If ICE Comes To School: MN AG Issues Guidance For Teachers, Staff

MINNESOTA — As President Donald Trump has promised an immigration crackdown that could affect thousands of Minnesota residents, officials are sharing ways that schools can keep immigrant students and families safe.

The Trump administration announced last month it would allow federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, churches, and hospitals, ending a policy that had been in effect since 2011.

In new guidance released Friday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison advised schools to do their best to protect their immigrant students, while also adhering to state and federal law.

Ellison's office states that "regardless of changes in federal immigration policy, schools continue to be bound by law to provide public education to students regardless of immigration status, must protect student data, and cannot be compelled to enforce a federal program or changes in federal policies."

Ellison also notes that:

• Student privacy is protected under federal and state laws, and schools should limit unnecessary data collection.
• Schools are not obligated to comply with administrative immigration warrants but must respond to judicial warrants.
• If ICE or law enforcement seeks to interview a student, they must go through a designated district official, and parents should be notified unless legally prohibited.
• Schools should train staff on legal responsibilities, ensure clear policies, support students’ well-being, and communicate their commitment to student protection.

The Trump administration's move to clear the way for arrests at schools reverses guidance that restricted two federal agencies — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection — from carrying out enforcement in sensitive locations.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”

An estimated 733,000 school-aged children are in the U.S. illegally, including 5,000 kids whoa re 15 and under in Minnesota, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Many more have U.S. citizenship but have parents who are in the country illegally.