Inside a Minneapolis school where 50% of students are too afraid of ICE to show up

"For weeks, administrators at this charter high school have arrived an hour before class, grabbed neon vests and walkie-talkies, and headed out into the cold to watch for ICE agents and escort students in. Lately, fewer than half of the 800 sudents show up. "Operation Metro Surge," the immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to nationwide protests after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens, has had students, parents and teachers on edge regardless of their immigration status."

"Staff coordinate throughout the day with a neighborhood watch group to determine whether ICE agents are nearby. When they are, classroom doors are locked and hallways emptied until staff announce "all clear." Similar tactics have been utilized by schools in other cities hit by immigration raids across the country. The Los Angeles Unified School District established a donation fund for affected families and created security perimeters around schools last summer."

"But it appears nowhere have students felt the repercussions of local raids more than in Minneapolis. Many schools have seen attendance plummet by double-digit percentages. At least three other, smaller charter schools in Minneapolis have completely shut down in-person learning. At this high school, which administrators asked The Times not to identify for fear of retaliation by the Trump administration, 84% of students are Latino and 12% are Black. Staff and students are being identified by first or middle names."

Administrators at a Minneapolis charter high school arrive before classes with neon vests and walkie-talkies to watch for ICE agents and escort students inside. Attendance has dropped to fewer than half of the 800 students as Operation Metro Surge and related raids have put students, parents, and teachers on edge regardless of immigration status. Schools have covered lower windows, posted notices barring unauthorized federal entry without written orders, and coordinate with neighborhood watch groups to lock doors and clear hallways when agents are nearby. Similar tactics and supports, including donation funds and security perimeters, have appeared in other districts. Several smaller charters halted in-person learning; three students were detained and later released.

Read at Los Angeles Times