ICE agents in Seattle schools? Not so fast As immigration enforcement seems to spool up, Seattle schools already have policies in place to protect kids

Photo: GRANT HINDSLEY, SEATTLEPI.COM Homeland security agents watch over a gathering protesting the ICE...

As immigration enforcement has been stepped up in recent months, immigrant rights activists have warned members of those communities to have plans in place for their families, should they happen to be ensnared by federal immigration agents.

Among those warnings are to have others ready to pick children up after school.

But what about undocumented kids while they're still at school?

In Seattle Public Schools, at least, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents don't have free reign.

A policy is in place that ICE agents need to contact attorneys for the district and explain what they're after before they are allowed the enter school property.

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Superintendent Procedure 4310 explains that agents need to meet with legal counsel and present their warrants or other documents instructing them to enter the school.

"The longstanding rule/relationship between ICE and (Seattle Public Schools) has been an understanding that schools are a sensitive area," said Luke Duecy, spokesperson for Seattle Public Schools. "We've informed our staff if a Federal agent shows up at a school they direct that agent(s) to the district's legal office."

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Seattle schools don't ask students anything about their immigration status and, even if they learn of it, do not record it anywhere, according to the rules. The district doesn't consider immigration status; students get educated if they live in the district, regardless.

President Donald Trump earlier this year set out new executive orders that step up immigration enforcement and threaten to pull funding from cities and counties that don't cooperate.

But Seattle, King County and even Washington state as a whole are among many municipalities that have taken steps (recently or long before Trump's ascension to office) to limit local agencies' cooperation with enforcement of federal immigration policies.

And now schools across the nation are taking steps to do the same in. While Seattle's policy has been in place for several years, districts like Los Angeles have only recently taken up the issue.

Such protections only go so far, however, as federal agents have broad powers up to 100 miles from U.S. borders. In some recent cases, agents have been accused of violating existing protections for immigrants. But proving a violation of constitutional rights may prove tricky for someone who doesn't have legal permission to be in the country.

Daniel DeMay covers Seattle culture, business and transportation for seattlepi.com. He can be reached at 206-448-8362 or danieldemay@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Daniel_DeMay.