ICE Agents on Campus Subject of Memo to Albuquerque Schools
Roz Brown, Public News Service – NM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A memo will soon go out to principals in New Mexico’s largest public school district, reminding them about the district’s policy on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The Albuquerque school district has the most kids in the state, and its policy prohibits federal agencies from coming onto a school campus unless they have a warrant.
Brandon Baca, who manages the district’s Refugee and Newcomer Supports Program, says the memo follows a February statement from city officials referencing a “recent surge” in local arrests by ICE.
“It was in response to the activity that we’ve seen throughout the city,” says Baca. “There has been about a ten-fold increase in the number of detentions by ICE in Albuquerque.”
The memo instructs principals not to defy ICE agents, but instead call their supervisor or school district police should ICE officers demand access to school property.
ICE has not acknowledged increased activity in Albuquerque, but the federal government has said it will increase its presence in major sanctuary cities as the Trump administration seeks to put pressure on the sanctuary city movement.
Baca says the memo – which states that schools are meant to be safe places for all children, including those believed to be in the country illegally – was implemented in 2006. But he adds the district wants principals to educate students about their rights, so they can defend them should it be necessary.
“Because there’s been this increase, we felt it would be a good time, because we know that that’s going to be deeply affecting our schools very soon, and probably already has begun to affect a lot of our schools.”
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller signed the city’s “immigrant-friendly” resolution in April 2018, limiting resources the city can use to enforce federal immigration laws.
The resolution has been controversial, as the Trump administration has warned it could make the city ineligible for millions of dollars in federal grant funding to fight violent crime.
