School districts in Arizona are preparing for possible immigration enforcement actions on campus, but the state's top education official told AZPM he does not believe students will be the focus.
Historically, schools were off limits for immigration enforcement actions, but that policy changed when President Donald Trump told agents they could arrest immigrants who do not have proper documentation at places like churches, hospitals, and schools.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said his understanding, based on comments from top immigration officials, is that school children will not be targeted.
“He didn’t say we’re going in there to harass students. There is no reason to harass students. They are starting out going after criminals, the criminals are adults. Even if they go after people who aren’t criminals but are here illegally, they are going to go after the adults, not the kids. So, I don’t want parents keeping their kids home out of fear of what’ll happen at the school, I don’t think anything bad is going to happen at the school,” Horne told AZPM.
At the end of January, Tucson Unified School Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo said the district will require agents to have a valid warrant to detain or arrest anyone on school property.
That policy was in place before the actions announced by the Trump Administration.
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