Federal Immigration Enforcement in WPS

The new presidential administration rescinded a United States Department of Homeland Security policy first adopted in 2011 (updated in 2021) of recognizing churches, schools, and other locations as “sensitive areas” or “protected areas.”  Even under that policy, immigration enforcement might take place at these locations; however, enforcement operations in “protected” or “sensitive” locations were heavily discouraged and required approval at higher levels of authority within DHS than might otherwise be necessary. 

What this means is that immigration enforcement operations at schools are more likely to occur now than before.  However, we are not aware at this time that any such operations have occurred at any school in Kansas or elsewhere, nor do we have any information to suggest that such operations are planned.  If that changes, our building leaders will be the first to know.

No.  The school district isn't required to collect this information and Kansas law discourages (and in some cases prohibits) "non-academic" questions to students about themselves or their family members.

The school district cannot prevent immigration authorities from accessing those areas of school property that are generally accessible to the public, such as sidewalks.  School staff cannot interfere with or obstruct immigration enforcement personnel operating in these areas. Staff will maintain order and avoid confrontations by directing students and staff away from the areas where agents are operating.  However, immigration enforcement personnel should not be allowed to enter non-public areas of a school building without an arrest or search warrant issued by a state or federal judge.

School staff are asked to greet them politely, explain that our policies require all visitors to provide official identification, and ask the officer(s) to do the same.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security, and an ICE agent’s badge will display both the “ICE” acronym and “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”  

Staff are asked to politely decline.  State and federal law generally require the school district to treat any personally identifiable information about a student as confidential unless the student's parent or guardian has consented, in writing, to have that information disclosed.  Our duty of confidentiality is broad and requires us to protect not only personal information that is directly identifiable (such as names), but also "indirect identifiers" that would allow a person to deduce the student's identity through logical linkages and inferences. 

Staff are asked to thank the officer and ask for the warrant.  School staff will notify our Safety Services and Legal Services Departments. The school district will honor any warrant duly issued by a judge; however, immigration enforcement officers sometimes use "administrative warrants" that have not been issued by a judge and do not have the same legal force: administrative warrants do not compel us to allow agents onto any non-public portion of school property, nor to turn over student or employee records, nor conduct a search, nor to render up any person, be they student, staff, or visitor.