Officials at the Haldane, Garrison and Beacon school districts, like many across the country, are vowing to protect undocumented immigrant students from President Donald Trump's push for mass deportations.

Concern about raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at schools arose after the Trump administration on Jan. 21 reversed a policy enacted more than a decade ago barring raids in "sensitive locations," such as schools and churches.

Allan Wernick, a Cold Spring resident who is an attorney and founder of Citizenship Now! at The City University of New York, said he believes ICE raids on workplaces are more likely than those on schools. "I wouldn't be too concerned that they're going to come to some [local] school" to detain students, he said. "It's not a very good use of resources."

Superintendents at the three local districts said this week that federal agents would not be permitted on school grounds without a court order. "Law enforcement agencies can't just come in and request to see a student, talk to a student, interrogate a student or detain a student," said Gregory Stowell, superintendent of the Garrison district.

Stowell said the district would consult its attorney before proceeding if ICE agents show up with a court order or warrant. Haldane Superintendent Carl Albano and Beacon Superintendent Matt Landahl each said the same. The superintendents emphasized that state and federal laws do not require districts to record the immigration status of students.

During a Beacon school board meeting on Monday (Jan. 27), a retired schoolteacher, Vicki Fox, urged district officials to hold "know your rights" workshops and to encourage immigrant families to create preparedness plans. Parents should also understand the difference between a search warrant signed by a judge and "something just signed by an ICE official, which does not go along with the Fourth Amendment for searches," Fox said.

Landahl said Beacon administrators planned to meet soon with the district's attorneys and that bilingual staff members have been helping immigrant families prepare. "We're working as an administrative group to make sure we're as well-informed as possible," he said. "I think that's the only thing we can do right now."

Guidelines issued earlier this month by New York State reinforce that all children ages 5 to 21 who have not received a high school diploma are entitled to a free public education. Districts may not refuse enrollment based on national origin, immigration status, race or language proficiency, among other grounds. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that students may not be denied a free public education based on their immigration status or that of their parents or guardians.

The state guidelines also instruct schools not to release students' personal information, including immigration status, citizenship or national origin.

Landahl said in an email to community members on Jan. 22 that the Beacon district's code of conduct limits law enforcement access to students during the school day. "I should also note that we have a very collaborative relationship with local law enforcement, and they are in our buildings frequently for drills, school walkthroughs and athletic and other events, and we welcome that," he wrote.