ACLU speaks on immigrants' rights at Michigan schools: "All children should feel safe going to school"
(CBS DETROIT) — After the Trump administration announced plans to remove the "sensitive locations" policy for immigration enforcement, Michigan's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union decided to act.
"All children should feel safe going to school, and all parents should feel safe sending their kids to school," said Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Michigan.
On Wednesday, the organization partnered with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center to share a letter they sent to Michigan school districts detailing how to protect and support children's legal rights while on campus.
"We can't change the fact that teachers now have to worry that ICE will burst into their classrooms to drag children away," said Aukerman.
Attorneys with the ACLU say the new policy of allowing immigration agents to conduct operations in previously "safe" places – like schools, school playgrounds or bus stops – pushed them to provide additional resources for support.
"What we can do and have done is make sure that schools know what the law is and how to do everything they can to keep children out of harm's way when they come to school," said Aukerman.
One way of doing that is by ensuring students know their rights – what they do and do not have to say if immigration agents question them.
In a separate move, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released new videos that explain the information in Arabic. CAIR-Michigan executive director Dawud Walid says the decision to create the videos was essential.
"People in our community need to be empowered with information because without having a lack of information, people don't know their rights, and that leads to fear and hysteria," said Walid.
This comes less than two weeks after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a multi-state lawsuit against the executive order impacting birthright citizenship – arguing that children denied automatic citizenship "will live under a constant threat of deportation."
Those behind the letter say they hope the community will support their neighbors and empower them to ask for help.
"If educators take the steps outlined in our letter, more kids will feel safe enough to attend and learn more, and parents will feel that their schools are a safe place to send their children," said Elly Jordan, managing attorney with the Michigan Immigration Rights Center.
ACLU Michigan Letter to Schools by CBS News Detroit on Scribd
