Fear Of Immigration Raids In Schools Put Democrats On Defense

Democrats and school officials infuriated by Donald Trump's plan to allow immigration arrests at school are torn. They want to fulfill a promise to shield students from harm without completely ignoring the president’s new mandate.

Los Angeles officials won’t cooperate with federal immigration enforcement out of a “moral obligation” to protect students and staff. The New York City school board approved a resolution reiterating support for undocumented students even as Mayor Eric Adams hasn’t taken a stance. And Chicago refuses to work with federal agents but at the same time won’t impede their work to round up criminals.

“As long as the children are in school, we're going to protect them. We don't interact with ICE. We don't share information with ICE,” Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said.

The mixed response underscores the political challenges some of the largest Democratic enclaves — many of them self-proclaimed sanctuary cities — are facing as they confront Trump’s toughened immigration actions. Even as they repeat their promise to shield students and teachers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, school administrators and Democratic leaders appear unsure exactly how far to go to prevent federal agents from making arrests on campus.

That uncertainty is even reverberating in red states like Florida and Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is broadcasting his support for Trump’s deportation demands, but teachers who might otherwise support the president’s immigration policy are concerned about the anticipated impact on schools.

“Are people going to come to their classrooms? Are they going to pick up moms as they’re dropping kids off in front of a school and [teachers] are going to have to deal with the aftermath of that? Are they going to take kids if they take their parents at the same time?” Zeph Capo, the president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, said of his members’ concerns.

In Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is an adamant supporter of Trump’s deportation plan, officials in the Democratic-leaning Orlando area have warned school administrators not to interfere if federal authorities show up to campuses.

In Miami-Dade County, one school board member this week said Florida’s largest district is waiting on directions from the DeSantis administration and the Legislature to clarify its role in enforcing any immigration policies. The school system, though, is pledging to follow all local, state and federal regulations. DeSantis administration and state education officials did not respond when asked if the state would give guidance to schools on immigration.

“We’re an educational institution, not a law enforcement entity for ICE,” Miami-Dade County school board member Steve Gallon III said in an interview with local media that he posted on social media. “We’re not agents of ICE, we’re educators of children.”

The Department of Justice this week threatened to investigate and prosecute any state or local entity that refuses to cooperate with ramped-up federal immigration enforcement efforts and take legal action to challenge contravening local laws — warnings that will undoubtedly pit local Democratic officials against the federal government in states like California, whose Democratic attorney general has already warned local law enforcement officials against working with federal authorities if it conflicts with state law.

The DOJ announcement coincided with a Department of Homeland Security directive that now labels schools and churches as fair ground for immigration arrests. In a Jan. 20 memo to federal immigration and border officials, acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman said law enforcement officers should use “discretion along with a healthy dose of common sense” when working “in a sensitive location.”

“It is not necessary, however, for the head of the agency to create bright line rules regarding where our immigration laws are permitted to be enforced,” Huffman wrote.

School systems throughout California said they will not voluntarily collaborate with immigration authorities. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest, has had a policy since 2017 to not voluntarily cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. A district spokesperson said it is compelled by legal, professional and moral obligations to protect the legal and privacy rights of its students and employees, and to ensure all students’ constitutional right to a public education.”

In Fresno, located in a purple district in California’s Central Valley, some schools and families have voiced “concerns and fears regarding immigration enforcement,” according to Nikki Henry, a school district spokesperson.

“Our policy is clear and strong that immigration enforcement is not allowed on our campuses unless forced through a valid warrant or subpoena,” Henry said. “We’ve been in communication with local law enforcement who have assured us that they will not be supporting immigration enforcement across any of our schools either.”

To that end, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, urged Trump to reverse this week’s Department of Homeland Security directive in a letter that acknowledged her union “agrees that our immigration system is broken and badly in need of reform.”

But New York City, one of the nation’s largest sanctuary cities, has yet to stake out a position on the Trump administration’s reversal of longstanding policy that discouraged immigration raids at schools.

The city’s school board approved a resolution Wednesday that reiterates the school system’s support for undocumented students. City Council immigration chair Alexa Avilés has been in contact with agencies to see if they have a plan — and if they do, to ensure it trickles down to municipal employees.

But while she believes many staffers “want to do what is right,” Avilés described Adams as being “awful” on the issue.

“He could actually have a very strong position and say wholeheartedly he stands with protecting our communities,” Avilés said of the mayor. “He’s more interested in currying favor with the federal administration than actually protecting New York City folks.”

Adams has said he would avoid publicly criticizing Trump, who has the power to pardon him from federal corruption charges. His administration said it’s analyzing whether a policy requiring principals to consult city attorneys when ICE shows up needs further review.

“We’ve been having good conversations with [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” Adams told reporters Tuesday — hours before a sit-down interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson aired online. “We’re going to continue to do so. Our team knows how important it is to coordinate. And if you’re not at the table, you’re not able to give real good input.”

The city’s powerful teachers union, meanwhile, said educators would look to protect students.

Martinez of Chicago said his biggest worry is that parents will keep their children home out of fear.

“I don't want families to be so scared that they stay home like prisoners, not sending their children to school,” he said. “We know that’s what happened during the pandemic and how much that hurt our children. We're still recovering from that.”

Eric He and Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.