Immigration resources
The surge of ICE agents into Minnesota in recent weeks has caused chaos and sowed fear among students, families and educators across the state.
The following resources are intended to help our members understand their rights and the rights of immigrant students and their families.
What can educators do?
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for specific legal or other professional advice. If you have specific questions about your legal or contractual rights, contact your Education Minnesota field staff.
Preparation
- Review your district’s visitor and data privacy policies. Make sure you and your colleagues know them and are not granting access to those without permission.
- Connect students and families with appropriate resources. Educators can and should share appropriate resources like those from Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota with families but avoid providing direct legal advice.
- Help establish a staff and parent response team. Staff can work with parent organizations to gather resources for families who lose a caregiver or source of income due to immigration enforcement, or those who need assistance getting to or from school or work.
- Report any ICE enforcement activities at or near schools. If you let your Education Minnesota field staff know about ICE enforcement activity in or near your schools, they will inform our legal department, which will share this information with trusted partner organizations.
- Ensure a welcoming learning environment. Incorporate trauma-informed education practices. There are students living with tremendous fear and anxiety based on their own immigration status or the statuses and experiences of parents or family members.
Response if ICE arrives at/outside your school
- Stay Calm and Professional: Do not physically obstruct ICE agents, but do not grant automatic access to the building or provide information without following protocol.
- Verify Credentials: Ask for the agent’s full name, agency affiliation, badge number and stated reason for the visit. Photograph and/or down this information immediately.
- Request Documentation: Ask to see any warrant or subpoena. Do not accept verbal requests or administrative warrants as sufficient legal authority.
- Distinguish Warrant Types: Judicial warrants (signed by a judge) compel compliance. Administrative warrants (signed by ICE agents) do not carry the same legal weight. View examples of judicial versus administrative warrants here.
- Refer to Designated Official(s): Immediately direct the agent to contact the superintendent or designated official. Do not make independent decisions.
- Contact Legal Counsel: No records or information should be shared before legal counsel reviews the request and any documentation provided. Administration should do this, but you should inform your local leadership as well, and they will inform Education Minnesota legal if needed.
- Notify Parents/Guardians: Inform families promptly if there has been a request for information about them or a student unless a valid court order specifically prohibits notification. Administration should do this unless you are directed to do so.
- Document Everything: Record agent names, badge numbers, time of visit, documents presented and all communications for internal records and potential legal review. Phone recording of ICE agents is allowed if not obstructing their work.
In case of an arrest
- Connect affected individuals to resources. If a student, staff or community member has been arrested by ICE, or if they have been informed that their SEVIS record or student visa has been cancelled, schools can provide information to help connect them to legal assistance:
- Report unlawful ICE activity. If you are concerned about the actions of an ICE agent or want to verify that they were an ICE agent, the offices of some members of Congress will assist you in verifying identity and reporting concerns to the Department of Homeland Security.
- Do not comment publicly on the immigration arrest of any student or their parents. Even if you have their permission, the school may consider it an unauthorized release of student data.
Know your rights cards
Other resources
Stand With Minnesota: Donation diretory
This directory of places to donate to all comes from activists on the ground, plugged into the situation. Everything is vetted. Learn more.
Partners and organizations to support
Looking to help but don’t know where to start? We’ve put together a document detailing trusted partners and organizations to support during this time at the local and state levels. Learn more.
Members-only immigration briefing
Education Minnesota staff provide the latest information via Zoom on Minnesota’s ICE surge, what resources are available from your union, and ways you can protect students and take action. Learn more.
Creating safe & supportive schools for immigrant & EL students
The Minnesota Education Equity Project has put together a great toolkit equipping educators and school leaders with practical tools to uphold student rights, promote their academic and social success, and ensure schools remain safe spaces for learning, growth and opportunity for each and every student. Read more.
AFT & NEA immigration guidance
The AFT and NEA have compiled the following information on protecting the rights of immigrant students and their families:
– AFT guidance
– NEA guidance
Take action
Sign our petition: Demand ICE stay away from our schools
As Minnesotans and Americans, we agree that schools must be places of safety, learning and belonging. This is not a partisan issue—it is a moral one. The Trump Administration must order all ICE operations to stay away from schools and out of all school zones across Minnesota.
Tell Congress: Make schools protected spaces from ICE
ICE is abducting our community members from our schools and attacking our educators and students.
Urge your senators and representative to cosponsor the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (S. 455/H.R. 1061) to protect our sacred spaces of care and connection from this regime.
Tell Congress: Hold ICE accountable
Only the full withdrawal of ICE on and near school grounds and in communities will make our students and families safe.
Right now, we have a meaningful opportunity to hold ICE agents and leadership accountable for their actions and stop their violent, cruel tactics. Congress is negotiating the budget for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE.
ICE Out of Minnesota actions
Minnesotans have shown the world what it looks like to non-violently defend our values, love and protect one another,
They’re trying to pull us apart, but they can’t arrest us all. Our protection is each other. Let’s show them–if it is a crime to love and protect our neighbor, then all of us are guilty. Here’s a list what you can do right now.
