ICE Procedures Outlined For Hatboro-Horsham Schools

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —If ICE shows up at schools in Hatboro and Horsham Township to search for illegal immigrants, the school district has procedures and policies to protect students and staff.

Patch requested the policies of several school districts in the Philadelphia region.

Since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, one of his top agenda items was to crack down on illegal immigration and conduct raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials whether they are at homes, businesses, or schools.

While no raids have been conducted at any schools in Montgomery County, school districts are ensuring that they are prepared just in case. Several Montco school districts have diverse populations.

Here is what the Hatboro-Horsham School District had to say:

The Hatboro-Horsham School District has established revised protocols to lawfully comply with the recently revised legal guidelines while maintaining its commitment to providing all students with a safe and supportive learning environment, said Kellie Francello, the district's spokeswoman.

The district's policy states that all students have protections and rights under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as well as the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, and our modified protocols reinforce our steadfast commitment to ensuring those rights are lawfully protected.

Any law enforcement request to access school grounds or student information must go through proper legal channels and established district protocols to ensure we maintain both student safety and privacy rights, the policy states.