Mass. AG releases guidelines for schools if approached by ICE agents
BOSTON - It has been a busy week for Annelise Araujo. The immigration attorney said she woke up to dozens of messages each morning from concerned and confused clients. Many of them are documented U.S. citizens who still expressed concern.
"There is a sense of fear in the general population and not just from undocumented immigrants," Araujo said. "What if ICE comes to my kids' school? I'm really scared of what my kids are going to experience," she recalled clients asking. "I have gotten calls from people who are scared about what will happen to their employees."
A recent memo from the Trump Administration is looking to strip temporary legal status from immigrants who entered the country legally through a Biden-era "parole program."
The programs are designed to allow temporary legal status as an individual waits for their paperwork to process. It often consists of families who sought reunification along with individuals fleeing violent situations. This memo, however, instructs federal immigration authorities to audit the list of people who have not applied for asylum within the required one-year timeframe.
Guidelines for schools
On Friday, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell published a series of guidelines for schools to follow if approached by ICE agents.
The guidance instructs teachers to notify school administrators and that student's parent immediately, should an agent ask to speak with a student. ICE should present parental consent or a judicial warrant to talk to a student. Schools are instructed to withhold any student information from third parties, including ICE, unless a warrant is presented.
Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are considering legislation that would allow local law enforcement the ability to honor ICE detainers. Current law does not allow local agencies to assist ICE.
