School districts have implemented “safe zones” at campuses across the Valley in response to an incident involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Following the detainment of two individuals along the fence line of one of the Roosevelt Elementary School District’s schools — an incident witnessed by concerned community members and called out by local leaders — the district released a statement reaffirming their “commitment to student and family safety.” While the statement reiterates that there has been no ICE presence on any of their campuses, the district’s Governing Board preemptively adopted the Safe and Inclusive School Environment Policy.
The policy states that the district will not permit ICE presence on their campuses without a valid judicial warrant or legal order, that school staff will not inquire about the immigration status of a student or family member and that the district will protect students’ privacy and information regarding their immigration status. It was adopted in February of this year following Donald Trump’s inauguration and has prompted several other school districts in the Valley to follow suit…