School districts in Whatcom and Skagit counties are reassuring students school is a safe place, following the Trump administration’s decision to reverse a 2011 policy prohibiting arrests at schools and ramped up federal immigration raids.
Fear is present across districts: Mount Vernon Superintendent Victor Vergara, who oversees a nearly 60% Latino district, said he’s watching attendance closely, knowing that some parents might not be sending their kids to school right now.
Melissa Jacobson, who teaches multi-language learners at Ferndale High School, told the school board on Tuesday, Jan. 28 that students have been asking her if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could come inside the school to “get people.”
Jacobson said one student told her, “They could follow us on the bus. I’m scared that immigration is going to come to my house. We’re even scared to go buy food. If they get my dad, do I go or stay? Because if I stay, who would I stay with? I just have my dad here.”
Districts are reacting through letters to parents, proclamations and new policies. Mount Vernon School Board issued a proclamation in December in support of its undocumented students and made it clear to students and staff this month that the district will not permit ICE to access students or their information without a judicial order, Vergara said.
Conway School District and Bellingham Public Schools have also reaffirmed their commitments to serving undocumented students.
Bellingham Superintendent Greg Baker said in a Jan. 24 statement the district wants everyone to feel “welcome, safe and respected in our schools.”
Ferndale and Conway school districts adopted policies this week that outline how school employees should react if they observe someone conducting immigration enforcement work on school grounds.
The policies are based on the Washington State School Directors’ Association’s model policy, first introduced in 2020. Bellingham, Blaine, Burlington-Edison, La Conner and Anacortes school districts already have this policy in place. Mount Vernon is working to implement something similar, Vergara said.
Washington’s state superintendent committed to supporting immigrant students and issued guidance for public schools across the state last week.
Under state law, public schools shouldn’t initiate engagement with federal immigration authorities to share student information. They have an obligation to provide free, high-quality education to all students, regardless of immigration status or citizenship, according to a news release from the Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Schools should also have policies in place for how to respond if immigration officials come to campus.
“As we monitor the actions of the new federal administration, I want to be clear: Washington state is and will remain a state that is unequivocally committed to supporting all of our students and their families,” State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said in the Jan. 23 release.
Immigration Attorney Hannah Stone said the policy reversal to allow arrests at schools could cause a “chilling effect” in access to education. Stone sits on Bellingham City Council but spoke with CDN in her capacity as an attorney.
Stone said while state law can be protective, it “doesn’t do anything to prevent federal enforcement from happening.”
“You can say that you’re not going to allow certain indiscriminate activities to take place, but if there is a judicial warrant that was issued by a court and signed by a judge that authorizes the search or detention of an individual … that would need to be complied with,” Stone said.
Mount Vernon School District is aiming to educate families on their rights: The district has hosted two Know Your Rights workshops with community organizations in the last two weeks. Vergara said they had about 100 families attend each, and expect to host more.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday signed an executive order to create a state team focused on responding to the separation of migrant families as the Trump administration promises mass deportations. The “Family Separation Rapid Response Team” will be housed in the state Department of Children, Youth and Families. Members will include officials from the governor’s office, the attorney general’s office, Washington State Patrol and the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
