from the Chippewa County Correctional Facility to another location early Monday morning, the attorney said.

“We expect when he does reach where he will spend the night tonight, we will be able to find him, or he will be able to make a phone call to us or his mom,” said Robinson.

The attorney said because of the high number of people detained by ICE, the agency places them wherever bed space is available.

“We’re seeing people detained in far parts of Michigan,” he said. “We’re also seeing people being sent to Ohio and other places as well.”

Advocates want Michigan leaders to speak out

By Monday afternoon, nearly 900 people had signed a petition asking Michigan officials to condemn Maykol’s arrest, urge for him to be released to complete his high school education, and “to put preventative policies in place to better support immigrant students and families.”

Three advocacy groups — 482Forward, MI Students Dream, and the People’s Assembly — created the petition.

Lindsey Matson, the deputy director of 482Forward, said the advocacy effort is aimed at raising awareness of the issue and the petition, if it gains traction, will put pressure on those who have the power to intervene.

“Even a statement from the school board will be helpful,” Matson added.

The petition calls for action from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, U.S. House Reps. Shri Thanedar and Rashida Tlaib, and the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Thanedar, in a Monday evening post on X, formerly Twitter, responded to the detention, saying: “ICE should not be detaining high schoolers! Maykol Bogoya-Duarte just needs 3 credits to graduate, but was put in detention by ICE. He should be released immediately and allowed to get his diploma.”

Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the district, told Chalkbeat last week that the school system’s police department had advocated on the student’s behalf.

But the district did not notify students and families of the arrest because Maykol was not “under the protection and responsibility” of the school system when ICE detained him, said Vitti.

Robinson said notification about the incident or future instances like it would provide reassurances to families about how the district responds in these situations.

“I think people are looking for something like that from the school district,” said Robinson.

In addition to advocating for Maykol’s release to allow the teen to finish school, the attorney said the district should ensure its policies and practices support the needs of community members with immigration challenges.

That includes making sure students and staff understand their rights in interactions with law enforcement, he added.

In New York, the detention of a student has gained widespread attention and calls from advocates and political leaders for his release. (A second teen has since been detained.) Similarly, the detention of a teenager in Massachusetts prompted rallies.

Less attention has been paid to Maykol’s plight in comparison.

Matson said his case isn’t less important than what has happened in the other states.

“I feel like Democrats in Michigan have not really stood up for our immigrant population here,” she said.

The advocacy groups calling for Maykol’s release are asking community members to attend the Detroit Public Schools Community District board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to urge school leaders to make public statements.

Immigration advocates are also encouraging community members to call the offices of state and national lawmakers, as well as ICE.

Lori Higgins is the Detroit bureau chief. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Second NYC student detained by ICE, Education Department confirms

2025-06-07T00:28:40+00:00

Another New York City public school student has been detained by immigration agents, the Education Department confirmed late Friday.

The student, whose name and school have not been released, attended a legal hearing to seek asylum and was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the department said.

“This young person should be returning home from school today, surrounded by family — not facing detention,” schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said in a statement, adding that she was “deeply saddened” by the arrest.

State Sen. Mike Gianaris said Friday that the student was an 11th grader from Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, Fox 5 reported. The Education Department didn’t confirm those details.

This is the second known case of a public school student detained by immigration authorities during President Donald Trump’s second term. The first student, Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, was arrested by ICE two weeks ago after a routine court hearing in Manhattan and has not been released. Dylan’s arrest has prompted an outcry from local officials, who have called for his release, and his Bronx school, ELLIS Prep, has rallied around him.

As the Trump administration has ramped up its efforts to deport immigrants, other students have also been detained by ICE, including one in Massachusetts and another in Detroit. The student in Massachusetts has since been released. Federal officials did not confirm Friday where the Detroit student is being held.

In New York City, Aviles-Ramos urged families to continue sending their children to school “where they belong.”

“Our commitment to all students, including our newest New Yorkers, remains unwavering,” Aviles-Ramos said. “Our policies have not changed: schools are and will continue to be safe, welcoming spaces for every child.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said that City Hall was gathering more information about the incident.

“As Mayor Adams has said repeatedly, our city is less safe when people are afraid to use public resources — including going to their court hearings — and thus feel forced to hide in the shadows," the spokesperson said in a statement.

The city’s Law Department recently filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Dylan’s release, claiming his arrest was a “trap” that undermined faith in the court system, threatening “to deter people from accessing the court system on which local governance depends.”

The legal brief marked one of the most direct rebukes from the Adams administration of Trump’s immigration policy.

New York Bureau Chief Amy Zimmer contributed.

Cara Fitzpatrick is a story editor at Chalkbeat. Contact Cara at cfitzpatrick@chalkbeat.org.

A Detroit student was arrested by ICE. Students at his school are scared and angry.

2025-06-06T22:29:37+00:00

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Students at Western International High School in Detroit say they are fearful and angry after immigration agents detained one of their classmates last month.

“I just didn’t think it was right,” said Yoselin Luna, a junior at the school. “It’s just sad he has to experience that. It makes me sad because of all the hate.”

Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detained the 18-year-old student, whose name has not been released, after he was pulled over on May 20 for a traffic stop by local police. He and three classmates were on their way to join a field trip at Lake Erie Metropark, about 25 miles from Detroit. The other students weren’t arrested.

Western International, the largest high school in Southwest Detroit, is home to a newcomer program that provides academic and social support to families who recently arrived in the U.S., and more than 60% of students at the school are English language learners. In the wake of the arrest, incorrect information around the circumstances circulated in the school. Some students said they wished district officials had informed them about what happened.

In some ways, the arrest shows the limits of what school districts can do to shield students from immigration enforcement. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told Chalkbeat the Detroit Public Schools Community District did not notify students or families of the arrest because the student was not “under the protection and responsibility of” the district at the time.

Vitti said the 18-year-old skipped school that day and did not have permission to attend the field trip. Neither did the three classmates in his car, he said.

The school district has “done everything it can to protect students” while they are on school grounds, but it is limited in what it can do off campus, Vitti said.

Rockwood police stopped the car about a mile away from the park, the Detroit Free Press first reported.

The student did not have a driver’s license, only a City of Detroit identification card, a spokesperson from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol told Chalkbeat.

The student recently came to the U.S. from Colombia, the Free Press reported. He did not have legal immigration status and a judge had already issued a deportation order before he was arrested, federal officials said.

The local police contacted Border Patrol agents, according to federal officials, and he was put into ICE custody. The 18-year-old was held at the Chippewa County Correctional Facility in the Upper Peninsula, the Free Press reported. Federal officials didn’t confirm his current location.

District officials are concerned about the student, Vitti said, but couldn’t do much in those circumstances.

“After the student was apprehended, District police engaged the authorities that had the student in custody to ensure his safety and to advocate on his behalf,” said Vitti. “But, ultimately the authorities were following procedure and the law.”

Advocates say the student’s detention is a reminder of the reality educators and families have to contend with as the Trump administration has directed mass deportations.

Christine Sauvé, policy, engagement, and communications manager for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, said families with precarious legal status must routinely make considerations about their safety when performing daily activities others might take for granted, like attending school trips.

“We’re trying to be very clear-eyed and upfront with families when they are trying to make decisions about which risks to take,” she said. “There’s an ever-present risk of local law enforcement agencies cooperating with ICE. It’s difficult news to process, but it’s something we want families to be aware of when making these calculations.”

Some students wish the district told them about the arrest

Several students from Western International who spoke to Chalkbeat said they didn’t hear about their peer’s detention from school administrators. Those who were aware of it heard from their classmates.

“I feel that it’s wrong that not a lot of us know that this happened,” said Jaylin Miller, a junior at Western International.

A senior, who asked not to be named due to fears of immigration enforcement, said he thought the school should have sent out a notification about the incident.

“I wish the principal would have stated it and let the whole school know about it and just keep everyone in touch,” he said.

Some of the students had heard rumors about the circumstances of the arrest, including that immigration agents stopped a school bus. Another thought that all of the students on the trip were asked to show their identification without cause. Both rumors were false.

Another senior, who has family members without legal status and spoke on the basis of anonymity, said the only information he’s received from the school addressing fears about recent changes to immigration enforcement policy was an email in January.

The email informed families about the district’s guidance following the Trump administration ending a decades-old practice of treating schools and child care centers as “sensitive” or “protected” locations where immigration arrests do not typically occur.

District policy requires a judicial warrant and an administrative review process for any entry into a school. But areas around schools, such as parking lots and streets, are public property.

“The District has had no challenges with ICE on our property this school year,” said Vitti, adding the school system’s jurisdiction beyond its property is “limited.”

Southwest Detroit youth are fearful and sad after the arrest

Yoselin, the Western International junior, first heard about her peer’s arrest during chemistry class from another student.

Yoselin said her father was deported from Detroit years ago. Lately, her Instagram feed is filled with videos of parents being separated from their children by immigration agents, she said.

“It’s scary,” said another student from the school who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of family immigration concerns. “For that to happen to one person, it keeps everyone alert, scared.”

The recent arrest of their classmate has made some Western International High School students fearful and angry.

Several youth brought the Western International student’s arrest to the attention of Samantha Magdaleno, executive director of One Michigan for Immigrant Rights.

“All of the students are afraid of what they’re seeing,” she said. “This administration is going after low-hanging fruit — they’re going after a student who was doing his best, going to school, and trying to contribute to society.”

Fear has permeated throughout Southwest Detroit’s large immigrant community since Trump was elected, said Magdaleno.

Across schools in the neighborhood, Vitti said there was a drop in attendance after Trump’s January directive to end the protected location policy for schools, though he did not say how much it declined.

After the district released its guidance, the superintendent said attendance and chronic absenteeism rates at those schools “have largely returned to levels comparable to last year.”

Vitti added it’s clear nonetheless that the president’s rhetoric and executive orders on immigration policy have “negatively impacted student attendance at schools with larger student immigrant populations.”

Reaction to the Western International student’s arrest has been muted in Detroit compared to that of two other recent immigration arrests of high school students in other parts of the country. Those instances garnered national attention, outrage, and protest.

Two weeks ago, a New York City public school student was detained after a routine immigration court date in Manhattan.

Officials from the school immediately got involved, seeking legal aid from various organizations. The principal told students the news and made space for them to share their emotions at school. New York Mayor Eric Adams, who initially distanced himself from the case, voiced his support for the student through a legal brief.

Last week in Massachusetts, ICE detained a high school student on his way to volleyball practice. The superintendent of the district released a public statement decrying the arrest. Many teachers joined protests and the state’s governor said she was “disturbed and outraged.”

The Massachusetts student has been released on bond, while the New York City student remains in detention.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Amid Trump immigration crackdown, students weigh safety and politics in their college plans

2025-06-03T16:00:00+00:00

California Health Report spoke to four high school students. In order to protect the identities of the students who fear repercussions based on their immigration status, it has withheld their full names and the name of their school, in addition to generalizing the area where they live.

High school seniors around the country are graduating, a rite of passage that marks a profound shift. It can feel as if everyone is asking them what comes next. For immigrant students, these discussions have an extra layer of complexity this year.

At one northern California school, recently arrived immigrant students are thinking about safety, politics, and the culture of belonging — considerations that weren’t front of mind as they filled out their applications in the fall, before President Donald Trump took office.

In addition to fears about being deported or being separated from family members, the students now worry about financial aid complications and whether their immigration status will prevent them from getting professional licenses in the fields they hope to study. Some have changed their plans, deciding to stay close to home and attend community college instead of attending a four-year university. Others feel grateful they live in California, which has historically provided more resources and what many feel is a more welcoming environment for undocumented students than some states.

But all of the students interviewed expressed some concern about what their next steps could mean for their safety.

The stress of worrying about immigration issues can make it more difficult to focus in class, said Beleza Chan, communications director at Immigrants Rising, a nonprofit organization that helps undocumented college students in California. It can be hard to stay motivated when the future feels so uncertain, she said.

And yet, “continuing to pursue your dreams is one way to fight back,” Chan added.

A California safety net for immigrant students, interrupted

When A., who is 18, came to the U.S. alone four years ago, his eyes were set on college. To him, that meant enrolling directly into a four-year university. But for most of this year, A had started letting go of that dream. His legal protections are only temporary, and without a green card, he wondered if straying far from the home he’s built with his aunt and cousins was the best idea. “I have a lot of mixed feelings,” he said.

Then, A. learned that he had been accepted to California State University, Chico, and a local organization would cover part of the cost. With encouragement from his advisors, A. decided to enroll.

A. works at a computer at his northern California high school.

But just as A. was wrapping his head around the idea that his dream of attending college and living on campus was coming true, he learned that a special agent from the Department of Homeland Security had visited his old address, where the agent left his business card with a relative who still lives there. A. is working with his attorney to figure out his next steps, but in the meantime, his fears feel closer than ever.

S., 18, has similar concerns. She entered the country on a temporary visa with her mother, a green card holder, nearly three years ago. She immediately applied for her own legal permanent residence, but the application is still pending. In the meantime, her temporary visa has expired, leaving her in a delicate legal situation.

Her lawyer has recommended that if her green card doesn’t come through soon, she should go to her home country and wait. But that would mean putting her college dreams on hold and returning to a country where she has few family members left. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the average wait time for this type of green card application is 7.5 years.

Before this year, S. had no problem talking to others about her immigration status. Her application was pending, and even though she knew she had overstayed her visa, she believed it would be fixed soon. But she’s felt the culture shift.

”I feel like now I cannot be really open and talk about my experience because of how things have changed,” said S.

Early on in her college application process, S. was thinking big. Determined to study public health and medicine, she applied to 30 colleges across the country, from schools in the University of California and California State University systems to private universities on the East Coast. But after the election, she started doing more research, trying to understand not just what financial resources each school offers, but how that school does — or doesn’t — outwardly welcome undocumented students. She also wanted to know more about how states have responded to Trump’s deportation agenda.

As the acceptance letters began to pour in, S. learned that she was being offered a full scholarship to the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her excitement has been tempered, however, by the looming question of her legal status. If her green card is approved before classes start in August, she’ll enroll. But she’s already booked a plane ticket home, realistic about her chances and seeing no other choice.

Community colleges offer solutions for immigrant students

When C., who is 17, crossed the southern border into Arizona with her mother two years ago, she was nearly nine months pregnant. After spending most of her life concerned for her safety, C. said, “I’m a huge fan of all calm places.”

She found that in northern California, where she made friends in her high school’s newcomer program. C.’s teachers helped her find daycare for her daughter and support with housing and food. “I would give anything so that my daughter doesn’t have to go through the same things that I went through,” C. said.

Going into her last semester of high school, C. had already decided on her plan after graduation: community college.

As many of her peers are excited to embrace their independence for the first time, C. is experiencing something that educators say many of their newcomer students feel: a hesitancy to uproot themselves after years, perhaps a lifetime, of seeking a safe, stable place to live. C.’s community college of choice has a Head Start program for her daughter, and staying at home means she can pursue her education while continuing to live in a community she knows and trusts. C. expects to be eligible for in-state tuition; in addition, she has received a scholarship from a local philanthropic organization that will help her with living expenses.

C. plans to eventually transfer to a university to complete her bachelor’s degree and become a teacher in her northern California town. One day, she hopes to teach at the same high school she’s enrolled in now and help other newcomer students feel welcome.

For some students, though, the decision to attend community college can feel like a bit of a disappointment.

J., 18, came to the U.S. with her parents when she was just a few months old, and growing up, she’d always felt like an American. She didn’t think much about her legal status until she needed a Social Security number — to hold a job, get a driver’s license, or apply for college. She dreamed of higher education, not just for herself but to make her parents proud.

“Even if I don’t know what I want to do yet, I know that I am going to get that education,” she said.

J. is one of approximately 14,000 undocumented students who will graduate from California high schools this year. Only 10% of those students will pursue higher education, compared with 63% of students statewide who enroll in college after high school, according to the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition.

“Financial aid has always been a big part of undocumented students’ decisions,” Chan said. These students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but California and 23 other states allow some undocumented students to pay in-state tuition or access state financial aid. Now, those local decisions could be usurped by the federal government.

California schools provide resources for newcomer students, including information about their legal rights.

The Trump administration has said it will punish states that maintain these policies; on April 28, Trump issued an executive order pressuring California officials to cooperate with the administration’s agenda, though no changes have yet been made.

To navigate these complexities, J. and her classmates have been working with advisers through her school’s Upward Bound program, part of the federally funded TRIO programs, which provides resources and guidance to students from low-income backgrounds pursuing higher education. Oregon and California had waivers that allowed students to participate in the program regardless of their immigration status. But in late March, the U.S. Department of Education revoked that waiver.

All of the students interviewed for this story have been told they can keep participating because they’re already enrolled, but going forward, schools will need to verify all students’ immigration status and only enroll U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and legal residents.

When J. was first accepted to California State University, Sacramento, she was thrilled, but then she began to worry about her safety. Her family worried that being hours away from home in a bigger city could put her at greater risk of deportation, and J. began considering her local community college as a safer and more affordable option. For now, J. has enrolled in her local community college, in the hopes that, by the time she finishes her associate degree, the doors to a bachelor’s degree will open for her.

Being undocumented is hard, but community helps

For A., the stress of entering the next phase of his life can feel isolating: “It’s really hard because you’re trying not to think about that, instead of just thinking about school stuff, you know?” he said. “You have a little bit more weight in your mind.”

Amid political uncertainty, educators still have the power — and the responsibility — to create a space that feels safe and welcoming for all of their students, said Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, deputy director of Californians Together, an advocacy group. In 2017, during the first Trump administration, Californians Together launched a project called Support for Immigrant & Refugee Students to train educators on immigration policy and ways they can create safe spaces for their students.

Chan says that a big part of creating that safe space is providing accurate, up-to-date information. Immigrants Rising has recently launched a new tool that helps college-bound immigrant students and educators wade through complicated eligibility information.

Chan has found that undocumented students’ mental health affects their academic performance. Immigrants Rising has been compiling research showing that depression and anxiety can lead to lower grades, higher dropout rates, decreased motivation, higher levels of self-harm and worse physical health among undocumented students. But despite the well-studied need for mental health services, a 2019 study from the University of California, Irvine showed that undocumented students in higher education use such services less frequently than their documented peers.

“Students expressed low perceived need because they normalized mental strain as a natural product of their unstable immigration status,” wrote the study’s authors. “Many viewed treatment as futile because it could not address underlying immigration-related issues.”

But that doesn’t mean students have to face those challenges alone. Immigrants Rising hosts regular virtual meetups for undocumented students around the country to share openly with one another. Many college campuses in California do similar work through UndocuAlly and UndocuLiaison programs that assign college staff members to be the official points of contact for undocumented students.

“We can’t solve all the aggressive immigration policies that are out there,” Chan said. “No amount of breathing exercises is going to get rid of that. But having community helps.”

This story is part of a partnership between the California Health Report and Chalkbeat, and is supported by the Solutions Journalism Network’s HEAL Fellowship on youth mental health.

Cita rutinaria en la corte resulta en el arresto de ICE para estudiante de high school del Bronx

2025-05-29T22:32:41+00:00

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El estudiante de high school del Bronx, originario de Venezuela, intentaba hacer lo correcto en todo momento.

Dylan, de 20 años, huyó de su país el año pasado y se entregó en la frontera de Estados Unidos en abril de 2024, a través de un programa de ingreso implementado durante la administración Biden. Solicitó asilo y se le permitió entrar al país mientras esperaba una cita en la corte, lo que le permitió obtener un permiso de trabajo y una licencia de conducir para aprendices, según relataron sus abogados y su madre, Raiza.

Se reunió con su madre y sus dos hermanos menores en el Bronx, y empezó a trabajar a tiempo parcial como repartidor para ayudar a Raiza a reunir el dinero necesario para sacar a la familia del refugio municipal donde vivían y mudarse a un departamento propio.

Y aunque ya había terminado la high school en Venezuela, se inscribió en una high school del Bronx que está orientada a recién llegados de mayor edad, decidido a seguir estudiando y llegar a la universidad.

Por eso, cuando llegó la fecha obligatoria de comparecencia de Dylan el pasado miércoles, él y Raiza no dudaron en presentarse en persona, tal como se les había indicado, en el bajo Manhattan. Asumieron que se trataría de un trámite rutinario, según explicó Raiza, quien pidió que se usaran solo sus nombres de pila por temor a represalias por parte de las autoridades migratorias.

En cambio, según relató Raiza, Dylan —quien asistió a la audiencia sin abogado— renunció sin saberlo a sus protecciones legales y fue arrestado de inmediato por agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés), que lo siguieron al salir de la sala hasta el vestíbulo del tribunal.

El arresto de Dylan fue parte de una ofensiva a nivel nacional. En tribunales de todo el país, abogados del gobierno solicitaron a los jueces que desestimaran los casos contra migrantes para reabrirlos de inmediato como casos de “remoción expedita”. Esto permitió a las autoridades detener a sus objetivos en el acto e iniciar un proceso de deportación acelerado, con menos controles legales, según abogados y diversos informes periodísticos.

“Parece un juego sucio de su parte”, le dijo Raiza a Chalkbeat en español. “Cuando alguien se comparece ante un juez es porque no tiene antecedentes penales, porque quiere hacer las cosas bien… Lo único que él quiere es estudiar”.

El arresto ha causado un fuerte impacto en ELLIS Prep, la high school del Bronx con una comunidad estrechamente unida a la que asiste Dylan, y representa el primer caso conocido de un estudiante actualmente matriculado en una escuela pública de la ciudad de Nueva York detenido por ICE durante el segundo mandato de Trump, según señalaron varios defensores de los derechos de inmigrantes y educadores.

La directora de ELLIS Prep, Norma Vega, reunió al personal el pasado viernes para informarles sobre Dylan. “Se llevaron a uno de nuestros chicos,” dijo.

Vega dijo que le da aliento ver el apoyo que Dylan ya está recibiendo y que espera poder organizar más acciones para luchar por su liberación. “Pensaron que era un blanco fácil, que no valía nada… [pero] hay muchísima gente dispuesta a respaldarlo”.

En una declaración en respuesta a una consulta de Chalkbeat —que luego fue publicada en redes sociales—, la canciller de escuelas Melissa Avilés-Ramos expresó: “Lamentamos profundamente la detención del estudiante por parte de ICE y acompañamos con el corazón a su familia en este difícil momento. Aunque el incidente no ocurrió dentro de una escuela, queremos transmitirles tranquilidad a nuestras familias: seguiremos alzando la voz y defendiendo la seguridad, la dignidad y los derechos de todos nuestros estudiantes”.

En los cinco días desde su detención el 21 de mayo, Dylan —quien padece graves problemas estomacales— ha sido trasladado por cuatro estados distintos: Nueva Jersey, Texas, Luisiana y Pensilvania, según informaron sus abogados y su madre.

Los traslados constantes han dificultado que sus abogados se comuniquen con él, ya que normalmente se requieren varios días después de cada traslado para poder programar una consulta, según explicó una abogada del New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), la organización que representa a Dylan. Raiza, quien ha logrado hablar con él por teléfono, contó que no se le ha brindado atención médica y que ha pasado casi todo el tiempo esposado de pies y manos.

ICE no respondió a la consulta de Chalkbeat sobre el caso de Dylan.

Un viaje agotador que lleva a más lucha y esperanza

La familia de Dylan forma parte de una ola migratoria sin precedentes que ha llegado a la ciudad de Nueva York en los últimos años. En 2023, Raiza cruzó el peligroso Tapón del Darién junto a sus dos hijos menores —que ahora tienen 7 y 10 años—. Pero en ese momento no podía costear el viaje de Dylan, así que él tuvo que emprender la travesía por su cuenta un año después.

La experiencia fue traumática. Dylan fue secuestrado en México por el temido cartel de Sinaloa y retenido para pedir un rescate, contó Raiza.

Una vez que logró asegurar su liberación, Dylan ingresó al país con una cita programada a través de la aplicación CBP One, un programa implementado durante la administración Biden —y recientemente revocado por Trump— que buscaba formalizar y agilizar el proceso de entrada a Estados Unidos. Se le permitió ingresar mientras aguardaba su primera cita en la corte, y solicitó —sin contar con un abogado— asilo y el Estatus Especial de Inmigrante Juvenil, una forma de protección legal destinada a jóvenes, según explicó su abogada del Grupo de Asistencia Legal de Nueva York (NYLAG, por sus siglas en inglés).

El estatus legal de Dylan le permitió calificar tanto para un permiso de trabajo como para una licencia de conducir provisional, según contó su madre. Logró comprarse su propia bicicleta eléctrica y trabajaba a medio tiempo como repartidor.

La vida en Estados Unidos no fue fácil para su familia. Su madre tuvo que desempeñar varios trabajos —entre ellos, vender chocolates, limpiar apartamentos y asistir a un carpintero— para poder sacar a su familia del refugio para personas sin hogar donde vivían en el Bronx. Luego, Raiza contó que casi pierde miles de dólares en una estafa vinculada a un contrato de alquiler, y que solo logró recuperar parte del dinero tras amenazar con llamar a la policía.

A Dylan le costaba equilibrar el trabajo con los estudios, y en un momento incluso llegó a considerar abandonar la escuela, hasta que la escuela misma y Raiza intervinieron, según contó ella. Más recientemente, Dylan estaba lidiando con importantes problemas de salud que lo mantenían alejado de las clases, añadió Raiza. De hecho, Dylan se encontraba en proceso de realizarse estudios médicos adicionales cuando fue detenido, explicó.

Pero a pesar de todas las dificultades, Raiza se sentía orgullosa de la vida que ella y sus hijos habían logrado construir en la ciudad de Nueva York.

Dylan, tercero desde la izquierda, posa con su mamá y sus hermanos menores.

“Lo único que quiero es un futuro mejor para ellos,” dijo Raiza. “Lamentablemente, mi país no ofrece esa posibilidad”.

Los tres niños adoraban sus escuelas. Dylan, un joven hogareño y poco interesado en fiestas, asumía un papel activo en el cuidado de sus hermanos menores mientras Raiza trabajaba largas jornadas. Los recogía de la escuela y corregía su conducta cuando era necesario, contó ella.

Y Dylan, quien solía llevar el cabello negro, largo y despeinado hasta los hombros, se ganó la admiración de muchos estudiantes y miembros del personal en ELLIS por su carácter tímido pero amable. Un compañero recordó que compartía con generosidad sus arepas, un popular plato venezolano elaborado con masa de maíz frita, rellena de carne o queso. Según contó su orientadora escolar, Dylan solía jugar al Uno durante el almuerzo con un grupo de amigos y estaba interesado en aprender a tocar la guitarra en la clase de música.

Una cita en la corte termina en una detención

Normalmente, una cita en la corte como la de Dylan habría sido un trámite sencillo. Pero cuando él y su madre llegaron al tribunal de inmigración, en el 290 de Broadway, en el Bajo Manhattan, los abogados del gobierno presentaron una solicitud inusual: le pidieron al juez que desestimara el proceso de deportación en su contra, según relataron su madre y sus abogados.

Pero al desestimarse el proceso de deportación de Dylan, su solicitud de asilo también quedó anulada, lo que lo dejó desprotegido legalmente y permitió al gobierno iniciar un proceso de remoción expedita.

Si la familia hubiera tenido un abogado presente, tal vez habría podido oponerse a la solicitud de desestimación o, al menos, comprender mejor las posibles repercusiones, señalaron los abogados de NYLAG que representan a Dylan. Pero Raiza contó que había buscado un abogado sin éxito antes de la audiencia y que no podía costear uno privado.

Después de que se desestimara el caso de Dylan, Raiza contó que dos hombres ingresaron a la sala del tribunal y luego los siguieron a ella y a Dylan al salir, incluso hasta el ascensor.

“Cuando salimos del ascensor, nos dijeron: ‘Párense contra la pared’”, recordó Raiza. A su lado, otra joven gritaba mientras era detenida, recordó también Raiza, quien en un principio fue esposada. Les suplicó a los oficiales que Dylan no tenía antecedentes penales y les explicó que tenía niños pequeños en casa. Los agentes decidieron liberarla, pero se llevaron a Dylan en un carro sin identificación, relató.

Raiza y su hijo Dylan.

La práctica de realizar arrestos en los tribunales “generará temor y hará que las personas tengan miedo de asistir a sus audiencias y de ejercer su derecho al asilo”, advirtió la abogada de Dylan, quien habló bajo condición de anonimato para no poner en riesgo su caso. Sin embargo, también advirtió que faltar a una cita en la corte puede derivar en una orden de deportación.

Las horas posteriores al arresto de Dylan fueron un torbellino de actividad, mientras Raiza intentaba, en vano, obtener más información sobre su detención. Llamó al orientador de su hijo, Hedin Bernard, de ELLIS Prep, quien la derivó a una iglesia que podría ayudarla a conseguir representación legal y apoyo para el seguimiento del caso.

Bajo el proceso de remoción expedita, que no requiere una audiencia ante un juez, Dylan tendrá una entrevista con un oficial de asilo para evaluar si tiene un “miedo creíble” de regresar a Venezuela. Sus respuestas podrían determinar si existe alguna base legal para que pueda permanecer en el país. Según indicaron sus abogados, probablemente no tendrá acceso a representación legal durante el proceso.

Eso significa que, en esencia, Dylan tendrá que comenzar de nuevo el proceso de solicitud de asilo, “pero esta vez detenido y solo”, explicó su abogada.

Según Raiza, Dylan ya no tiene familiares cercanos en Venezuela, y le preocupa que el gobierno lo pueda si regresa. “Esto es lo que me angustia”, dijo. “No va a terminar bien”.

Los abogados de Dylan sostienen que su detención y el intento de deportación rápida presentan múltiples cuestionamientos legales. Actualmente existe una demanda en curso que disputa si las personas que ingresaron al país como lo hizo Dylan pueden ser sometidas a una remoción expedita. Además, los abogados señalaron que Dylan tiene una audiencia pendiente relacionada con su solicitud de Estatus Especial de Inmigrante Juvenil (SIJS, por sus siglas en inglés).

La detención de Dylan ha sido devastadora para sus dos hermanos menores, que están en edad de escuela primaria y lo ven como “un papá”, contó Raiza.

El día en que detuvieron a Dylan, Raiza no llegó a casa a la hora habitual, y sus hijos más pequeños empezaron a llamarla desesperados. Tuvo que darles la noticia por teléfono.

“El niño empezó a llorar desesperadamente… solo preguntaban, ‘¿cuándo va a volver?’”, contó. “Les dije que ICE se había llevado a su hermano, que confiaran en Dios, que todo iba a salir bien, y que rezaran, porque Dios siempre escucha a los niños”.

Raiza contó que Dylan ha tratado de mostrarse fuerte durante las llamadas telefónicas, pero ella sabe que en realidad está asustado.

En cuanto a Raiza, su extenuante travesía hasta los Estados Unidos la ha hecho valiente frente a casi todo. Aunque hay algo que aún la asusta: “Lo único que me da miedo es que le pase algo a mis hijos,” dijo. “No quiero perder a mi hijo.”

Traducido por Flavia Melisa Franco

Michael Elsen-Rooney es reportero de Chalkbeat Nueva York y cubre las escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Nueva York. Póngase en contacto con Michael en melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

NY Attorney General, mayoral candidates condemn ICE detention of Bronx high schooler

2025-05-27T22:31:12+00:00

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Politicians across the city rallied on Tuesday around a Bronx high school student who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after showing up for a routine immigration court hearing, calling for his immediate release.

Among those decrying the arrest of Dylan, a 20-year-old asylum seeker from Venezuela, was New York Attorney General Letitia James, who called his arrest “despicable.” Mayoral candidates also questioned the detention, with one describing it as “sick and twisted,” while Mayor Eric Adams took a more muted stance.

Dylan attended ELLIS Prep, which caters to older newly arrived immigrants, and remained determined to make it to college. He is the first known current New York City public school student detained by ICE during Trump’s second administration, as Chalkbeat first reported on Monday.

He fled his homeland in April 2024 under a Biden-era entry program, reuniting with his mom and two younger siblings, who he helped support as a part-time delivery worker. He requested asylum and was permitted to stay as he awaited his court date.

Dylan, third from left, poses with his mom and younger siblings.

Dylan went to last week’s court hearing without a lawyer and unwittingly relinquished his legal protections, his mom, Raiza, previously told Chalkbeat. He was promptly arrested by ICE agents who followed him out of the courtroom and into the courthouse lobby. He has no criminal record, his mom added.

(The family requested using only first names for fear of retaliation from immigration authorities.)

Similar scenes are playing out in courthouses across the country, with government lawyers asking immigration judges to dismiss cases against migrants, then immediately reopening them as “expedited removal” cases. The tactic allows authorities to arrest their targets on the spot and fast-track the deportation process with fewer legal checks, according to lawyers and numerous news reports.

A Department of Homeland Security official confirmed that Dylan was arrested and placed in “expedited removal proceedings.”

“Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals,” the official wrote in an email. “Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.”

The official said that those with a “valid credible fear claim” will continue to wind their way through the process. “But if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation.”

A spokesperson for the New York Legal Assistance Group, or NYLAG, which is representing Dylan, pushed back.

“Dylan entered with permission from the United States. He was paroled in to seek asylum. To characterize his entry any other way is false,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

In the six days since his May 21 arrest, Dylan has been shuttled between four different states, including New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, his lawyers and mom said. The constant movement has prevented his lawyers from connecting with him since it typically takes several days after a transfer to coordinate a consultation, said an attorney from NYLAG.

Additionally, Dylan suffers from extreme stomach issues, and his mother, who has been in touch with her son by phone, said he has not received medical care and has spent most of the time with his hands and feet cuffed.

Following Chalkbeat’s reporting on Dylan’s arrest, Mayor Eric Adams was asked about the situation at an unrelated press conference on Tuesday and emphasized that it didn’t happen at school.

“I want to be extremely clear. That did not happen in the school,” Adams said. “Children should be in school. I told parents that, and I lived up to that. We have had no raids in our schools.”

The city does not coordinate with ICE on civil enforcement, he added.

“We don’t know what happened in court, what caused this action,” Adams said. “Federal authorities handle ICE. I don’t control the borders.”

He continued: “My message to all immigrants, documented and undocumented … follow the law. If the law was that you had to show up to court, follow the law.”

Adams did not answer when asked if he would use his relationship with Trump administration officials to push for Dylan’s release.

Several other politicians expressed strong support for Dylan.

New York Attorney General Letitia James took to social media to rail against his arrest.

Dylan is a 20-year-old student who followed our legal process and is trying to get an education and provide for his family.

ICE took advantage of his court date to arrest him.

It's despicable.https://t.co/NFHuIMqtWX
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) May 27, 2025

Two mayoral candidates also came to Dylan’s defense. City Comptroller Brad Lander said he would “work to make sure New Yorkers like Dylan have the legal protections and representation they deserve to fight back against ICE’s inhumane actions.”

And state Rep. Zohran Mamdani, wrote: “This is where Eric Adams’ silence and complicity has led us. Free Dylan now.”

This is sick and twisted. A NYC student who followed all legal requirements, arrested because of ICE trickery and a lack of legal representation.

When I'm Mayor, we'll work to make sure New Yorkers like Dylan have the legal protections and representation they deserve to fight…
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) May 27, 2025

Trump's ICE is now kidnapping New York City high school students. This is where Eric Adams' silence and complicity has led us.

Free Dylan now. pic.twitter.com/0vzuCQw2VJ
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) May 27, 2025

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who is running for city comptroller, also posted in support of Dylan, writing, “We must demand his immediate release.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael atmelsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Some NY schools turn to virtual learning as Trump deportation fears keep immigrant students home

2025-05-19T19:37:17+00:00

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As President Donald Trump has ramped up deportations, some immigrant students across New York have been too afraid to attend class in person. In response, some school districts have turned to virtual learning, a move the state’s Education Department is sanctioning, officials revealed last week.

“I will tell you in the sense of a crisis, we do have some districts right now … that are taking advantage and providing virtual instruction to our children who are afraid to go to school,” Associate Education Commissioner Elisa Alvarez told state officials at May’s Board of Regents meeting.

Alvarez shared with the board a memo the state Education Department issued in March clarifying that districts have the flexibility to offer online instruction to “students who may be unable or averse to attending school, including during times of political uncertainty.”

The memo further specified schools can tap online learning for immigrant and migrant students “who may be affected and reluctant to attend school in person due to concerns about their personal safety and security.”

Alvarez didn’t disclose how many or which districts were using the approach and for how many students. A state Education Department spokesperson did not respond to follow-up questions.

New York City public schools already have virtual options available and aren’t doing anything different for immigrant students fearful of attending school, a spokesperson for the city’s Education Department said.

Still, the disclosure from state officials highlights the ongoing fears some immigrant students are facing four months into the Trump administration and raises fresh questions about how their school experiences are being affected.

Shortly after taking office, Trump rescinded longstanding guidance barring federal immigration agents from making arrests at “sensitive locations” including schools.

Migrant families staying in New York City shelters expressed acute fears during the week after Trump’s inauguration in January and stayed out of school in large numbers, likely contributing to lower citywide attendance rates that week (though Mayor Eric Adams later downplayed the attendance woes). Some city educators said they’ve seen attendance for immigrant students rebound since that first week.

City policy prohibits federal law enforcement agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from entering schools without a warrant signed by a judge, and Education Department officials have trained school staff on detailed protocols for how to respond.

At the state level, the Attorney General’s office and Education Department issued joint guidance in March reiterating that state and federal law both compel districts to only permit federal law enforcement to enter schools under very limited circumstances.

Many school leaders have worked hard to communicate those policies and reassure anxious families. And immigration enforcement inside of schools has remained rare.

But some high-profile raids have targeted school-age children, including one in the upstate New York hometown of Trump border czar Tom Homan that swept up three students in the local public schools, sparking fear and outrage. And there have been reports across the country of parents detained by immigration agents right outside schools during drop-off time.

Under those circumstances, virtual learning could give schools a way to keep up some connection with students or families who might otherwise completely disengage.

But some New York City educators said they’re still working hard to convince fearful immigrant students to come to school in person, noting that virtual learning was especially challenging for English language learners during the COVID pandemic.

Lara Evangelista, the executive director of the Internationals Network, which oversees 17 public schools in the five boroughs catering exclusively to newly arrived immigrant students, said none of her schools have made the “purposeful choice” to engage fearful students through virtual learning.

“Virtual learning for [English Learners] was really challenging during COVID,” she said.

Alan Cheng, the superintendent who oversees the international schools as well as the city’s dedicated virtual schools, said he hasn’t seen any significant changes in enrollment or interest in online learning due to fear of in-person attendance among immigrant students.

And while virtual learning might be able to offer a version of the academic experience of in-person school, it’s harder for it to replicate some of the other services that schools provide families.

“Our schools serve much more than just the academic environment,” Cheng said. “They are really community schools, they provide health care, they provide plenty of other resources.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

La administración Trump ataca programas de matrícula estatal para estudiantes indocumentados

2025-05-08T22:19:50+00:00

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Chalkbeat Colorado es un noticiero local sin fines de lucro que informa sobre las escuelas públicas.

Estudiantes indocumentados en Colorado se han convertido en maestros, enfermeros y empresarios gracias a un programa que les permite pagar matrícula estatal en universidades públicas.

Ahora, el futuro de ese programa — y de otros similares en 23 estados más — está en riesgo después de que el presidente Donald Trump firmara una orden ejecutiva que busca sancionar a estados y ciudades con políticas consideradas “santuarios”.

La orden, firmada el 28 de abril, señala específicamente los programas que otorgan matrícula estatal a estudiantes indocumentados que se graduaron de preparatoria en ese estado o que cumplen con otros requisitos de residencia.

Permitir que estudiantes no ciudadanos paguen menos que ciudadanos de otros estados representa una forma de discriminación, según la orden, que indica que el fiscal general, en coordinación con el secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, “identificará y tomará las medidas necesarias para detener la implementación de leyes, reglamentos, políticas y prácticas estatales y locales que favorezcan a extranjeros por encima de ciudadanos estadounidenses de manera ilegal”.

Defensores de estudiantes inmigrantes advierten que, sin matrícula estatal, muchos estudiantes indocumentados no podrían pagar la universidad. No califican para ayuda financiera federal y enfrentan otras barreras para continuar su educación.

“Esto es absolutamente esencial para los estudiantes inmigrantes”, dijo Raquel Lane-Arellano, directora de comunicaciones de la Coalición de Derechos de los Inmigrantes de Colorado, organización que luchó por la ley de matrícula estatal en 2013. “No es culpa de estos estudiantes que nuestro sistema migratorio esté roto. Merecen la oportunidad de acceder a niveles superiores de educación, como todos sus compañeros”.

Por ahora, las universidades en Colorado no han hecho cambios inmediatos en sus políticas. “La orden ejecutiva no proporciona suficientes detalles para saber con certeza qué acciones federales se tomarán”, dijo Megan McDermott, portavoz del Departamento de Educación Superior de Colorado.

La orden podría desencadenar una batalla legal sobre los programas de matrícula estatal apoyados por el estado, que organizaciones de derechos de inmigrantes y asesoría universitaria consideran esenciales para que los estudiantes indocumentados accedan a la educación superior y puedan llenar empleos de alta demanda.

Veinticuatro estados —incluidos Colorado, Illinois, Nueva York y Nueva Jersey— y Washington, D.C., tienen programas que permiten a estudiantes indocumentados pagar matrícula estatal. Aunque estos programas han recibido apoyo bipartidista, legisladores republicanos en varios estados han presentado proyectos de ley para revertirlos. La semana pasada, Florida puso fin a su programa, que llevaba una década en vigor.

La orden se suma a un ambiente ya incierto para estudiantes inmigrantes, quienes temen llenar formularios de ayuda financiera por el riesgo de deportación. Natasha Garfield, de la Fundación de Becas de Denver, dijo que su organización continuará brindando información para que los estudiantes puedan decidir si la universidad es adecuada para ellos, especialmente en medio de la incertidumbre provocada por la postura migratoria de Trump.

“Hay quienes están muy, muy preocupados por la situación actual, y no creo que DSF ni nadie pueda tranquilizarlos del todo”, dijo Garfield, directora de becas y ayuda financiera. “Es comprensible dada la actuación de ICE y el gobierno federal”.

La orden es parte del esfuerzo más amplio de Trump por intensificar las medidas contra personas sin autorización legal en el país. Su directiva también incluye sanciones a ciudades y estados santuario. El viernes, la administración presentó una demanda contra Colorado y Denver por sus políticas.

Según la orden, algunos funcionarios estatales y locales “utilizan su autoridad para violar, obstruir y desafiar la aplicación de las leyes migratorias federales. Esto es una insurrección ilegal contra la supremacía de la ley federal”.

Los estados tienen una larga trayectoria otorgando matrícula estatal a jóvenes traídos al país sin estatus legal. Texas y California fueron los primeros en aprobar estas leyes en 2001, y otros estados siguieron. Cada uno tiene requisitos distintos.

Unos 408,000 estudiantes indocumentados se inscriben en educación superior cada año, aunque no todos se benefician de estos programas, según el Portal de inmigración de educación superior. Incluso en estados sin estas leyes, algunas universidades privadas — como en Tennessee — ofrecen matrícula estatal para todos, sin importar estatus migratorio. En Pensilvania, al menos una institución pública otorga matrícula estatal a estudiantes indocumentados.

La ley ASSET de Colorado, actualizada en 2019, requiere que los estudiantes hayan asistido a una escuela secundaria en Colorado durante al menos un año antes de graduarse o hayan vivido en el estado por lo menos un año, para calificar.

La ley de Nueva York exige haber asistido al menos dos años a una escuela secundaria en ese estado, haberse graduado o tener un diploma equivalente, solicitar ingreso a una universidad en un plazo de cinco años, demostrar residencia y firmar una declaración jurada de que solicitarán estatus legal.

Illinois tiene requisitos similares, mientras que Nueva Jersey exige tres años de residencia.

Las organizaciones nacionales FWD.us, TheDream.US y la Alianza de Presidentes por la Educación Superior e Inmigración criticaron la orden. De manera conjunta, señalaron que los estados y universidades no deben reaccionar de forma exagerada y que la orden perjudica a estados que necesitan trabajadores calificados.

“Impedir que los estados ofrezcan matrícula estatal a estudiantes indocumentados que han vivido la mayor parte de sus vidas en estos lugares es cerrarles las puertas a la educación superior, desperdiciar años de inversión educativa, afectar economías locales y privar a todo el país de futuros líderes”, dijo Todd Schulte, presidente de FWD.us.

Los líderes estatales aún están evaluando el impacto de la orden. Un portavoz del gobernador Jared Polis dijo que la administración estatal está revisando los efectos de la medida y reafirmó su compromiso con que Colorado siga siendo un destino para todo tipo de estudiantes.

El estado no ha presentado acciones legales, pero sus líderes han mostrado disposición a oponerse a órdenes de la administración Trump.

El sistema universitario más grande de Colorado tampoco planea hacer cambios. Michele Ames, vocera del Sistema de la Universidad de Colorado, dijo que sus instituciones seguirán cumpliendo con las leyes aplicables y que por ahora no se modificarán sus políticas. Otras universidades, como la Universidad del Norte de Colorado, también están monitoreando la situación.

Las escuelas de todo el estado han declarado que no compartirán información personal de los estudiantes, como el estatus migratorio de quienes estudian bajo el programa ASSET, con el gobierno federal, a menos que exista una orden judicial, en cumplimiento con las leyes federales de privacidad estudiantil.

Traducido por Rossana Longo, Colorado Community Media

Jason Gonzales es un reportero que cubre la educación superior y la legislatura de Colorado. Chalkbeat Colorado se asocia con Open Campus para cubrir la educación superior. Comunícate con Jason por correo electrónico enviando un mensaje a jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Estudiantes de derecho en Colorado experimentan de primera mano un sistema migratorio ‘roto’

2025-05-02T20:51:48+00:00

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Chalkbeat Colorado es un noticiero local sin fines de lucro que informa sobre las escuelas públicas.

Confusión. Miedo. Ansiedad.

Así describió Hunter Parnell lo que ha visto como estudiante de derecho representando a inmigrantes en Colorado. Sus clientes quieren saber qué viene ahora con la administración Trump y si podrán permanecer en Estados Unidos.

“Y la gente pregunta: el estatus migratorio que pensaba que era seguro, ¿realmente lo es?”, dijo.

Parnell fue uno de los 12 estudiantes que participaron este semestre en la Clínica de Inmigración de Colorado Law en la Universidad de Colorado Boulder, justo cuando el presidente de EE.UU. ha priorizado una aplicación más estricta de las leyes migratorias. Esta clínica universitaria es una de dos en el estado que ofrecen experiencia práctica para los estudiantes y representación gratuita para inmigrantes que, de otro modo, tendrían que enfrentar un sistema complejo por sí solos.

Las clínicas son pequeñas, y sus agendas ya estaban llenas antes de que Trump asumiera el cargo. En los últimos tres meses, los profesores a cargo han visto crecer la demanda y han recibido más consultas y referencias de organizaciones comunitarias.

“Nuestro punto de partida ya es caótico, tumultuoso, con condiciones duras y consecuencias serias para personas marginadas en nuestra sociedad”, dijo Elizabeth Jordan, profesora asistente y directora de la Clínica de Derecho y Política Migratoria en la Universidad de Denver. “Desde el 20 de enero, he tenido dificultades para procesar que nuestra agenda ya estaba llena de casos complicados”.

Este semestre ha enseñado muchas lecciones a Parnell. La más evidente: cuán pocos recursos tienen los inmigrantes para enfrentar un sistema que su profesora describió como “roto”, justo cuando más se necesita.

“Con esta nueva administración, lo que estamos viendo es simplemente más desesperación”, dijo.

Las clínicas benefician a estudiantes y comunidades

Los casos que manejan los estudiantes típicamente involucran a inmigrantes con violaciones civiles por ingresar ilegalmente al país, dijo Violeta Chapin, profesora clínica de derecho en Colorado Law. Otros están solicitando permanecer legalmente en Estados Unidos. En algunos casos, los estudiantes representan a inmigrantes (algunos con tarjetas verdes) que han sido detenidos y enfrentan la expulsión.

La clínica de Jordan se enfoca más en inmigrantes en detención, un sistema que, según dijo, opera con poca transparencia.

Los casos incluyen a personas que tal vez dieron un nombre falso a la policía o enfrentan cargos por manejar bajo la influencia. Sus clientes pueden pasar meses o años detenidos, enfrentando deportación por estos delitos. Y desde enero, la nueva administración ha liberado a pocos inmigrantes, señaló.

En Colorado, más de 30 estudiantes han visto sus visas revocadas recientemente, incluso por infracciones de tránsito. La administración también ha deportado a algunos inmigrantes sin procesos legales, lo cual preocupa a Parnell.

Sin programas como estos, la población inmigrante del estado tendría que representarse sola o pagar miles de dólares a abogados privados. Según The Colorado Sun, hay aproximadamente 7,100 casos de inmigración por juez, y solo el 15% de los inmigrantes en Colorado tienen representación legal.

“Tenemos que cubrir esa necesidad porque no hay abogados del gobierno para las personas que enfrentan procesos migratorios”, dijo Chapin.

Jordan quiere que sus estudiantes aprendan a representar a clientes de todos los orígenes con compasión.

“También quiero que comprendan que estudiar el sistema migratorio nos da una oportunidad para examinar cómo están construidos los sistemas legales, sus objetivos y consecuencias”, dijo Jordan.

Parnell quiere educar al público sobre el sistema legal

Los estudiantes que participan en estas clínicas suelen trabajar después para el gobierno federal, firmas privadas o como defensores públicos. Pocos seguirán representando a inmigrantes, pero Chapin espera que lo aprendido les ayude a ser mejores abogados.

Parnell, quien quiere ser defensor público, dijo haber notado que el sistema a menudo trata a los inmigrantes de forma arbitraria. Un cliente con un caso similar podría tener un resultado completamente distinto al de otro.

“Para la mayoría de las personas en nuestro sistema migratorio, no hay mucha lógica ni razón”, dijo.

Parnell espera que las recientes acciones de la administración Trump ayuden a que los residentes de Colorado y del país entiendan cuán difícil puede ser el sistema para los inmigrantes. También ha aprendido que los abogados deben explicar mejor cómo funciona el sistema legal, para que los clientes y el público estén más informados.

Y agregó que los abogados deben alzar la voz cuando una parte del sistema no funciona de forma justa para sus clientes.

Traducido por Rossana Longo-Better, Colorado Community Media

When filling out the FAFSA feels dangerous

2025-04-24T09:00:00+00:00

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Applying to college is stressful enough. Navigating the financial aid process adds a whole new layer. And for children of immigrants, including those with undocumented parents, the process comes with even greater hurdles and anxieties.

Producers Jasmyn Centeno, a senior at Uncommon Leadership High School, and Jojo Fofana, a senior at Fordham High School for the Arts, explore the frustrating and complicated experience many students — including themselves — have when navigating the FAFSA process.

For students like “Gabby,” whose mother is undocumented, applying for financial aid comes with very real fears at a time of heightened deportation concerns under the Trump administration.

Danielle Insel, a counselor at University Neighborhood High School, sheds light on the systemic barriers and technical glitches students face, along with the emotional support they need to get through it as they find their path to college affordability.

P.S. Weekly is available on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Reach us at PSWeekly@chalkbeat.org.

P.S. Weekly is a collaboration between Chalkbeat and The Bell, made possible by generous support from The Pinkerton Foundation.

Listen for new P.S. Weekly episodes Thursdays this spring.

Read the transcript below

News reporter: You’ve said roughly 14,000 migrants have been arrested in the first month of this administration.

Jasmyn: Welcome to P.S. weekly, the sound of the New York City school system. I’m Jasmyn Centeno

Jojo: And I’m Jojo Fofana, and today we’re thinking about immigration.

News reporter: The Trump administration did away with a long standing policy that largely kept ICE from making arrests in schools.

News interviewee: So then they come to school thinking that maybe they could be safe here, but that’s not something that we are able to guarantee anymore.

Jasmyn: Well, not just immigration. We’re thinking more about the children of immigrants.

Jojo: Oh, why?

Jasmyn: Because more of us are applying to college

Jojo: and we’re having a hard time being able to afford it.

News reporter: And for those with at least one undocumented parent, FAFSA applications are down 44%

Jasmyn: Today, Jojo and I will discuss the process of financial aid for first generation students who are children of immigrant and undocumented parents, and how they’re navigating the college application process, and when I say they, I actually mean we. Jojo, how’s your experience been with FAFSA?

Jojo: All right? Well, my mom is from Sierra Leone, and she wasn’t a citizen until not too long ago, so we had a lot to explain to FAFSA on why I couldn’t fill out certain things, and I felt like you have to fill out all these bells and whistles to even think about even affording college.

You have to prove a lot, such as what school your parents went to. That might not be able to be found on the search right, because, like, my mom’s from Africa, so that’s just, you’re not finding it, right. How much money you expected to make, or, like, your social security, if they’re even a legal citizen. And that was, like, definitely complicated for my mom to answer.

Jasmyn: Yeah, I had a similar experience proving that I’m even a low income, first generation college student, specifically when finding documents. For my dad, he didn’t even have experience sharing his 1040 or his W2 documents, and it kind of made him feel like he was being interrogated.

As high school seniors ourselves, we understand the college application process can be incredibly stressful. We write multiple essays and draft personal statements. But there are other thoughts that linger within the minds of most future college students, and that’s financial aid.

Jojo: For New York State residents, specifically, there are financial aid resources provided, such as TAP (the tuition assistance) program that helps New York State students pay for college.

Jasmyn: And on the federal side, there’s FAFSA. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Jojo: There’s a recent survey of 600 first generation FAFSA applicants from study.com. The study showed that FAFSA complications have not only delayed their college decisions, but in some cases, have derailed their educational plans altogether.

Almost half of first generation students have trouble filling out their FAFSA. 86% of those surveyed said they considered other options due to FAFSA uncertainties, such as additional scholarships or alternative loans. Some try to get even more work hours towards their college expenses, and some consider delaying their enrollment. So this is one of the many struggles we’ve had, but let’s hear another perspective on it from your friend, right?

Jasmyn: My best friend of five years has experienced firsthand complications when it comes to applying for FAFSA.

Jasmyn: So previously, you were already mentioning, hold on. She wanted to share her own story under the alias Gabby. I know that you said your mom was born in Trinidad. So while she was there, did she ever receive higher education in high school or through college?

Gabby: She did seek a higher education in high school, and she did go to college, but she never got to finish.

Jasmyn: What would you say is the hardest aspect is about being a first generation student

Gabby: Financial aid.

Jasmyn: And why is that?

Gabby: Because it’s a harder process. I mean, not because I’m a first generation student, but because she’s undocumented. I mean because she went to school in Trinidad, it’s not the same as the American process. So she doesn’t really know what common app and all the stuff are, but I also don’t share that stuff with her. It’s made the financial aid process hard. It was very stressful.

There was nights where I needed to ask my mom for a lot of information, and she didn’t have it or I–she didn’t know what it was. Yeah, some things I had to, the process was very long, longer than it should have been, because she’s undocumented. But, yeah.

Jasmyn: When you say she was unfamiliar with some documents, would you mind referring to which ones those were.

Gabby: For IRS, when you’re signing in, it asks you to do, asks you for a certain type of taxes, but you have to be a citizen to have them or pay taxes. My mother doesn’t pay that– well, she just started, but she didn’t pay taxes. You need a ID, a state ID, she didn’t have that. Well, she still doesn’t, and just stuff that you need to be a citizen in order to have those type of documents.

Gabby: At first, I thought I would have to use my aunt’s taxes, because my mom did put me on my aunt’s taxes, thinking that I would need it in the future. But thankfully, on FAFSA, I was able to just put that my mom doesn’t have her social security number, so it made it really easy, but it makes me question, like, have I put a target on my mom because of this? But also, like, would I be able to afford school? So even though it took, like, a very long process because she didn’t have, like, her socials, I did get the full thing, so I’m very thankful.

Jasmyn: So how did you feel when you realized you couldn’t answer your mom’s documents?

Gabby: I felt like it was time to move on. I didn’t want to dwell on it, because there wasn’t much I could do, and it’s scary time where telling your situation can backfire on you, because hearing that Trump was starting to deport people who didn’t have their papers, it was kind of scary, and I wanted to make sure that my mom was safe.

And I didn’t know if it was more important that I get my education than not knowing where my mom would be.

Jasmyn: Can you describe to me the moment when you initially realized that your mom being undocumented would have been an issue for you growing up?

Gabby: I didn’t really realize until high school, but my mom had told me she was–she didn’t have her papers when I was in elementary because I think she figured out herself that I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of stuff, or, like some things, would be limited.

Jasmyn: And that experience itself. How did that make you feel?

Gabby: I felt okay.

Jasmyn: Girl! And I know you didn’t. Why are you lying? Why are you lying?

Gabby: They don’t need to know that

Jasmyn: They don’t even know who you are, baby like,

Gabby: Ok but I don’t wanna put that out there

Jasmyn: No literally you’re acting like, it’s very chill.

Gabby: I’ve been living with it for a good long days,

Jasmyn: But you’ve been living with it. But like, when you initially found out, like, of course, like the feeling was gonna, like, dim down after a while, but like, how did you feel? Like you initially knew.

Gabby: You know what? Pass me the mic.

Jasmyn: What emotions did you feel at the moment?

Gabby: I felt sad at the moment, I felt sad. I didn’t really understand, like, what it would meant for the future, and I cried, and my mom didn’t even understand why I was crying. I didn’t understand why I was crying. But...

Jasmyn: How did your mom not understand why you were crying? If, like, she had just told you that she was undocumented.

Gabby: Because my mom is Trindadian she’s, she’s a very tough lady. So, like, crying isn’t really a thing in our, in our family. So whenever I cry, my mom doesn’t really understand why I cry.

Jasmyn: Did you talk to anyone about it?

Gabby: No.

Jasmyn: You didn’t reference like a friend or a counselor.

Gabby: No, this is the first time I’m ever talking about my mom’s situation to anyone.

Jasmyn: Did you talk to your mother about it?

Gabby: No, my mom doesn’t really talk about it, nor does she want to.

Jojo: That sounds really hard, especially when you take into account that the FAFSA Simplification Act passed in 2020 this act was supposed to help people like Gabby and minimize the amount of questions being asked on a FAFSA form, but more importantly, it was supposed to increase the accessibility by helping all kids get better access to financial aid no matter what the circumstances are. So the fact that she had to go through that is terrifying.

Jasmyn: But even if things got better with the Simplification Act, the application process was still a mess with tons of technical glitches and errors, and now, with all the budget cuts, the number of staff at the Federal Student Aid Office has been decimated. On the other hand, completed application numbers seem to be up from last year, but we won’t know for sure until June.

Jojo: Stories like Gabby are commonplace for first gen students, and thankfully, there are people who can help school counselors next after a break. A counselor in downtown Manhattan will shed some light on the inner workings of this problem.

Ad: We hope you enjoy listening to PS weekly as much as we enjoy making it. I’m Amy Zimmer with Chalkbeat New York. We spend a lot of time planning each episode, setting up and conducting interviews, cutting the tape, writing scripts. It’s a long process and totally worth it. But here’s the thing, we don’t have a bunch of money or millions of followers, so we’re counting on you loyal listener to help us get the word out. Take a few seconds and send this link wherever you’re listening to three friends so they too can enjoy PS weekly. Thanks for your support.

Ad: Inspiration. Comes from all kinds of places, a late night chat with a friend or a letter from a pen pal, a single comment can shape us, whether that’s from a mentor or a parent or your favorite author. On this season of “On Our Minds”, we are exploring who inspires us from PBS News Student Reporting Labs. “On Our Minds” is a podcast produced by teens for teens. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Jojo: Welcome back. We’re your hosts, Jojo,

Jasmyn: And Jasmyn. When we were last with you, we discussed my friend Gabby, who struggled with her FAFSA application. She’s like many other students of undocumented parents who either don’t have enough required information or are scared of mentioning their parents’ documentation status.

Jojo: I interviewed Danielle Insel. She’s a college counselor at the University Neighborhood high school in Manhattan, Lower East Side. I wanted to get her take on a financial aid process for first gen students with undocumented parents.

Jojo: So you’re a counselor, as you–

Danielle: Yes,

Jojo: How long have you been doing counseling for?

Danielle: This would be my like, 12th year.

Jojo: I was curious about how she helps first gen students. Once they walk into her office.

Danielle: I first just make sure that they know I’m like, a safe, trusted individual, and I know trust is built over time, but like, I’m not gonna disclose anything to anyone, letting them know, like I’m here to guide them through the process and recognizing from their end that, like, they may not have as much exposure to this process as their peers, but definitely like exposure, exposure, exposure to as many things as possible. So taking them on college trips, having them, bringing admissions representatives here, letting them know that, like they’re not alone, like there are so many first generation college students, not just in our school, not just in our state, but in our country there, you know, and reminding them that I’ll be with them through, like, the whole process. And also, I also would say, like talking to the families, I think it’s important to make that like connection, you know, like talking to their parents and explaining the best I can. And if they, if English is not their first language, finding an interpreter, like, that’s really important.

Jojo: Language barrier

Danielle: Yeah, language barrier is definitely a big one. You know, we have to pay attention to the news. Like, there’s a lot going on with immigration and and education cuts and federal cuts and like, how does that impact students? There’s just a lot. So I think a lot goes into it,

Jojo: Right, so what do you do for students whose FAFSA takes more time due to unique circumstances, like undocumented, some files might be there, because, as we know, FAFSA can be at times, very unforgiving.

Danielle: Yes.

Jojo: How that works? Do you have any thoughts, and ideas?

Danielle: I do. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of persistence. Persistence is key, and I think I’m not going to show outward frustration. I show them like, okay, this doesn’t work. All right, then we’re gonna contact FAFSA. We’re gonna call, we’re gonna use the chat, we’re gonna contact the college. We’re just gonna keep communicating and keep doing what we need to do. I did have a very frustrating experience today with a student whose parents are undocumented. There’s this thing, if your parents are living together, they’re undocumented, and they’re working.

FAFSA does not, it does not work to submit the parental information that is required, you have to submit both parents information. FAFSA thought that you could, and I had to go back and forth with them today and be like, we’ve tried every single thing. It doesn’t work, and then you have to do the paper, FAFSA, which I don’t know how many months that takes the process,

Jojo: Paper?

Danielle: Paper.

Jojo: Wow!

Danielle: And that only happens to students whose parents are both undocumented living together and unmarried? Yeah, that would certainly have some economic divide. Oh, absolutely. And like, I don’t try like I, we acknowledge it all, you know, we acknowledge all the systems at play and how unfair it is and inequitable it’s like, for today, like, we submitted a paper FAFSA. I don’t know how long that’s going to process. It may not process by the time the student graduates from high school, and that it’s summer, right? So, like, I may not be around to, to ensure that that student’s FAFSA processes and they get the financial aid they need to actually attend college their first semester. So absolutely,

Jojo: That’s painful.

Danielle: Yeah, it is.

Jojo: Yeah, wow, as you might have already known, there was a FAFSA Simplification Act, right? Have you felt any changes? Do you feel like your students have been better supported? Or was there no change?

Danielle: Um, okay, so if we get past the technical issues that have definitely surmounted. I do think it is easier. It is easier. It’s easier for students. Well, for the most part, who’s whose parents are undocumented, it’s easier. It used to be a different process for them. That part is actually simplified a little bit. The problem is that the people who work at FAFSA, which aren’t many anymore, are not I feel like 100% up to date with how to navigate each challenge that arises. For example, what I just said earlier about like students whose parents are undocumented live together but are not married, the people at FAFSA that I spoke to this morning kept telling me, like, delete the account or use a different browser. It’s like we’ve tried the browsers. We’ve tried different wi-fi’s. It’s not that, it’s that those who have a particular immigration status are discriminated against, whether intentionally or not.

Jojo: As a counselor have, and it’s been for 12 years, right? So do you feel like how we handle first gen students? Has it gotten better?

Danielle: Yeah, I definitely think it’s gotten better. I think you hear a lot more colleges talking about them and figuring out ways to provide support for them so they’re not just like these hidden people anymore. They’re definitely out in the forefront, and I think that they feel more empowered than ever to like, advocate for themselves and make themselves known. But from when I started, oh my gosh. Like, a world’s difference, yeah. Like, you can even tell by. For example, like, New York State has a Dream Act that is now accessible to undocumented students or students who may not qualify for as much aid, and so for our first gen students, like that’s huge, and that didn’t exist when I started.

Jojo: As you know, we are in a different presidency now.

Danielle: Yes.

Jojo: Do you have hope for the future. You know, with the news and everything, I guess you can’t really ignore it.

Danielle: Can’t ignore it, but I think I’ll always remain hopeful for the future, because I think things come and go in waves. I think that those of us who are from a place of privilege or power like to make sure that we use our voices, you know, because I think could be a little scary right now for certain groups of people to speak up, so to make sure that we’re on the front lines and like, speaking out and speaking up and yeah, like, I mean, we’re not going anywhere, right?

And I always say, like, I know it sounds so cheesy, but like, I have so much faith and hope in the young people you know, like in you and like your peers and people your age, like you don’t like, take. You don’t like, I don’t know how to say this, like, without cursing or whatever, but like you don’t just like, take, you know what I mean? Like you actually are. Like, no, that’s not okay. No, you cannot talk to me that way. No, like I, I demand respect, you know, when I enter a space like I’m gonna have a seat at that table, like I’m bringing a chair, you know, so there’s where my hope lies.

Jasmyn: As first generation students in the midst of a deportation crisis, it’s more important than ever to check in. Counselors like Danielle do their best to campaign for support, but it starts with you. Our stories won’t tell themselves, and it’s our duty to make sure that our needs are not buried under misunderstanding and documents.

Jojo: Hey, speaking of stories, whatever did happen to Gabby?

Jasmyn: Oh, she’s doing great. She just got into all her SUNY’s and her target California schools, which was the goal. She’s really excited about it.

Jojo: Well, the final deadline for FAFSA is June 30.

Jasmyn: You’ve been listening to P.S. weekly.

Jojo: P.S. weekly is a collaboration between the bell and Chalkbeat made possible by the generous support from the Pinkerton Foundation, the Summerfield foundation and FJC.

Jasmyn: Producers for this episode were me Jasmyn Centeno

Jojo: And me Jojo Fofana, with reporting help from Chalkbeat reporter Michael Elsen-Rooney,

Jasmyn: Our executive producer for the show is Ave Carrillo, and executive editors were Amy Zimmer and Taylor McGraw.

Jojo: Additional production and reporting support was provided by Mira Gordon, Sabrina DuQuesnay and our friends at Chalkbeat. Our engagement editor is Carolina Hidalgo.

Jasmyn: Music is from Blue Dot sessions, and the jingle you heard at the beginning of this episode was created by Erica Huang.

Jojo: Thanks for tuning in. See you next time!

We make transcripts available for our episodes as soon as possible. They are not fully edited for grammar or spelling.

Propuesta legislativa de Colorado aseguraría que escuelas tengan normas para responder a ICE

2025-04-15T02:47:53+00:00

Read in English.

Chalkbeat Colorado es un noticiero local sin fines de lucro que informa sobre las escuelas públicas.

Legisladores en Colorado dieron la aprobación inicial a una propuesta de ley que busca limitar la cooperación y distribución de expedientes a agentes federales de control de inmigración, incluyendo en escuelas públicas, colegios comunitarios y universidades, además de centros de cuidados infantiles.

La propuesta legislativa 276 del Senado también aseguraría que las escuelas públicas y universidades tengan normas para limitar el acceso de las autoridades federales a sus edificios. Los agentes federales de control de inmigración solo podrían tener acceso con una orden legal, citación u orden judicial.

Una ley estatal aprobada en 2021 ya prohíbe que las agencias estatales y locales de seguridad pública cooperen y compartan información relacionada con el estatus migratorio de un residente con la oficina de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE. UU., a menos que lo obligue la ley federal o estatal. La propuesta legislativa busca ampliar esa disposición a ciudades, condados y escuelas. También prohibiría que los colegios comunitarios y las universidades compartan información sobre el patrocinio de visas.

La propuesta legislativa ya no obligaría a un estudiante que no esté aquí legalmente y solicite pagar colegiaturas como residente del estado a través del programa Advancing Students for a Stronger Tomorrow, o ASSET, a que presente una declaración jurada que diga que solicitará obtener un estatus legal. La estipulación está diseñada para proteger a los estudiantes contra un mayor riesgo de que los deporten.

La propuesta legislativa es una respuesta a la dura postura de la presidencia de Trump ante la inmigración, postura que ha resultado en más redadas, deportaciones y la revocación de visas de estudiantes universitarios. Las acciones han producido temor entre las comunidades inmigrantes. La senadora estatal Julie Gonzales, una demócrata de Denver y patrocinadora de la propuesta legislativa, dijo que la propuesta asegura que los estudiantes y sus familias se sientan seguros yendo a la escuela.

“Hemos observado a la presidencia de Trump lanzando ataques contra los inmigrantes, independientemente de su estatus migratorio, con mayor frecuencia y con menos y menos consideración por el proceso debido aquí en Colorado”, Gonzales dijo. “No tenemos control sobre lo que ICE haga o no haga, pero sí tenemos control aquí en Colorado sobre lo que nosotros hacemos y no hacemos”.

La propuesta de ley pasó su primera audiencia el martes en el comité de asuntos estatales, veteranos y militares del Senado, con una votación de 3 a 2 de acuerdo con la afiliación política. La propuesta ahora se escuchará en el comité de asignaciones del Senado antes de continuar al Senado en general.

La gran mayoría de quienes hablaron durante la audiencia testificaron a favor de la propuesta legislativa. La propuesta tiene el apoyo de grupos de derechos del inmigrante, la Unión Estadounidense por las Libertades Civiles (ACLU, por sus siglas en inglés) de Colorado y varias organizaciones de promoción educativa. Tres grupos se han opuesto a la propuesta, incluyendo el pueblo de Castle Rock, SAFE Colorado y la Asociación de Jefes de Policía de Colorado.

Los patrocinadores legislativos de la propuesta y quienes la respaldan dijeron que es especialmente importante después de que la presidencia de Trump revocara una norma de décadas de antigüedad que limitaba las medidas de control de inmigración en lugares “sensibles” o “protegidos”, como escuelas, hospitales e iglesias.

Recientes redadas en el área de Denver han sembrado temor en comunidades, y estudiantes han dicho que han visto a agentes de inmigración pasar en automóviles por edificios escolares. Eso ha causado que estudiantes se queden en sus hogares y que las familias no vayan a sus citas médicas, según testificaron personas que apoyan la propuesta de ley.

La propuesta también está patrocinada por el senador estatal Mike Weissman, un demócrata de Aurora, y las representantes estatales demócratas Lorena Garcia, del Condado de Adams, y Elizabeth Velasco, de Glenwood Springs. Le costaría al estado menos de $500,000 al año en gastos administrativos adicionales.

Las instituciones de educación superior y las escuelas de kindergarten a 12º grado ya están obligadas a proteger la información de sus estudiantes bajo la Ley de Derechos Educativos y Privacidad de las Familias, o FERPA (por sus siglas en inglés), la cual prohíbe que se compartan la mayoría de los archivos de los estudiantes. La información solo se puede obtener a través de una orden judicial, orden legal o citación, según la ley de privacidad del estudiante.

Aunque la ley federal ha estado vigente desde 1974, el Centro para la Democracia y Tecnología, una organización independiente dedicada a las libertades civiles, publicó un estudio que dijo que cerca del 17 por ciento de los maestros a nivel nacional dijeron que sus escuelas compartieron información con ICE.

“Estamos en un momento en el que se están erosionando o revocando directamente protecciones históricas fundamentales”, Gonzales dijo. “Es por esa razón que estos salvaguardas para proteger los datos son sumamente importantes”.

La propuesta asegura que las escuelas tengan normas o pautas establecidas para responder a solicitudes que buscan obtener información de estudiantes, Weissman dijo. Por ejemplo, las Escuelas Públicas de Aurora buscaron asesoría después de redadas de inmigración en febrero en su comunidad, dijo.

La propuesta legislativa obligaría a los grupos estatales y locales a que mantuvieran datos de terceros que buscan obtener información personal. Los informes se enviarían a las oficinas del gobernador y del procurador fiscal general. Y permitiría que se impongan multas si trabajadores violan la ley. Empleados podrían enfrentar una multa civil de $50,000, y este dinero se guardaría en el Fondo de Colorado para la Defensa Legal de Inmigración.

Tony Byrd, superintendente del Distrito Escolar de Summit, quien apoya la propuesta legislativa, dijo que la propuesta aborda las inquietudes de las comunidades y proporciona pautas claras.

“Esta propuesta de ley fomentará la confianza en nuestra comunidad”, Byrd dijo. “Cuando las familias se sienten seguras, es más probable que interactúen con nuestras escuelas”.

Traducido por Alejandra X. Castañeda

Citizenship classes canceled at Community College of Aurora after Trump administration ends grant

2025-04-03T22:09:48+00:00

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The Community College of Aurora will no longer offer citizenship classes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security terminated a grant that funded the program, the college’s president announced Thursday.

In an interview, CCA President Mordecai Brownlee said he has ended the program, which helped participants prepare for the naturalization test, with a “heavy heart.”

Brownlee said these classes help students realize a path to citizenship and feel more security living in the United States. Students must have a green card to participate in the classes and be able to demonstrate an intermediate level of English proficiency, such as the ability to hold a conversation and write and speak clearly.

The college is a sub-awardee of the Homeland Security grant that was given to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountain. Brownlee said the organization notified the school earlier this week about the Trump administration’s decision.

The Trump administration has stepped up immigration enforcement and canceled student visas and green cards, which can serve as pathways to citizenship.

Brownlee said this decision will make it harder for the college to fulfill its mission of serving the Aurora community, which is one of the most diverse in the state. Students turn to the school for a variety of educational opportunities, he said.

“You have individuals now that are beginning to feel a lost sense of value for themselves and their families,” he said. “They saw this pathway as a viable option towards realizing an American Dream.”

As part of the agreement with Lutheran Family Services, the school taught the 10-week citizenship class and, if necessary for the student, offered English-language skills courses. The community college was supposed to receive a total of $101,000 to teach those classes over two years.

Students paid about $30 per class, according to a college spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountain also offered students legal assistance to become citizens, Brownlee said.

The faith-based nonprofit provides various services for families, including adoption, disaster relief, foster care, older adult guardianship, family support, and refugee and immigration services.

It’s unclear if any other Lutheran Family Services programs are affected. A spokeswoman for the organization did not immediately return a call for comment. The Rocky Mountain arm of the organization serves several states, including Colorado, New Mexico, and Montana.

The school has referred students to other area organizations that offer these services.

The Trump administration’s revocation of the grant is part of its widespread cancellation of various federal funding programs. For example, in February, the administration announced billions in funding cuts to health research grants nationwide. That order has especially impacted four-year research institutions, although a federal judge has halted the cuts.

The Trump administration has announced other actions, such as its push to end all race-conscious policies, that could reshape higher education.

Brownlee said he is unsure if the Community College of Aurora could financially support the citizenship classes without the grant. And before he seeks funding, he also wants to get a clearer picture of whether the Trump administration limits pathways to citizenship, given its stance on immigration.

“The last thing that we want to be engaged in is offering classes and preparing people for a test that potentially they can’t even take,” he said. “And so I think we’re really at a standstill.”

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee bill targeting undocumented students clears a hurdle in House

2025-03-27T00:25:35+00:00

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Tennessee lawmakers voted to advance a bill Wednesday that would allow public schools to check students’ immigration status and charge tuition to students who cannot provide proof that they are in the country legally.

The legislation aims to provoke a challenge to a 1982 Supreme Court decision that guarantees free public education for students regardless of immigration status. The lead House sponsor is Republican Rep. William Lamberth of Portland.

After a tense debate, the House Education Committee voted 11-7 to clear the bill, bringing it a step closer to a floor vote. The language of the bill also changed to align more with its companion bill in the Senate.

If passed, the legislation would give public schools and public charter schools the option to ask students for documents showing that they are U.S. citizens or legal residents, or are in the process of obtaining citizenship. If a student cannot provide this documentation, then the districts could charge the family tuition for enrollment, in addition to whatever taxes the family is paying to help fund public schools.

An earlier version of the bill would have allowed public schools to deny enrollment to students who are “unlawfully present” in the United States.

As Rep. Lamberth gave closing remarks ahead of the vote, he was interrupted by opponents of the bill seated in the hearing room, who began singing, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” A young child walked up to lawmakers and began shouting, “You’re attacking my friends!”

The committee chair, Rep. Mark White of Memphis, yelled over the singing for lawmakers to cast their votes.

During the debate, several lawmakers spoke on the moral implications of the legislation.

“We should not put our children — the least of us, those that cannot do for themselves — in the middle of an adult battle,” Democratic Rep. Sam McKenzie of Knoxville said. “This is a bully bill.”

Rep. Lamberth said one purpose of the bill is to force a reconsideration of Plyler v. Doe, the 1982 Supreme Court decision that found states cannot prevent undocumented students from attending public school.

He also said that children who are “recent to the United States” cost more to educate.

“It is not fair to the rest of the families in that community that all do pay for that entire educational structure and that system to bear the brunt of those additional expenses,” Lamberth said.

Lawmakers opposing the bill pointed out that parents of undocumented children already contribute to the public coffers that help fund education. Undocumented immigrants in Tennessee contribute $314.2 million in federal, state, and local taxes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

The fiscal impact of the bill is also uncertain, as it could put federal education funding on the line for Tennessee.

A Senate version of the bill is scheduled to be heard next in the Senate Finance, Means and Ways Committee, where more debate is expected.

Tennessee bills could bar undocumented students from public schools, defying federal protections

2025-03-24T20:20:04+00:00

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Undocumented students could be denied enrollment in Tennessee public schools under new legislation introduced by Republican state lawmakers in a direct challenge to current federal law.

The bills are set for debate in the House Education Committee and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee this week, where lawmakers could vote to advance the legislation for further consideration.

Both bills are unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1982 decision in Plyler v. Doe, the sponsors of the legislation acknowledge. That decision held that students have a right to a free public education regardless of their immigration status. If passed, the Tennessee legislation could become a test for the conservative-leaning Supreme Court to revisit the decision amid a broader crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump administration.

The administration is also seeking to nullify a provision of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees U.S. citizenship to all people born in the United States.

The Tennessee legislation has already faced strong opposition. Hundreds gathered at the Tennessee Capitol earlier this month, shutting down proceedings when the bill advanced out of subcommittee.

What the bills say, and their potential impact

The House bill, from Republican Rep. William Lamberth of Portland, would allow public schools to refuse to enroll students who are “unlawfully present” in the United States.

“This gives an option to the local districts to require proof of citizenship, just as they require proof of residency or immunizations,” Rep. Lamberth said during an earlier debate.

The Senate bill, introduced by Republican Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson, differs from Lamberth’s, and would require public schools to verify a student’s legal status before enrollment. Students would need to provide documents showing that they are U.S. citizens or legal residents, or are in the process of obtaining citizenship.

If a student cannot provide this documentation, then local school districts and public charter schools have the option to charge the family tuition for enrollment, in addition to whatever taxes the family is paying to help fund public schools. That charge would be at least the state base per-pupil funding amount — $7,075 this school year — but no more than the total average cost per pupil each school year, which was most recently $8,959.

If undocumented students do not pay tuition, school districts could choose to bar them from enrollment.

“I am willing to stand here and take the slings and arrows, the criticisms and the name calling, because I have the responsibility to the financial oversight of our state,” Sen. Watson said.

He said the current cost of educating undocumented students is unknown, as schools do not report immigration statuses of students to the state. But the fiscal impact of this legislation is uncertain, according to a state analysis. The law could increase local revenue through collecting tuition — but because it defies federal law, it could also jeopardize federal funding to state and local governments.

A bill similar to Watson’s that would have required districts to charge tuition for undocumented students failed last week.

Opponents press lawmakers to reconsider

Ruby Aguilar, a public school educator and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, testified against the Senate bill. She said education is not a privilege, but a human right.

“How would you explain this injustice to the students who come into empty classrooms because their peers can no longer attend school with them?” Aguilar said. “I wish you could spend just one minute of your day with my students, and gauge just a snippet of all the potential and possibilities for the future of Tennessee. You will realize that we cannot and must not stand by and let this happen.”

Damian Felipe Jimenez, a sixth grader from Knoxville who identified himself as the son of immigrant parents, testified against the House bill earlier this month. He said that his favorite subject is science and that one day, he hopes to own a restaurant.

“We have the right to dream and make those dreams come true,” he said. “We deserve respect and compassion. Before you make your choice, I ask of you all to think about how this could change our lives.”

The legislation is still working its way through the committees in each chamber. For it to become law, the language of the bills would need to be reconciled. Rep. Lamberth told reporters earlier this month that he and Sen. Watson are working to combine their bills.

Both lawmakers also acknowledged that their bills are unconstitutional. Legal challenges could block the legislation down the line.

You can follow the progress of the bills on the legislature’s website.

Students should feel safe in schools: State Board passes resolution wading into immigration debate

2025-03-12T22:01:55+00:00

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Colorado State Board of Education members on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution signaling their support for students to feel safe in schools.

The board rarely votes on resolutions making a statement but the chair wanted to give members a chance to speak out. The resolution comes as school districts around the country are grappling with how to respond to the Trump administration crackdown on immigration and its impact on students.

First discussed in February, the resolution was amended multiple times by both Democratic and Republican board members in an attempt to find language that everyone agreed on.

As the board debated the language of the resolution, members argued about getting into political statements and the merits of immigration policies or actions. At one point, two Republican board members discussed the usage of illegal immigrant as opposed to the term illegal alien in a piece of language that failed.

The final approved resolution states that the board is “committed to supporting public schools to ensure that all students feel safe and supported in schools” and is “aware that Colorado schools serve diverse communities who may feel worried or uncertain about the safety of their students.”

“We should be advocating across the political spectrum to ensure that our schools are safe places where learning is not disrupted,” the resolution states.

State Board Chair Rebecca McClellan, who represents Aurora, one of the targets of federal immigration raids last month, introduced the resolution, saying she wanted to give the board an opportunity to speak in a unified voice “to affirm the right of every Colorado student to receive a free public education.”

The resolution also made a point of tying that affirmation to the state’s recent goals of improving attendance and reducing the number of students who are chronically absent as a way to help student achievement rise.

Some district leaders, including in Denver and Jeffco, have discussed attendance rates dropping in certain schools as they see some immigrant families afraid to leave their homes because of fears of encountering immigration enforcement agents. Local school districts have also passed resolutions in support of immigrant students, often with more direct language, but also with more authority to enact local policies on how schools will respond if immigration agents show up at a school.

The state board does not have much authority over such decisions, and so its resolution is more of a symbolic gesture.

McClellan thanked the board for having a professional discussion despite disagreements.

One amendment that was successful was introduced by Republican State Board member Kristi Burton Brown, who wanted to add a line that also signaled support for law enforcement.

“We support the actions of law enforcement to remove violent criminals from Colorado and, in so doing, making our school children safer when they walk to school and back home,” the final language of that amendment reads.

“The arrests we have seen happen in Colorado are of violent criminals, the arrests we have seen across the nation are of violent criminals who are endangering our children on their way to and from school,” Burton Brown said. “Violent criminals should be taken off of our streets if they are here illegally and so I think that my suggested amendment is coming from a bipartisan standpoint that’s saying if we want our kids to be safe in school we should want them to also be safe on their way to and from school.”

Some board members opposed the language saying that violent criminals exist in any group, and some of the immigration enforcement actions have instead been blanket door-to-door raids. Nationally, the raids have swept up many people with no criminal record.

The amendment passed with three board members opposed, but was not an obstacle for board members approving the final resolution.

State Board member Kathy Plomer, who represents areas of Thornton that were also targeted last month when federal immigration raids were conducted in Denver and Aurora, also introduced an amendment that would have acknowledged the Trump administration’s decision to rescind a decades-long policy that treated schools as sensitive or protected locations where immigration enforcement could only take place if there was an immediate danger to the public.

Aurora teachers provide a glimpse into their classrooms on the day of immigration raids

Her amendment would have read: “We’re aware that Colorado schools serve diverse communities who feel worried or uncertain about the safety of their students based on the removal of schools as protected spaces and recent neighborhood immigration enforcement activities.”

But Republican board members said they would not support the resolution with that language because it felt overly political.

State Board member Burton Brown said she felt the removal of any protected spaces where federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, was blocked from entering to remove “someone including those who are violent criminals” was a good thing that made students safer.

State Board member Steve Durham said that if the board was going to open the door to be political by introducing such resolutions, he had in mind several more political resolutions he could introduce soon.

Plomer said her amendment was intended to add clarity so school districts knew that the State Board understood what had changed to make them deal with this issue now.

But, in the end, she said having a bipartisan statement was more important and revoked the amendment.

“I don’t want to just create chaos that’s not doing anything, and getting in the way of something that I hope could be productive, and a statement from this board, that we want kids to come to school and feel safe,” Plomer said.

State Board member Yazmin Navarro, also a Republican, thanked Plomer.

“I think it’s amazing that you want to work with everyone on the board and that you’re willing to do that. That’s hard,” Navarro said. “It goes back to the idea that everyone’s sentiment has been across the board that we’re all here for students.”

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.

Juez rechaza intento de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver de bloquear directivas de Trump para ICE

2025-03-10T13:47:52+00:00

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El viernes, un juez federal rechazó el intento de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver (DPS, por sus siglas en inglés) de restablecer una norma federal que trataba a las escuelas como “lugares sensibles” donde medidas de control de inmigración solo deben realizarse si hay un peligro inminente para la población en general.

Daniel D. Domenico, un juez con el Tribunal de Distrito de EE. UU., dijo que existen pocas diferencias prácticas entre la norma anterior, la última versión publicada en 2021 durante el gobierno del expresidente Biden, y un par de memorándums publicados por el gobierno de Trump en enero.

“La inquietud era que no habría ninguna limitación ni protección para las escuelas, necesariamente, según el nuevo memorándum”, Domenico dijo en un fallo desde su estrado. “Esa es una declaración exagerada. Y el hecho de que no ha habido ninguna acción en propiedades escolares desde que el memorándum se publicó aquí, o hasta donde sabemos en ningún otro lugar, resalta ese hecho”.

Ni la antigua ni la nueva norma prohíben completamente medidas de control de inmigración en escuelas y otros lugares sensibles. La norma de 2021 permitía tales medidas “ya sea con aprobación previa de más alto nivel o bajo circunstancias urgentes”. La nueva norma ordena a los agentes de ICE que usen su discreción “y una dosis saludable de sentido común”.

Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver demandaron al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de EE. UU. el 12 de febrero y solicitaron una restricción preliminar que hubiera anulado la norma de Trump a favor de la versión anterior mientras el caso legal procedía. Una semana antes, el 5 de febrero, agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE. UU. realizaron redadas en edificios de apartamentos en Denver y Aurora donde algunos estudiantes vivían, lo cual el distrito dijo causó temor generalizado y que disminuyera la asistencia escolar.

Pero Domenico dijo que no se sabe bien si regresar a la política de 2021 hubiera prevenido la redada de ICE en el edificio de apartamentos Cedar Run en Denver, el cual está ubicado cerca de varias escuelas.

“Entiendo que la asistencia [escolar] bajó en comparación con el año pasado, particularmente en escuelas con muchas familias inmigrantes”, Domenico dijo, en referencia a uno de los argumentos principales que las Escuelas Públicas de Denver presentaron en su demanda. “Los maestros y administradores están teniendo que pasar una parte de su tiempo respondiendo a estas inquietudes”.

Pero Domenico dijo que las Escuelas Públicas de Denver no demostraron cuánto, si algo, de ese impacto fue causado por la norma del gobierno de Trump “en lugar de inquietudes más generales sobre el aumento de medidas de control de inmigración”.

Domenico fue nominado a la corte por Trump durante su primer mandato como presidente. Nacido y criado en Boulder, Domenico dijo el viernes que su madre era una maestra que enseñaba inglés como segundo idioma a estudiantes inmigrantes y que entiende que “es una cosa difícil administrar una escuela”.

“No creo que DPS haya cumplido con su prueba plena en este caso”, Domenico dijo.

El fallo de Domenico sobre la restricción preliminar permite que la norma del gobierno de Trump se mantenga mientras el caso legal continúa.

En una declaración después del fallo, las Escuelas Públicas de Denver dijeron que, “mientras que estamos decepcionados con el fallo del juez, es importante señalar que él reconoció los daños reales que las escuelas públicas han sufrido.

“También reconoció que no hay diferencias fundamentales entre la política de 2021 y la de 2025, lo cual no se había reconocido antes de nuestro fallo legal”.

Al poco tiempo de que Trump subiera a la presidencia, su gobierno abolió una norma de décadas de antigüedad que trataba a las escuelas, guarderías, iglesias y hospitales como lugares sensibles donde medidas de control de inmigración debían realizarse únicamente si había un peligro inminente para la población en general.

La demanda de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver afirmó que la asistencia de los estudiantes había “disminuido notablemente” desde que la norma de lugares sensibles se anulara. En comparación con febrero del año pasado, la asistencia este febrero disminuyó un 3 por ciento, con reducciones de hasta el 4.7 por ciento en escuelas donde asisten muchos estudiantes inmigrantes nuevos, según una moción que el distrito presentó la semana pasada.

El distrito también afirmó que se ha visto “forzado a desviar recursos de su misión educativa” para prepararse para posibles arrestos de inmigración en escuelas.

“Además, los maestros están pasando tiempo (un recurso preciado) respondiendo a temores sobre la norma de 2025 en lugar de educar a los estudiantes”, dijo la moción más reciente del distrito.

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de EE. UU. respondió con una moción suya diciendo que no se ha realizado ninguna redada de inmigración en escuelas desde que la política de 2021 se anuló, y que la posibilidad de tales medidas no le ha causado suficiente daño al distrito.

El departamento alegó que las reducciones de asistencia escolar entre los estudiantes de Denver fueron causadas por temores y reportes falsos de redadas de ICE, no por el cambio de la norma. El departamento también dijo que las Escuelas Públicas de Denver malentendieron la norma que está tratando de restablecer.

Abogados de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver y abogados del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de EE. UU. tuvieron cada uno 30 minutos para presentar su caso durante la audiencia el viernes mientras Domenico les hacía múltiples preguntas.

Domenico repetidamente les preguntó a los abogados de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver qué cambiaría si él fallaba a su favor y restablecía el memorándum de 2021. Dijo que no ha habido “un solo caso” en el que la norma del gobierno de Trump “resultara en que alguien hiciera algo que no hubiera pasado bajo la política anterior”.

Claire Mueller, una abogada externa que está representando al distrito escolar en este caso, alegó que la política anterior proporcionaba un nivel de certidumbre que la nueva norma no da. Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver sabían que los agentes de inmigración solo podían presentarse en las escuelas en ciertas circunstancias, lo cual “le daba a la organización y su comunidad un cierto nivel de seguridad”, dijo.

Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver atienden a 90,000 estudiantes, de los cuales cerca del 50 por ciento son latinos. Desde finales de 2022, la ciudad de Denver ha recibido un gran número de personas migrantes provenientes de Venezuela y otros países. A finales del año pasado, alrededor de 4,000 estudiantes inmigrantes nuevos se habían inscrito en el distrito. Alrededor del 80% de esos estudiantes seguían inscritos este otoño, según datos del distrito.

Como respuesta a una demanda presentada por varias organizaciones religiosas, un juez federal en Maryland restableció temporalmente la norma de lugares sensibles con respecto a iglesias y otros lugares de culto. Pero el fallo del 24 de febrero no se extendió a las escuelas.

Traducido por Alejandra X. Castañeda

Melanie Asmar es la jefa de la oficina de Chalkbeat Colorado. Comunícate con Melanie por correo electrónico a masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Immigration arrests at school: How likely are they? We asked experts what to expect.

2025-03-08T01:28:00+00:00

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President Donald Trump has made deporting immigrants without legal status in the U.S. a top priority. Many schools, students, and families have questions about what that means for them.

Confusion has been especially acute since Trump officials cleared the way for immigration arrests to happen at schools, child care centers, school bus stops, and playgrounds. Previously, the federal government had significant limits on immigration enforcement in these areas.

Chalkbeat spoke with half a dozen immigration and legal experts to try to answer some of the most pressing questions.

Can ICE arrest people at schools?

Yes. On Jan. 20, the Trump administration got rid of a longstanding policy that limited when immigration agents could make arrests near schools, hospitals, churches, and other “sensitive locations.” In the past, agents generally had to get permission from a supervisor and show there was some kind of imminent safety threat to enter these places. Now, they can just use their discretion.

But there are several challenges to the policy in court, including at least one from a school district.

Denver Public Schools is seeking to block the Trump administration from carrying out the new policy. In its lawsuit, the school district argued the federal policy change caused a decrease in student attendance, especially at schools that serve many new immigrant students. The district also said it had spent “significant time and resources” training staff on what to do if ICE showed up and reaching out to families worried about sending their kids to school.

In response, the Trump administration said there had been no raids at Denver schools, or any other schools, and that the policy change hadn’t caused the district much harm. On Friday, a federal judge decided not to temporarily block arrests at or near schools while the lawsuit continues.

A similar lawsuit that applies to religious institutions, not schools, led a judge to temporarily block the Trump administration from making immigration arrests at or near 1,700 places of worship across the country. A federal judge said allowing ICE to enter houses of worship without a warrant and no “meaningful limitations or safeguards” was likely illegal.

There has not been a final decision in either case, and decisions could be appealed to a higher court.

Is ICE planning on raiding schools?

This is unlikely, several immigration experts told Chalkbeat. That’s because raiding a school could be both tactically difficult and politically damaging.

It’s usually easier to make immigration arrests at a work site, courthouse, or by picking someone up as they leave a local jail.

“Unless there is an imminent threat of a child or a teacher or someone who works at the school is going to cause imminent danger to others, I see no reason to execute some sort of ICE arrest in a school, outside out the political immediacy of trying to chill communities,” said Jason Houser, who served as ICE’s chief of staff under President Joe Biden.

Ken Cuccinelli, who served as the deputy secretary for homeland security during the first Trump administration, said he believed immigration agents would “tend to avoid” enforcement activities at schools and other sensitive locations.

“They know not to kick the door in at a school,” said Cuccinelli, who wrote the immigration section of Project 2025, a conservative policy playbook that the second Trump administration has followed, and is now a senior fellow at the Center for Renewing America, a conservative think tank.

Conservatives and liberals alike say images of arrests happening at schools would likely not play well with the public. Audio of immigrant children crying in detention facilities who’d been separated from their families helped bring an end to that policy during the first Trump administration. Trump has said that images of immigrant mothers and children boarding buses would make it harder to deport them.

“I think that we are not going to see enforcement on schools precisely for this reason,” said Hector Villagra, the vice president of policy advocacy and community education at MALDEF, a civil rights group, at a January press briefing. “I think the administration knows well that images of ICE agents at schools causing havoc on a school site would be a disaster politically. It would be the child separation situation all over again — sounds and images that they do not want publicized.”

When ICE has taken action near schools, was it more likely to target children or adults?

ICE agents have typically targeted adults, not children, at or near schools.

The biggest risk for an interaction with an ICE agent comes when a parent or caregiver is leaving a school after dropping off their child, said Austin Kocher, a research assistant professor at Syracuse University who has studied anti-deportation activism.

Last week in Chicago, for example, an adult in a vehicle was detained while dropping off two students at school. These kinds of arrests sometimes happened when the sensitive locations policy was in effect, too.

“The moment when an adult drives away in a vehicle without their kid with them, all of a sudden they’re the lowest-hanging fruit,” Kocher said.

But Cuccinelli said he did not “expect ICE to target drop off and pick up time so they can round up a bunch of people in transit.”

The most common reason ICE would visit a school, Cuccinelli said, would be to pick up students whose parents were arrested in a workplace raid or elsewhere as a way to keep the family unit together.

Still, it’s possible children and teens could be stopped on their way to or from school, work, or a school event. Last month, schools in Texas were told that the U.S. Border Patrol would not target school buses or children for immigration enforcement.

But last week in New Mexico, border patrol agents boarded a bus filled with Las Cruces Public Schools students to check their legal status. The Border Patrol told local reporters it was a routine stop of a charter bus without any school markings — the students were traveling to a swim competition.

Do schools have to let ICE in?

Under certain circumstances, yes.

Typically, local and state officials can bar entry to spaces that the public can’t just wander through, said Amanda Frost, who specializes in immigration and citizenship law at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. Public schools usually restrict their entrances and check the identity of visitors before they can enter the building.

If ICE has a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate, they can enter the school, immigration and legal experts said. But often ICE presents an administrative warrant signed by ICE officials. That’s not good enough, Frost said, because it has to be signed by someone outside the executive branch of government.

“You can’t access non-public spaces if you’re a federal government officer or state officer without a judicial warrant,” Frost said. “That’s a Fourth Amendment to the Constitution limitation on searches and seizures.”

Some schools have said they will only permit ICE agents to enter the building if they have a warrant for a criminal offense. Illegally crossing the U.S. border is a civil offense, but if the person is deported and reenters, it can become a criminal one. It’s unclear that schools could deny ICE entry if they have a judicial warrant for a civil offense.

“To me, federal law is supreme,” Frost said.

Still, schools have the right to review and challenge the validity of a judicial warrant, Villagra said. And a warrant might allow an immigration agent to search a specific teen’s locker, for example, but that doesn’t mean ICE could then search the gym or school counselor’s office, Villagra said.

What should immigrant families know about their rights?

In Chicago, "know your rights" fliers went up in neighborhoods where many immigrant families live shortly after President Donald Trump's administration announced that immigration agents would be permitted to make arrests near schools, churches, and other "sensitive" locations.

ImmSchools, a nonprofit that works with school districts to make schools welcoming for immigrant students, has “know your rights” guides for students and families in English, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese. They include tips on seeking legal advice, how to create a family preparedness and child care plan, and what students and parents can do if they are stopped by an ICE agent.

The National Immigration Law Center also put together an FAQ for school leaders and educators about how they can protect students’ rights.

Some school districts have seen drops in attendance as families have kept their kids home for fear of encountering ICE. But immigrant rights advocates caution this decision isn’t free of risks either.

Several states have laws requiring children to attend school, and parents can be charged, fined, or punished in other ways if their children miss a lot of class. Truant children can be referred to juvenile court and lose their driving privileges in some states.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Judge rejects Denver Public Schools’ attempt to block Trump ICE guidance

2025-03-08T00:04:57+00:00

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A federal judge on Friday rejected Denver Public Schools’ attempt to reinstate a federal policy that treated schools as “sensitive locations” where immigration enforcement should only take place if there is immediate danger to the public.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico said there is little practical difference between the prior policy, the last iteration of which was issued in 2021 under former President Biden, and a pair of memos issued by the Trump administration in January.

“The concern was that there would be no limitations or no protections for schools, necessarily, under the new memo,” Domenico said in a ruling from the bench. “That is an overstatement. And the fact that there have been no actions on school property in the time since the memo was released here, or as far as we know anywhere else, highlights that fact.”

Neither the old nor the new policy completely bans immigration enforcement actions at schools and other sensitive locations. The 2021 policy allowed such actions “either with prior higher-level approval or under exigent circumstances.” The new guidance from the Trump administration instructs ICE agents to use discretion “and a healthy dose of common sense.”

Denver Public Schools sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 12 and requested a preliminary injunction that would have voided the Trump policy in favor of the previous iteration while the legal case proceeds. A week earlier, on Feb. 5, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had raided apartment complexes in Denver and Aurora where some students lived, which the district said caused drops in attendance and widespread fear.

But Domenico said it’s uncertain whether reverting to the 2021 policy would have prevented the ICE raid at Denver’s Cedar Run apartment complex, which is located near several schools.

“I do understand that attendance is down from last year, particularly in schools with high populations of immigrant families,” Domenico said, referencing one of the main arguments that Denver Public Schools made in its lawsuit. “Teachers and administrators are having to spend some portion of their time responding to these concerns.”

But Domenico said Denver Public Schools failed to show how much, if any, of that impact was caused by the Trump administration’s guidance “as opposed to broader concerns about increased immigration enforcement.”

Domenico was nominated to the court by Trump during his first term as president. Born and raised in Boulder, Domenico said Friday that his mother was a teacher who taught English as a second language to immigrant students and that he understands that “it’s a hard thing to run a school.”

“I do not think DPS has met its high burden in this case,” Domenico said.

Domenico’s ruling on the preliminary injunction allows the Trump administration’s guidance to stand while the legal case continues.

In a statement after the ruling, Denver Public Schools said that, “While we are disappointed in the judge’s ruling, it is important to note that he acknowledged the real damages public schools have suffered.

“He also acknowledged that there are no fundamental differences between the 2021 and 2025 policy, which had not been known prior to our court ruling.”

Shortly after Trump took office in January, his administration abolished a decades-old policy that treated schools, child care centers, churches, and hospitals as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement should only take place if there is immediate danger to the public.

Denver Public Schools’ lawsuit argued that student attendance has “decreased noticeably” since the sensitive locations policy was rescinded. Student attendance was down 3% this February compared to last February, with drops of up to 4.7% at schools that serve many new immigrant students, according to a subsequent motion the district filed last week.

The district also argued it has been “forced to divert resources from its educational mission” to prepare for potential immigration arrests at schools.

“In addition, teachers are spending time (a precious resource) responding to fears about the 2025 Policy instead of educating students,” said the district’s most recent motion.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security responded in a motion of its own by saying there have been no immigration raids at schools since the policy was rescinded, and that the prospect of such enforcement has not caused sufficient harm to the district.

The department argued that the drops in Denver’s student attendance were caused by fear and false reports of ICE raids, not the changing guidance. The department also said Denver Public Schools misunderstood the policy it’s seeking to reinstate.

Lawyers from Denver Public Schools and lawyers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security each had 30 minutes to make their case at Friday’s hearing as Domenico peppered them with questions.

Domenico repeatedly asked attorneys for Denver Public Schools what would change if he ruled in their favor and reinstated the 2021 memo. He said there hasn’t been “a single instance” of the Trump administration’s policy “resulting in someone doing something that wouldn’t have happened under the prior policy.”

Claire Mueller, an outside attorney representing the school district in this case, argued that the previous policy provided a level of certainty that the new policy does not. DPS knew immigration agents could only show up to schools under certain circumstances, which she said “gave the organization and its community a certain level of security.”

Denver Public Schools serves about 90,000 students, about 52% of whom are Latino. Starting in late 2022, the city of Denver saw an influx of migrants from Venezuela and other countries, and the school district had enrolled about 4,000 new immigrant students by the end of last year. About 80% of those students were still enrolled this fall, according to district data.

A federal judge in Maryland temporarily reinstated the sensitive locations policy with regard to churches and other houses of worship, in response to a lawsuit brought by several religious organizations. But the Feb. 24 ruling didn’t extend to schools.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Detenciones migratorias en las escuelas: ¿Es algo que puede suceder? Consultamos a expertos sobre lo que podría pasar.

2025-03-07T01:25:23+00:00

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Deportar a inmigrantes sin estatus legal en los Estados Unidos es una de las máximas prioridades del presidente Donald Trump. Esto ha generado dudas entre escuelas, estudiantes y familias sobre cómo les afectará.

La incertidumbre se ha intensificado desde que la administración de Trump eliminó las restricciones a los arrestos migratorios en escuelas, centros de cuidado infantil, paradas de autobús escolares y áreas de juego. Anteriormente, el gobierno federal imponía límites significativos a estas acciones en dichos espacios.

Con el fin de abordar las inquietudes más urgentes, Chalkbeat conversó con seis expertos en leyes e inmigración.

¿ICE tiene autoridad para hacer arrestos en las escuelas?

Sí. El 20 de enero, la administración de Trump eliminó una política de larga data que limitaba los arrestos migratorios cerca de escuelas, hospitales, iglesias y otras “áreas sensibles”. Anteriormente, los agentes necesitaban contar con la autorización de un supervisor y debían demostrar que existía una amenaza inminente a la seguridad para ingresar a estos sitios. Ahora, pueden actuar según su propio criterio.

Sin embargo, esta medida ha sido impugnada en los tribunales en múltiples ocasiones, incluso por un distrito escolar.

Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver buscan impedir que la administración de Trump implemente la nueva política. En su demanda, el distrito escolar argumentó que el cambio en la normativa federal provocó una disminución en la asistencia estudiantil, especialmente en las escuelas con una alta población de estudiantes inmigrantes recién llegados. Además, el distrito señaló que ha invertido “una cantidad significativa de tiempo y recursos” en capacitar al personal sobre cómo actuar ante la presencia de ICE en las escuelas y en comunicarse con las familias preocupadas por la seguridad de sus hijos en la escuela.

En respuesta, la administración de Trump afirmó que no se habían realizado redadas en las escuelas de Denver ni en ninguna otra escuela, y que la modificación de la política no había generado un daño considerable al distrito.

Una demanda similar, esta vez relacionada con instituciones religiosas en lugar de escuelas, llevó a un juez a suspender temporalmente los arrestos migratorios en más de 1,700 templos en todo el país. Un juez federal dictaminó que permitir el ingreso de ICE a lugares de culto sin una orden judicial y sin restricciones claras probablemente era ilegal.

Aún no hay una decisión final en ninguno de los dos casos, y los fallos podrían ser apelados ante un tribunal superior.

¿Hay planes de ICE para llevar a cabo redadas en escuelas?

Es poco probable, dijeron varios expertos en inmigración a Chalkbeat. Esto se debe a que realizar una redada en una escuela sería tanto un desafío logístico como un riesgo político.

Normalmente, es más sencillo para las autoridades llevar a cabo arrestos migratorios en centros de trabajo, en los tribunales o interceptando a alguien al salir de una prisión local.

“A menos que exista una amenaza inminente de que un niño, un maestro o algún empleado de la escuela represente un peligro inmediato para otros, no veo ninguna razón para llevar a cabo un arresto de ICE en una escuela. Aun así, desde una perspectiva política, el objetivo de infundir temor en las comunidades podría ser un factor”, dijo Jason Houser, quien fue jefe de gabinete de ICE bajo la presidencia de Joe Biden.

Ken Cuccinelli, quien se desempeñó como subsecretario de Seguridad Nacional en la primera administración de Trump, afirmó que, en su opinión, los agentes de inmigración “suelen evitar” llevar a cabo acciones en escuelas y otras áreas sensibles.

“Saben que no pueden derribar la puerta de una escuela”, afirmó Cuccinelli, autor de la sección de inmigración del Proyecto 2025, un plan de políticas conservadoras adoptado por el segundo gobierno de Trump. Actualmente es miembro senior del Centro para la Renovación de América, un think tank conservador.

Tanto conservadores como liberales coinciden en que las imágenes de arrestos en escuelas probablemente generarían una reacción negativa en la opinión pública. Durante el primer gobierno de Trump, el audio de niños inmigrantes llorando en centros de detención tras ser separados de sus familias contribuyó a poner fin a esa política. El propio Trump ha reconocido que ver a madres inmigrantes y sus hijos subiendo a autobuses dificultaría su deportación.

“Considero que no veremos operativos en las escuelas justamente por esta razón”, afirmó Héctor Villagra, vicepresidente de políticas de defensa y educación comunitaria en MALDEF, una organización de derechos civiles, en una rueda de prensa en enero. “Creo que la administración entiende perfectamente que la presencia de agentes de ICE en escuelas, generando caos en las escuelas, sería un desastre político. Sería una repetición del escándalo de la separación de familias, con imágenes y sonidos que no quieren que se hagan públicos”.

Cuando ICE ha llevado a cabo operativos cerca de escuelas, ¿ha enfocado más sus acciones en niños o en adultos?

Los agentes de ICE suelen enfocarse en adultos, no en niños, cuando operan en escuelas o sus alrededores.

El mayor riesgo de un encuentro con un agente de ICE ocurre cuando un padre o cuidador sale de la escuela después de dejar a su hijo, explicó Austin Kocher, profesor asistente de investigación en la Universidad de Syracuse, quien ha estudiado el activismo contra las deportaciones.

Por ejemplo, la semana pasada en Chicago, un adulto fue arrestado mientras dejaba a dos estudiantes en la escuela. Este tipo de detenciones también se producían ocasionalmente bajo la política de áreas sensibles.

“Cuando un adulto se marcha en su auto sin su hijo, se convierte en un objetivo más accesible”, afirmó Kocher.

Sin embargo, Cuccinelli afirmó que no creía que ICE tenga en cuenta los horarios de llegada y recogida para arrestar a varias personas mientras se trasladan.

Cuccinelli explicó que, en la mayoría de los casos, ICE acudiría a una escuela para recoger a estudiantes cuyos padres fueron detenidos en su lugar de trabajo u otro sitio, con la intención de mantener a la familia unida.

Aun así, es posible que niños y adolescentes sean parados en su camino a la escuela o, cuando regresan, en el trabajo o en un evento escolar. El mes pasado, las escuelas en Texas fueron informadas de que la Patrulla Fronteriza de EE.UU. no apuntaría a los autobuses escolares ni a los menores en operativos de inmigración.

Sin embargo, la semana pasada en Nuevo México, agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza subieron a un autobús lleno de estudiantes del Distrito Escolar de Las Cruces para verificar sus estatus migratorios. La Patrulla Fronteriza declaró a medios locales que se trataba de una inspección de rutina en un autobús chárter sin distintivos escolares, cuando los estudiantes viajaban a una competencia de natación.

¿Es obligatorio que las escuelas permitan la entrada de ICE?

En ciertas circunstancias, sí.

Normalmente, los funcionarios locales y estatales tienen la facultad de restringir el acceso a espacios donde el público no puede ingresar sin autorización, indicó Amanda Frost, experta en derecho de inmigración y ciudadanía en la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Virginia. Las escuelas públicas, por lo general, limitan sus accesos y exigen la verificación de identidad de los visitantes antes de que puedan ingresar al edificio.

Los expertos en inmigración y derecho señalan que ICE puede entrar a una escuela si cuenta con una orden firmada por un juez o magistrado. No obstante, en muchas ocasiones ICE presenta órdenes administrativas firmadas por sus propios funcionarios. Frost explicó que esto no es válido, ya que la orden debe ser emitida por una autoridad independiente del poder ejecutivo.

“Si eres un agente del gobierno federal o estatal, no puedes acceder a áreas privadas sin una orden judicial”, señaló Frost. “Es una limitación establecida por la Cuarta Enmienda de la Constitución en materia de registros y decomisos”.

Algunas escuelas han declarado que solo permitirán la entrada de agentes de ICE si presentan una orden judicial por un delito penal. Cruzar ilegalmente la frontera de EE.UU. es una ofensa civil, pero si una persona es deportada y reingresa, puede convertirse en un delito penal. No está claro si las escuelas podrían negar el acceso a ICE en caso de una orden judicial por una infracción civil.

“Para mí, la ley federal es suprema”, dijo Frost.

Aun así, las escuelas tienen el derecho de revisar y cuestionar la validez de una orden judicial, señaló Villagra. Una orden podría autorizar a un agente de inmigración a revisar, por ejemplo, el casillero de un estudiante en particular, pero eso no significa que ICE pueda además registrar el gimnasio o la oficina del consejero escolar, agregó.

¿Qué deben saber las familias inmigrantes sobre sus derechos?

ImmSchools, una organización sin fines de lucro que colabora con distritos escolares para hacer que las escuelas sean un espacio acogedor para estudiantes inmigrantes, ofrece guías de ‘Conozca sus derechos’ para estudiantes y familias en inglés, español, coreano, ruso, árabe y chino. Estas incluyen consejos sobre cómo buscar asesoría legal, crear un plan de emergencia familiar y de cuidado infantil, y qué hacer si un estudiante o padre de familia es detenido por un agente de ICE.

En varios barrios de Chicago, se encuentran carteles sobre los derechos de los inmigrantes.

El Centro Nacional de Ley de Inmigración también ha elaborado una guía de preguntas frecuentes para líderes escolares y educadores sobre cómo pueden proteger los derechos de los estudiantes.

Algunos distritos escolares han registrado una disminución en la asistencia, ya que muchas familias han optado por no enviar a sus hijos a la escuela por temor a encontrarse con agentes de ICE. Sin embargo, defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes advierten que esta decisión también conlleva riesgos.

En varios estados, la ley exige que los niños asistan a la escuela, y los padres pueden enfrentar cargos, multas u otras sanciones si sus hijos faltan demasiado. En algunos estados, los menores que acumulan muchas ausencias pueden ser remitidos a tribunales de menores y perder su licencia de conducir.

Traducido por Flavia Melisa Franco

Kalyn Belsha es reportera senior de educación a nivel nacional y reside en Chicago. Para contactarla puedes escribir a kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Gobierno de Trump: Juez debe rechazar el intento de DPS de detener las redadas de ICE

2025-02-28T19:59:32+00:00

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El gobierno de Trump dice que un juez debe rechazar el intento de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver (DPS, por sus siglas en inglés) de bloquear medidas de control de inmigración en escuelas porque el distrito no puede demostrar que han sucedido en algún lugar o que la posibilidad de las medidas ha causado suficientes daños.

Eso es según una moción presentada por abogados del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de EE. UU. Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver demandaron al departamento federal el 12 de febrero para tratar de anular una norma del gobierno de Trump que da vía libre a que se realicen medidas de control de inmigración en “lugares sensibles”, incluyendo escuelas, guarderías, iglesias y hospitales.

Las Escuelas Públicas de Denver sostuvieron que la asistencia de los estudiantes había “disminuido notablemente” desde que el gobierno de Trump anuló una política de décadas de antigüedad el mes pasado que decía que las medidas de control de inmigración solo deben realizarse en lugares sensibles si existe un peligro inmediato para el público.

El distrito escolar también sostuvo que se había visto “forzado a desviar recursos de su misión educativa para prepararse para arrestos de inmigración en instalaciones escolares de DPS”.

El distrito escolar presentó una demanda una semana después de que el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE. UU. llevara a cabo redadas en complejos de apartamentos en Denver y Aurora el 5 de febrero. En documentos legales, representantes del distrito describieron a estudiantes y padres aterrorizados, maestros angustiados y autobuses escolares desviados de sus rutas.

En su respuesta el viernes pasado, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE. UU. dijo que no hubo redadas en escuelas en Denver ni en ningún lugar desde que la política se anuló. El departamento sostuvo que las disminuciones de la asistencia estudiantil no fueron causadas por el cambio normativo.

“Por lo contrario, la evidencia demuestra que cualquier reducción es el resultado de temores entre estudiantes y padres, no ninguna medida de control real a manos de DHS en escuelas, y podría estar relacionada con reportes falsos de controles de inmigración en escuelas o medidas de controles que no se llevaron a cabo en instalaciones escolares ni en paradas de autobuses”, la moción del departamento dice.

El departamento también sostuvo que líderes de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver malentendieron la política anterior sobre lugares sensibles. Esa política, versiones de la cual datan a 1993, “no prohibía las medidas de control de inmigración en escuelas”, la moción dice. Por lo contrario, decía que tales medidas se permitían “ya sea con aprobación previa de más alto nivel o bajo circunstancias urgentes”. La política anterior se actualizó por última vez en 2021 durante la presidencia de Joe Biden.

La nueva norma, emitida al poco tiempo de que el presidente Donald Trump iniciara su gobierno en enero, ordena a los agentes de ICE que usen su discreción “y una dosis saludable de sentido común”.

“DPS no ha demostrado que la norma de 2021 hubiera prohibido la medida de control que DHS llevó a cabo el 5 de febrero de 2025, la cual no fue en una escuela ni parada de autobús”, la moción del departamento dijo, refiriéndose a las redadas en Denver y Aurora.

“[Lo que DPS alega] de que enfrentará daños por medidas de control de inmigración solo si DHS opera según la norma de 2025 es, por lo tanto, demasiado especulativo para demostrar un daño irreparable”, dijo.

El departamento alegó que prohibir las medidas de control de inmigración en o cerca de las 207 Escuelas Públicas de Denver o sus paradas de autobús “podría limitar significativamente el control de inmigración”.

“Gran parte de Denver está cerca de una escuela”, la moción dice.

El departamento también desafió el argumento de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver de que la política del gobierno de Trump, emitida en un par de memorándums de los entonces directores interinos del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional y ICE, no se había compartido públicamente y equivalía a “una medida final de la agencia que ocurrió totalmente tras puertas cerradas”.

El departamento describió los memorándums como “meramente una publicidad interna” para agentes de control de inmigración y dijo que uno de los memorándums ahora está publicado en el sitio web de ICE. El sitio web muestra que el memorándum del 31 de enero se publicó el 18 de febrero, después de que el distrito presentara su demanda.

Como respuesta a una demanda similar de varias organizaciones religiosas, un juez federal en Maryland el lunes bloqueó temporalmente la política del gobierno de Trump con respecto a las medidas de control de ICE en iglesias y otros centros religiosos. Pero el fallo no se extiende a las escuelas.

Traducido por Alejandra X. Castañeda

Melanie Asmar es la jefa de la oficina de Chalkbeat Colorado. Comunícate con Melanie por correo electrónico a masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Person detained by federal immigration officials during school dropoff at Chicago school

2025-02-27T23:52:24+00:00

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This story has been updated with a statement from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirming the arrest.

Principals at a charter school campus on Chicago’s South West side told families Wednesday that an adult who was in a vehicle with two students was detained by federal immigration enforcement officials during school dropoff.

In a letter to families, the administration of Acero Schools’ Soto High School and Idar Elementary said they escorted the students into the building away from the scene, which took place at the corner of 51st and St. Louis Ave. in Gage Park.

“We understand how stressful and upsetting this is to our school communities,” the two principals, Elizabeth Obrzut and Nicolle Macias, wrote. “Focused support is being made available for those directly impacted by this event. Both schools will have additional social work support available for scholars.”

According to the Acero administration, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as ATF, detained an adult in a vehicle outside the schools around 8:15 a.m. The school leaders said the agents did not attempt to enter either school.

A spokesperson for ICE confirmed agents in Chicago arrested Francisco Andrade-Berrera, 37, on Wednesday “without incident.” The statement said he is a citizen of Mexico and “a known member of a violent street gang with criminal convictions for drug trafficking, gang loitering, and damage to property” and had been deported twice before in 2005 and 2013.

Collectively, the two Acero schools on the single campus serve more than 1,000 students and 98% identify as Hispanic.

Helena Stangle, Acero’s chief culture officer, said the campus staff followed the network’s protocols Wednesday and also contacted Chicago Public Schools Office of Safety and Security. She added that Acero administrative staff undergo “intensive training” on what to do in these scenarios and the network provides families with a “Civil Rights Resource Hub.”

Last month, the Trump administration ended a policy that treated schools and child care centers as “sensitive” or “protected” locations where immigration enforcement could not take place unless there was an immediate danger to the public.

Yesenia Lopez, the elected school board member representing District 7 where the schools are located, commended the Acero principals and school staff who stepped in to support the students “during such a traumatic moment.”

“No child should be afraid of going to school because they fear seeing their parents ambushed during school drop offs,” Lopez said in a statement to Chalkbeat. “Our schools should be places of safety and learning, not fear and separation.”

Ald. Jeylu Gutierrez, whose ward includes the Acero schools, said the person arrested is a father of three kids, two at Idar and one at Soto. He was dropping the two younger kids off to school when he was arrested, she said. Gutierrez, who said she got in touch with the family, said Wednesday she didn’t know why the father was arrested.

“All the family is devastated and the school community,” said Gutierrez, who was at a candlelight vigil Wednesday night focused on saving three Acero schools, which serve a largely Hispanic student population, from closure. She said several families decided not to attend the event to take extra precautions.

When the gathering — hosted in conjunction with the Chicago Teachers Union — ended, union staff told families to watch out for each other.

“Remember your rights,” Hilario Dominguez, the union’s legislative director, told the crowd. “You don’t have to talk to ICE.”

The incident during school dropoff Wednesday comes weeks after another Chicago elementary school in Back of the Yards on the city’s South West side mistook U.S, Secret Service agents for ICE, prompting a flurry of confusion and fear in the community.

Many of Chicago’s South West side neighborhoods are predominantly Latino and home to many immigrants. These communities, like many across the country, have been on high alert since the Trump administration took office and stepped up immigration enforcement.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Becky Vevea is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Chicago. Contact Becky at bvevea@chalkbeat.org.

Trump administration: Judge should reject Denver Public Schools’ attempt to stop ICE raids at schools

2025-02-25T01:47:42+00:00

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The Trump administration says a judge should reject Denver Public Schools’ attempt to block immigration enforcement actions at schools because the district can’t show that it’s happened anywhere or that the prospect of enforcement has caused sufficient harm.

That’s according to a motion filed by attorneys for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Denver Public Schools sued the federal department on Feb. 12 in an attempt to void a Trump administration policy that clears the way for immigration enforcement to take place at “sensitive locations,” including schools, child care centers, churches, and hospitals.

Denver Public Schools argued that student attendance had “decreased noticeably” since the Trump administration rescinded a decades-old policy last month that said immigration enforcement should only take place at sensitive locations if there is immediate danger to the public.

The school district also argued that it had been “forced to divert resources from its educational mission to prepare for immigration arrests on DPS school grounds.”

The school district filed the lawsuit a week after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids at apartment complexes in Denver and Aurora on Feb. 5. In legal filings, district officials described terrified students and parents, anguished teachers, and diverted school buses.

In its response Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said there have been no raids at schools in Denver or elsewhere since the policy was rescinded. The department argued that the drops in Denver’s student attendance were not caused by the changing guidance.

“Rather, the evidence shows that any drop is the result of fears among students and parents, not any actual enforcement actions by DHS at schools, and may relate to false reports of immigration enforcement at schools or enforcement actions that did not take place on school grounds or at bus stops,” the department’s motion says.

The department also argued that Denver Public Schools leaders misunderstood the previous policy about sensitive locations. That policy, versions of which date back to 1993, “did not bar immigration enforcement actions at schools,” the motion says. Rather, it said such actions were permitted “either with prior higher-level approval or under exigent circumstances.” The previous policy was last updated in 2021 under then-President Joe Biden.

The new guidance, issued soon after President Donald Trump took office in January, instructs ICE agents to use discretion “and a healthy dose of common sense.”

“DPS has not shown that the 2021 Guidance would have prohibited the DHS enforcement action taken on February 5, 2025, which was not at a school or bus stop,” the department’s motion said, referring to the raids in Denver and Aurora.

“DPS’s argument that it will face harm from immigration enforcement only if DHS operates under the 2025 Guidance is thus too speculative to show irreparable harm,” it said.

The department argued that barring immigration enforcement actions at or near Denver Public Schools’ 207 schools or its bus stops “could significantly limit immigration enforcement.”

“Much of Denver is close to a school,” the motion says.

The department also challenged Denver Public Schools’ argument that the Trump administration policy, issued in a pair of January memos from the then-acting directors of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, had not been publicly released and amounted to “a final agency action that occurred entirely behind closed doors.”

The department described the memos as “merely an internal advisement” to immigration enforcement agents and said one of the memos is now posted on ICE’s website. The website shows that the Jan. 31 memo was posted on Feb. 18, after the Denver district filed its lawsuit.

In response to a similar lawsuit from several religious organizations, a federal judge in Maryland on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s policy with regard to ICE enforcement at churches and other houses of worship. But the ruling doesn’t extend to schools.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Estudiantes de Denver protestan a pie contra las políticas del presidente el mismo día de las redadas del ICE

2025-02-18T22:05:34+00:00

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Cientos de estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver, algunos portando carteles hechos a mano y otros con banderas mexicanas colgadas al hombro, salieron de la escuela a principios de este mes y caminaron hasta el Capitolio de Colorado para unirse a una protesta masiva contra el presidente Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump, ¿no oyes?”, coreaban. “¡Los inmigrantes son bienvenidos aquí!”.

La protesta se desarrolló el mismo día en que agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos allanaron varios edificios de apartamentos en Denver y Aurora.

La oficina de ICE en Denver dijo en las redes sociales que estaba trabajando con otras agencias federales para detener a miembros de la banda venezolana Tren de Aragua.

Un portavoz de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver dijo que cinco autobuses escolares tuvieron que ser desviados debido a la actividad del ICE en un complejo de apartamentos. Matt Meyer enseña cuarto grado en la escuela Denver Green, que se encuentra a una milla de ese complejo de apartamentos, llamado Cedar Run.

Meyer dijo que él y otro profesor condujeron hasta el complejo. En el lugar donde el autobús escolar suele recoger a docenas de alumnos de Denver Green School había un autobús diferente que Meyer describió como el que transporta a los presos.

“La visual de eso”, dijo Meyer. “Ahí es literalmente donde debería estar nuestro autobús escolar”.

Alrededor de un tercio de los alumnos de cuarto curso no acudieron a la escuela, explicó Meyer, algunos porque no pudieron subir al autobús escolar. Otros estudiantes de la escuela fueron recogidos por sus padres al mediodía, dijo. Denver Green School es una de las varias escuelas de Denver que en los últimos años ha matriculado a muchos estudiantes inmigrantes de Venezuela y otros países.

Meyer dijo que algunos estudiantes estaban asustados, mientras que otros no habían oído hablar de las redadas. Dijo que un estudiante preguntó: “¿Vinieron a nuestro complejo de apartamentos porque somos hispanos?”. Otro estudiante preguntó si ICE iba a ir a su complejo a continuación y si su madre estaba a salvo.

“No supe qué decir, salvo que tu madre te quiere aquí y que aquí estás a salvo”, dijo Meyer. Para estar más seguro de ello, la escuela mantuvo a los estudiantes dentro durante el recreo, dijo.

El alcalde de Denver, Mike Johnston, dijo en una declaración el 5 de febrero que no había habido ninguna actividad de ICE en escuelas, hospitales o iglesias, a pesar de que Trump despejó el camino para la aplicación de la ley de inmigración en “lugares sensibles” previamente prohibidos. Johnston ha dicho que demandará a la administración Trump si instruye a los agentes de ICE para detener a los residentes en tales lugares.

La protesta de la semana pasada en el Capitolio de Colorado fue parte de un movimiento nacional que convocó 50 protestas en 50 estados en un solo día. Protestas similares ocurrieron en estados como California, Pensilvania, Indiana, Michigan, Texas y Wisconsin, según Associated Press.

El apoyo a los inmigrantes y el clamor contra las políticas migratorias de Trump - incluida su promesa de “deportaciones masivas”- fue uno de los principales focos de la protesta de Colorado. Estudiantes de secundaria portaban pancartas con lemas como “MAGA: los migrantes no van a ninguna parte” y “Orgullosa hija de inmigrantes”.

“Este es nuestro pueblo”, dijo un estudiante de undécimo grado llamado Alex mientras agitaba un extremo de una bandera mexicana ante los bocinazos del tráfico que se aproximaba por la calle Lincoln. Alex dijo que él y varios otros estudiantes habían venido a la protesta desde el extremo noreste de Denver, a 15 millas de distancia, aunque se negó a dar el nombre de su escuela. Chalkbeat sólo utiliza los nombres de pila de los estudiantes para proteger su intimidad.

En cuanto a por qué protestaba, Alex dijo: “Es un desastre que le hagan esto a nuestra comunidad”.

Estudiantes de secundaria locales de varias escuelas, entre otros, se reúnen en el Capitolio del Estado de Colorado para protestar contra los recientes esfuerzos de deportación de la administración Trump y el tratamiento de los inmigrantes, el miércoles 5 de febrero de 2025 en Denver.

Los estudiantes de North High School y del cercano CEC Early College se reunieron en un parque a las 10 de la mañana y caminaron cinco kilómetros hasta el Capitolio. Fueron de los primeros en llegar. Los estudiantes se alinearon en la acera y se subieron a postes metálicos, agitando pancartas y coreando.

“Mis padres vinieron aquí en busca de un futuro mejor para mí”, dijo Joselyn, una estudiante de 10º curso, en el parque. “Estoy harta de esperar ansiosa en mi teléfono a ver qué pasa”.

Syiah, también en 10º grado, dijo que temía que miembros de su familia fueran blanco del ICE, no porque sean indocumentados sino porque son personas de color.

“Están separando a las familias”, dijo.

Una estudiante de noveno grado llamada Violet dijo que al principio estaba nerviosa por la idea de una protesta. Dijo que le preocupaba que una gran manifestación “pusiera en el punto de mira a los indocumentados”.

Pero dijo que se dio cuenta de que “en lugar de miedo, demuestra que estamos enfadados y no tenemos miedo”.

La noticia de la protesta se extendió orgánicamente de estudiante a estudiante, dijo una alumna de 11º curso llamada Annabelle. Ella dijo que decidió salir de clase porque cree que las políticas de Trump perjudican a familias como las de los estudiantes venezolanos que se matricularon en su escuela el año pasado.

“Mi familia está formada por una larga línea de inmigrantes”, dijo Annabelle. “Veo injusticia, y no voy a quedarme sentada en silencio mientras ocurre”.

A la 1 de la tarde, la protesta había crecido tanto que se extendió hasta la calle Lincoln. Según un portavoz del distrito, los estudiantes de otros institutos de Denver también se retiraron, entre ellos West High, Manual High, Denver Center for International Studies Baker, DSST: Cole y DSST: Cedar. Los estudiantes se unieron a los adultos para marchar por las calles que rodean el Capitolio.

Los jóvenes se colocaron en las cajas de las camionetas, ondeando banderas mexicanas en medio del tráfico detenido. Un grupo de alumnos de primaria, de excursión en el cercano Museo de Arte de Denver, observaba a los manifestantes desde el muro de hormigón de un patio exterior a la hora de comer.

“Viva México”, gritó un alumno de primaria.

“Es nuestra primera protesta”, dijo Joselyn, alumna de décimo grado. “Espero que vengan muchas más”.

Traducido por Juan Carlos Uribe, The Weekly Issue/El Semanario

Melanie Asmar es la jefa de la oficina de Chalkbeat Colorado. Comunícate con Melanie por correo electrónico a masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Jeffco school board latest to pass resolution affirming support for immigrant students, families

2025-02-15T00:31:08+00:00

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In response to community pressure and questions, the Jeffco school board approved a resolution late Thursday night in support of immigrant students.

Some community members have been afraid that immigration agents could come to a school since the Trump administration rescinded a policy that treated schools, churches, and hospitals as “sensitive” locations largely safe from ICE.

Since then, school districts across the country have been establishing or updating guidelines about what to do if ICE agents arrived at schools.

Jeffco Superintendent Tracy Dorland on Thursday reiterated that she believed it would be unlikely for ICE agents to show up at a school unannounced, but that the guidance from the district was created just in case.

“This resolution will not make everyone happy,” said board member Paula Reed. “There will be people who do not want us to assertively affirm protection for our most vulnerable students, and others who believe this does not do nearly enough. To be honest, personally, I wish we could do more. It was hard to draft something without referencing laws that may or may not still be in place tomorrow.”

The resolution, among other things, directs the district to help families create a plan to ensure emergency contacts are up to date, to update resources posted online and translate them into multiple languages, and to provide flexible options for families who are keeping children home from school out of fear.

The resolution states that “federal immigration law enforcement activities, on or around district property and transportation routes, whether by surveillance, interview, demand for information, arrest, detention, or any other means, harmfully disrupt the learning environment to which all students, regardless of immigration status, are entitled and significantly interferes with the ability of all students, including U.S. citizen students and students who hold other legal grounds for presence in the U.S., to access a free public K-12 education.”

Jeffco first posted a statement and guidance about ICE in schools on its website on Jan. 28, sending communications to all staff.

But Zander Kaschub, the president of JESPA, the union for Jeffco’s support staff including bus drivers, kitchen staff, and paraprofessionals, was among those who criticized the district for not doing more.

These employees are made up of immigrants, and work closely with immigrant students and families, and should be “recognized as key stakeholders and included in discussions on policy implementation,” Kaschub told the school board on Thursday. “Our voices are essential.”

Kaschub said staff members still have a lot of questions and have not received training. Principals also have been interpreting guidance in different ways, he said.

“This approach has created inconsistencies, confusion, and ultimately unsafe conditions for students and staff,” he said.

Denver Public Schools sues feds to stop immigration enforcement at schools, ‘sensitive locations’

Kaschub added that the resolution left critical gaps and asked the board and the district to commit to training staff and ensuring there’s a method to hold principals accountable for enforcing policies.

A district spokesperson Friday said staff training has been ongoing, and it is continuing for bus drivers and more principal secretaries in the next week.

Annie Contractor, a parent and organizer with Engage Jeffco, also spoke to the board Thursday, asking them to pass the resolution and improve communications with staff and families.

“Some schools are sending out robust communications and some aren’t sending any communications at all,” Contractor said. “We ask the district to implement comprehensive policies that safeguard every student’s right to learn in a secure, stable environment.

“When any group is targeted, whether immigrant families, LGBTQ+ youth, or others, all students suffer from the resulting disruption, intimidation, and trauma of an insecure learning environment,” Contractor said. “Today’s targets may change tomorrow and we know that we are stronger when we stand together.”

The board made one change to the resolution — but it won’t affect the guidance

When the board voted Thursday night, they had a discussion to make just one change to the draft language they had already prepared, but a district spokesperson Friday said that language in the resolution won’t change the district’s policy or practice.

The draft resolution presented to the board Thursday said that the district guidance for principals was to allow ICE agents into a school, just as they would allow in anyone else, and then once the agents are identified, begin a process to verify that they have the proper warrants.

But board members said they thought they had understood their district’s existing guidance to mean that ICE agents would not be allowed into a building until after a warrant signed by a judge could be verified.

Dorland explained that there are many different situations, and “we don’t want to ever put our principals in a situation where they’re escalating a situation.”

Julie Tolleson, the district’s attorney, also explained that the district has a person ready to drive out to schools to “get eyes” on the presented warrants and documents in such a case, and that there was some concern about the disruption that might occur if agents were kept outside and the school was put on secure perimeter, where classes continue inside but the school is locked.

But a majority of the board members Thursday said they were uncomfortable with allowing agents into schools first because of the position it could put principals in — particularly if agents aren’t cooperative, don’t listen to staff, or if the agents don’t have proper warrants and then principals have to ask them to leave.

“I am concerned people executing these warrants will not be polite, " said Mary Parker, the board’s president.

The board amended the order of the instructions — to put verifying warrants before the guidance about escorting agents in — and then approved the resolution unanimously.

But on Friday, district leaders said that the amended resolution the board approved Thursday night will not change the district’s guidance. Jeffco principals will still be instructed to allow immigration agents into a school as they would with anyone else, and to verify their documentation once they are inside.

Schools have secure vestibules just inside, the spokesperson said.

Board member Erin Kenworthy on Friday said that the board’s intention was to change the district’s guidance for principals, but said she also recognized that the board technically approved a resolution, not a new policy. She said perhaps the board will need to revisit the issue later.

A recent Chalkbeat survey of 20 Colorado districts revealed 16 had issued written guidance to their staff about what to do if ICE arrived, and some had also communicated that with families. One district, St. Vrain, had not issued any written communications to staff, and three, Sheridan, Bennett, and Deer Trail, did not respond to Chalkbeat’s requests.

Many school districts, including Aurora and Denver, created guidance that tells principals to collect identification and warrants from ICE officials and contact district legal teams who would then verify the validity of the warrant and instruct school leaders further.

But guidance across systems varied slightly in terms of whether ICE agents would first be allowed inside the school during this process, or kept outside.

DSST charter network leaders established guidelines that schools would be placed on hold so no one is allowed in the hallways while the process of verifying a warrant takes place.

Denver’s guidance directs staff not to let agents into a school, but instead have them wait outside while contacting legal teams.

In Aurora’s guidance, district leaders also suggested that agents should wait outside, but allows principals to escort immigration agents into a quiet place in the front office, if they are being cooperative.

Read Jeffco’s resolution:

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.

NYC students’ fear of ICE prompts ‘the talk’ from schools and parents

2025-02-14T19:19:19+00:00

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In the days after last month’s inauguration of President Donald Trump, Bronx high school principal Norma Vega felt she had to do something to address growing chatter from students about rumored sightings of federal immigration officers in their neighborhoods.

So she visited every classroom to give students a primer on what to do if they encountered law enforcement on the street.

“My job was to scare them into, ‘Don’t do anything stupid, please,’” said Vega, principal of ELLIS Preparatory Academy, which caters exclusively to newly-arrived immigrants in grades 9-12.

Much of the public attention on how Trump’s deportation plans may affect students has so far focused on the possibility of federal agents showing up at schools — fueled by an executive order allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to make arrests at schools, churches and other sensitive locations. Trump has promised “mass deportations” and has threatened to punish local officials who stand in the way.

Fears of ICE showing up at schools remain acute for many students and families, prompting some parents to keep kids out of school. But for many of New York City’s immigrant students, who often crisscross the five boroughs on public transit getting to and from school and jobs, the fear of encountering officers outside of school is an even more immediate concern.

That has led families and educators across the city to hold conversations with their kids in recent weeks about what to do if they encounter immigration agents — an immigration-focused variation on “the talk” that many Black and Latino families have long had with their kids about what to do if they’re stopped by police.

“It’s the same talk, unfortunately, that our brown fathers and mothers have to have with their brown sons,” Vega said.

Vega advised her students not to turn over any documents to someone they don’t know, but to politely say, “I don’t know you,” and keep walking. She told them not to resist if a law enforcement officer did produce identification and attempt to detain them.

“Your goal is to walk out as quickly as possible, because they have no right to stop you, no right to put their hands on you, no right to harass you,” she told students.

In addition to the conversations, some schools are handing out “red cards” that students can hand to law enforcement if they’re stopped. The cards assert the rights of people stopped by law enforcement not to speak with them or consent to a search.

New York City has sanctuary laws in place that limit the cooperation of local law enforcement with ICE to carry out deportations. The city school system’s policies also prohibit federal agents from entering schools unless they have a warrant signed by a judge or there are “exigent circumstances.”

But Mayor Eric Adams has said he would like to roll back those sanctuary policies, and has boosted the city’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities — issuing an executive order on Thursday allowing ICE to operate on Rikers Island. The U.S. Justice Department’s recent move to drop federal corruption charges against Adams has set off alarm bells for advocates and lawmakers who say that Adams is beholden to Trump and will aid his immigration agenda.

The city teachers union last week said it had not received any reports of ICE visiting city schools. But federal immigration agents have carried out several high-profile immigration raids, and arrested about 100 people in the first week of the Trump administration.

During a Fox News appearance Friday morning with Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan to tout their collaboration, Adams encouraged undocumented immigrants to keep using city services, saying “everyday people who are here, they’re moving to be documented, if they are going to school, working, paying taxes, then they should be able to [use] police services, hospital services, children should go to school.”

Rampant rumors of ICE sightings in some immigrant communities

Fahima Akter, a 17-year-old senior at Bronx River High School who immigrated to the U.S. in 2019 from Bangladesh, said her dad recently witnessed someone taken away by law enforcement after they couldn’t produce the documents the officers asked for. Since then, he has told his daughter she needs to keep her green card – proof of legal permanent residency – on her.

“Just in case if the police stop us on the street and ask for this, we can get them information and let them know that we are legally here,” she said.

The school’s student newspaper, the Bronx River News, recently ran a story on a student who said he had several encounters with immigration agents outside of school.

Akter said she previously felt positive about the police, but since the talk with her dad, has been scared to approach any law enforcement. Her parents have instructed her to go straight to school and back to minimize the time she’s out in public, she said.

“Now, every time I see a police officer, I get anxious and nervous around them,” Akter said, even though she is in the country legally.

The conversations are also happening in some non-immigrant families.

After reports of a Puerto Rican man detained by ICE agents in New Jersey, Lilah Mejia — a parent leader from the Lower East Side of Puerto Rican heritage — sat her down her six kids, ages 12 to 26, to have a “serious conversation” about the possibility of getting stopped by federal law enforcement.

Lilah Mejia's six children.

“It shouldn’t be the norm,” she said of the talk she had with her kids. “But it is the norm … I said, ‘We’re not living in safe times … Why do I have to tell my children these things?”

She told them to be cautious of their surroundings and explained that different agents have different badges. She warned them that federal agents might be targeting Spanish-speakers. One son asked her if they should stop speaking Spanish or even Spanglish.

“I said, ‘No, don’t ever stop being who you are,’” she recounted. “‘I’m just so afraid one day when you’re going to work someone is going to pull up on you.’”

Mejia has not heard any reports of ICE agents in her neighborhood yet, though she’s on group texts where people have reported seeing them in Queens and the Bronx. She asked her children to start carrying their U.S. passports. They are not doing that yet, she said, but they are at least now carrying IDs.

“I just want to make sure my kids come home every night safely,” Mejia said.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.