Arizona schools chief calms parents’ fears on idea of ICE school raids

PHOENIX (AZFamily) —There is confusion and concern among Valley school communities following the announcement that migrants here illegally could now be arrested in schools.

“ICE agents will not be discouraged from coming to our schools and our community has families,” said one member of the Isaac School District during a Thursday evening governing board meeting. “Please inform us and our with your policy in our district if (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and where to come to our schools.”

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne does not believe immigration officers will be active in schools.

“ICE is not going to invade the school and go after their children,” said Horne during an interview with Arizona’s Family. “What I’m afraid of is because of the publicity, parents might hesitate to send their kids to school and I don’t want that to happen.”

This week, President Donald Trump authorized immigration officials to make arrests in schools and churches. These places were previously “safe zones” from ICE raids established in a 2011 policy.

Horne interprets this move from the president as ICE now being able to arrest migrants if they were to try and run and hide in a school.

“They’re going after criminals and if they go after people who aren’t criminals it will be the parents, not the children. It doesn’t make any sense to go into a school and arrest children. They are not going to do that.”

Arizona school districts, like Tempe Union High School District, are trying to get ahead of this by sending letters to parents saying all students are welcome.

Legally in the U.S., schools must teach all children no matter their legal status.

This was a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Plyler vs. Doe (1982).

“It’s important that kids be educated and my main thing is I don’t want parents to hesitate sending their kids to school,” said Horne.

From a legal standpoint, Horne said there isn’t much they can do when it comes to the federal government on certain issues.

“If it’s an area of federal jurisdiction, like border security, the Constitution gives them supremacy over the state. The state can’t resist what the federal government does,” he said.

Horne also wanted to make it clear that he has no disagreements with the Trump administration on immigration.

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