PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With President Donald Trump promising mass deportations, anxiety is growing among immigrant students in Philadelphia schools. The district is underlining its policy to protect them.
If Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up at a Philadelphia school, Superintendent Tony Watlington said it is district protocol not to let them in or turn over any student information without a warrant.
“We’ll be following the letter and spirit of the law and won’t provide undue access to children in schools without the appropriate warrants or paperwork,” he said.
Principals have been trained on a board policy adopted four years ago that requires school staff to contact the district’s general counsel should ICE agents appear.
“Our general counsel will advise them to make sure that appropriate warrants and other paperwork are in order,” Watlington said. “That will be the only way that we will provide access to our students.”
Watlington said he’s aware of growing trepidation among immigrant communities.
“We hear our students and some of their family members tell us they have an uptick in their anxiety levels,” he added. “We’re doing everything we can to assure them that we intend to educate them and protect their safety and well-being.”
The superintendent said the district has conducted extra training with principals to ensure they understand the procedure. The district also created a toolkit to help staff support immigrant and refugee students.