Amid ICE Activity, CTU And Elected Officials Call For Community To Protect Students, Families

Elected officials and union leaders in Chicago are mobilizing the community to protect immigrant students in light of increased ICE enforcement. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) reassured families that they do not collect immigration information and that federal agents cannot enter schools without proper warrants. This response follows the detention of a mother and her two young children by ICE agents at Millennium Park. Community members organized efforts to monitor school dismissals and ensure student safety, with teachers volunteering to stay late for students who felt unsafe. State Senator Graciela Guzman reported that the mother and child have been released and that the child returned to school the following day.

CPS interim CEO Macquline King emphasized that the district does not inquire about students' immigration status. Advocacy from local leaders and educators was pivotal in protecting the family from deportation. The situation underscores the community's commitment to safeguarding vulnerable families amid aggressive immigration policies.