Immigration attorney warns of ICE raids at schools, urges preparation

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – It’s back-to-school time. However, as the new school year approaches, immigrant families are bracing for more than just supply lists and schedules.

There’s fear that ICE arrests could happen at schools. KRON4 spoke with an immigration attorney about what parents need to know during this time of year.

ICE arrests have been reported inside Immigration courts, at sporting events and now immigrant parents are concerned they could have an encounter with ICE agents during school pick-up and drop-off.

As most families prepare their kids for school with supplies and lesson plans, immigration attorney Hector Quiroga says there are parents not taking part in the back-to-school prep.

“Calls from families who are afraid even to go back to school sales, where there are big congregations of people, much less send their kids back to school,” Quiroga said.

He says many schools are preparing for empty desks and heightened fear that ICE agents will start showing up at schools to arrest parents. Prior to President Trump’s executive orders, schools were considered sensitive areas where ICE arrests could not happen.

Quiroga says even though the sensitive area policy has changed, administrators have some ability to stop agents from entering campus. 

“School officials do have the power to ask for a federal warrant and not allow ICE into the school. That doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to be on the sidewalk or on the street,” Quiroga said.

The immigration attorney says a federal warrant enables ICE agents to do more than an administrative one, and he encourages parents and schools to be familiar with the differences between the two.

Preparing for immigration raids to reach deeper into daily life and be executed and played out by agents in unmarked cars, masks and plain clothes.

“Putting everybody in a very difficult position because it’s like how do we even know that the person who is trying to get in our vehicle is a lawful agent who is actually playing out lawful orders,” Quiroga said.

Quiroga says immigrant families preparing for back to school should contact an immigration attorney to send copies of records and paperwork. That way, if an arrest happens on a school campus, an attorney can defend your case in court.