On January 21st, President Donald Trump issued a redaction in the rules for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Homeland security announced a new policy that allows immigration officers and agents to arrest or search for potential undocumented immigrants in “sensitive areas” such as schools and churches.
This caused contention throughout the nation as there have been multiple reports of ICE entering schools such as a false report of ICE entering a Chicago public school to investigate a potential suspect, but this was claimed to be false.“While people across the city are worried about heightened immigration enforcement, it is imperative that individuals not spread unverified information that sparks fear across the city,” said Chicago mayor, Brandon Johnson.
States such as New York, Massachusetts, California, Texas are all implementing procedures in the event of an ICE agent entering the school looking for someone. “We’ve embarked on an education campaign to make sure that the school districts know what they should or shouldn’t do. I don’t know what they’re [DHS] (Department of Homeland Security) going to do with them, but just because they’re going to send them to school doesn’t mean school stops,” said Texas representative, Sylvia Garcia.
The common argument against this new rule is that ICE is looking in the wrong places and that they will harm the children that are not even involved with the search.“When it comes to immigration enforcement in sensitive places like schools or churches, I firmly believe those places should remain safe havens for our community,” he wrote in a statement to The Bee. “We do not want members of our immigrant communities, especially our children, being afraid to attend school or a place of worship.” said Fresno mayor, Jerry Dyer.
