On Wednesday, Denver Public Schools took a significant legal step by becoming the first school district in the United States to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding its policy that permits immigration agents from ICE to operate within school grounds.
The largest school district in Colorado contends in its federal lawsuit that this policy has forced educational institutions to redirect essential resources, leading to a substantial decline in student attendance.
The lawsuit emphasizes, “DPS is hindered in fulfilling its mission of providing education and life services to the students who are refraining from attending DPS schools for fear of immigration enforcement actions occurring on DPS school grounds.”
Filed against the Department of Homeland Security and its Secretary Kristi Noem, the lawsuit argues that the Trump administration has failed to justify the revocation of long-standing rules designed to protect sensitive locations such as schools. Moreover, it claims the administration has not properly assessed the consequences of these changes.
Last month, President Trump lifted restrictions that had previously shielded areas like educational institutions from immigration enforcement actions. This decision aligns with the administration’s broader commitment to fulfilling campaign promises related to extensive deportation efforts.
Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, expressed support for the district’s decision, stating via email, “Denver is standing up for its children and families and protecting the right of all children, regardless of their immigration status, to attend public schools.”
Denver Public Schools cater to over 90,000 students, including about 4,000 immigrants, as reported for the 2023-2024 academic year. Notably, more than half of these students identify as Hispanic or Latinx.
The city has experienced a surge of migrants recently, with approximately 43,000 individuals arriving from the southern border of the United States since the beginning of 2023, as highlighted in the lawsuit.
“Parents across Denver enroll their children in public schools believing that while at school, their children will be educated and enriched without fear the government will enforce immigration laws on those premises,” the legal documents state.
In response to the new policies, the school district claims it has had to allocate considerable time and resources towards developing strategies that protect students and train staff on how to handle situations involving immigration enforcement on campus.
Additionally, Denver Public Schools is urging DHS to publicly disclose the new directive, asserting that access to this information is crucial for effectively preparing for the changes, as cited in the lawsuit.
The Trump administration has yet to issue a response to these allegations or the lawsuit seeking comments.
