A wave of panic is spreading through immigrant communities, especially in families with children in our schools. The federal government has declared that schools–which have long been off limits for ICE raids–are no longer protected. In addition, there has been both a great deal of misinformation thrown around and an increase in ICE enforcement activities. Schools have reported high rates of absences among these populations of students who are already vulnerable. Teachers within our union have been fiercely organizing at their schools to ensure students and families know they have their backs.
Among all our schools, we understand
- That ICE cannot enter a non-public area of an organization without consent or a search warrant signed by a federal judge and issued by a federal court.
- That student information is protected by FERPA rules and school officials may only disclose educational records without parental consent if there is a court order, subpoena, or a health or safety emergency.
- That thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe, EVERY child is entitled to a free and public education regardless of immigration status.
We encourage our families to
- Update emergency contact information on file at their children’s schools.
- Create a preparedness plan (here’s another source). This should include additional contacts of entrusted people in the family’s network the school can reach out to in support of a student. Plans can be shared with the school.
- Know your rights. Rights include staying silent, requesting a lawyer, not showing a passport, not signing anything, not opening the door. ICE can only enter with consent or a warrant signed by a judge.
- Reach out if you need resources. For example, Project Ishmael does pro bono litigation work for immigrants in danger of deportation, and Unión Migrante is an excellent organization to follow for communications and advocacy work.
If there are any schools or teachers that need resources, please reach out to political@utno.org. We are organizing messaging and trainings with our partner in this work, Unión Migrante.