Recently, the Trump administration has taken larger measures to decrease the amount of immigration nationwide. They have decided to deploy the federal organization US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They have given them the authority to operate in any public areas without permission, and have recently been permitted to operate on school grounds. Many people are scared that ICE raids may occur in our school.
ICE was created in 2003 through the Homeland Security Act after the devastating attacks of 9/11. Congress granted them a combination of civil and criminal authority so they could better protect national security along with protecting the borders from illegal aliens.
They have been more focused recently on decreasing the amount of immigrants entering the US by arresting and removing aliens. This was especially important after the expiration of Title 42 which prevented immigrants from crossing the border to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since its expiration, the rate of illegal immigrants has skyrocketed. Although this may also be because the Biden administration forced this status on illegal immigrants without trying to solve it by giving them a pathway to get citizenship.
On January 21, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security released a new policy allowing ICE workers to operate in “sensitive locations” in an attempt to decrease the amount of aliens. This policy directly replaced a policy made in 2011 that didn’t permit ICE to operate there. These sensitive locations include schools, hospitals, places of worship, social service establishments, and places where children gather. Thankfully, no schools have been raided yet at the time this article was written.
Recently, DUSD released its statement on immigration officers entering campuses. In an email sent out to everyone in the district, it states that “ICE agents are not allowed on any DUSD campus without a judicial warrant issued by a judge”. Without a warrant, ICE agents are not allowed to enter the campus. Fortunately, these warrants are very complex to obtain. Even if they manage to get one, it can also spark community outrage. The district also said that they would not be sharing information about students with ICE under FERPA laws and laws that govern California.
Overall, DUSD has made it very clear that their priority stays in the education and well-being of the students and staff. They will not let ICE officers on campus without a fight, and have procedures in place in case they do.
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