Houston schools try to reassure families but offer little ICE guidance
Houston-area districts have offered little guidance on potential encounters with immigration officers on campus, leaving educators and parents without clear assurances.
Why it matters: Immigration enforcemen t in schools could be widely disruptive. Even the threat of arrests on campus could result in some students staying home, which would impact school funding.
Over 40,000 undocumented kids ages 3 to 17 live in Harris County, per the Migration Policy Institute.
Catch up quick: The Trump administration last month announced it was ending the policy of avoiding arrests in schools and other "sensitive" areas.
Some districts in Denver and San Diego, among others, have vowed to protect student from enforcement on campus.
State of play: The Houston Independent School District did not respond to Axios' requests for comment about its plan and guidance to teachers and administrators for immigration enforcement at schools.
In late January, HISD superintendent Mike Miles said in an email to the community that student records, including immigration status, are protected under federal law and cannot be accessed without the district's legal services department's approval.
He added that campus administrators and front office staff are trained to engage with law enforcement.
"We want to assure you that our policies have not changed, and they align with Houston ISD's mission to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students," Miles said in the statement.
As of late January, HISD teachers had received no guidance on how to handle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on campus, the Houston Federation of Teachers told the Houston Chronicle.
Alief ISD and other districts have also emphasized the laws protecting student records. Alief's superintendent on Jan. 23 and Jan. 31 requested that parents update their children's emergency contact information and encouraged students to continue going to school.
The latest: Community Voices for Public Education (CVPE) and HISD parents are planning a sickout Wednesday — similar to the sickout last May — partly in protest of Miles' leadership and the state takeover and partly because of "Miles' weak response on immigration safety in schools," organizers said Monday.
Ruth Kravetz, who is organizing the sickout, tells Axios that as many as 3,000 students across at least 118 campuses are expected to participate.
What they're saying:"Schools should be safe spaces for students to learn, not hunting grounds for ICE. Mike Miles is not sending a strong enough message of support to immigrant students and needs to take a stronger stand," parent and organizer Briana Mohan said in a statement.
Mohan, whose children will participate in the sickout, tells Axios Mile's letter regarding ICE was not reassuring.
The other side: "The safest place for our students to be during the school week is in school," Alexandra Elizondo, HISD chief of public affairs and communications, said in a statement online in response to the sickout.
"It is entirely irresponsible for CVPE to cynically exploit people's legitimate concerns about federal immigration policy to push their own political agenda about the state intervention. Encouraging students to skip school only hurts students."
What we're watching: More than two dozen Democratic state lawmakers in late January asked the Texas Education Agency to issue guidance for districts on how to prepare for immigration enforcement actions.
It's unclear if TEA responded or is working on guidance.
Go deeper: What schools can and can't do to stop ICE enforcement
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Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Trump defends sending troops to L.A.; Newsom warns democracy is ‘under assault'
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that additional protests against federal immigration policies could be 'met with equal or greater force' than the 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines he deployed to try to quell demonstrations in Los Angeles. Trump, speaking to soldiers here, said California's largest city needs to be liberated and defended his decision to send thousands of service members to suppress what he called 'paid troublemakers' and agents of a 'foreign invasion.' 'This anarchy will not stand,' Trump said, referring to the protests. Later on Tuesday, in a scathing public address, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) accused Trump of a 'brazen abuse of power' for mobilizing the military, and warned that democracy in the United States was 'under assault' under a president 'who wants to be bound by no law or constitution.' He accused Trump of conducting a 'military dragnet' across Los Angeles, charging that his administration had gone well beyond what officials had initially described as an effort to go after violent and serious criminals. Instead, he said, the administration's mass deportation effort is 'indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families' and sweeping up people without warrants on the basis of skin color or suspicion. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Newsom's address. Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that sparked days of protests in Los Angeles continued Tuesday, resulting in more than 100 arrests. The demonstrations also spread to other cities, including Austin, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Most demonstrations remained peaceful, but there were scattered incidents of property damage and clashes with police. In Los Angeles, some blocks downtown turned chaotic, though most of the sprawling city was unaffected. The worst of the violence was limited to a small area near a federal building now being guarded by the National Guard troops that Trump deployed to the city over the weekend. Trump also ordered the U.S. Marines to the area, but there was no visible sign of them Tuesday on L.A.'s streets. That night, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) issued orders for a curfew for part of the city's downtown, starting at 8 p.m. local time and ending 6 a.m. Wednesday, a step she said was taken 'to stop bad actors' from taking advantage of the 'chaotic escalation' by Trump. Trump said the show of force in L.A. should serve as a warning that similar demonstrations in other cities would not be tolerated. 'If we didn't attack this one very strongly, you'd have them all over the country,' Trump said. 'But I can inform the rest of the country that when they do it — if they do it — they're going to be met with equal or greater force than we met right here.' Trump also said he could use force against demonstrations that may erupt in Washington on Saturday, during the military parade he plans to oversee on his birthday. The president's comments come as tensions have continued to escalate between him and Newsom and Los Angeles-area leaders over the administration's decision to deploy troops to the city. Newsom filed an emergency motion in federal court seeking to block the National Guard and active-duty Marines from enforcing immigration and local law 'on the streets of a civilian city.' The Trump administration responded to Newsom's emergency motion by calling it 'legally meritless' and said California's request 'would jeopardize the safety of Department of Homeland Security personnel and interfere with the Federal Government's ability to carry out operations.' U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer scheduled a hearing Thursday to review the matter. The motion had been part of a lawsuit California filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California challenging Trump over his deployment of National Guard troops without the governor's consent. In a statement, Newsom's office said that Trump's federalization of the National Guard 'puts every state at risk.' 'This order was not specific to California and suggests that the President could assume control of any state militia,' the statement read. Newsom amplified those concerns in his address Tuesday evening. 'If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe,' he said. 'Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.' Newsom characterized Trump's unilateral deployment of U.S. armed forces to Los Angeles as the first phase of an overall decay in citizens' rights. 'This isn't just about protests here in Los Angeles. … This is about all of us,' he said. 'California may be first,' he added, 'but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next.' The governor also referenced the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, calling it proof that Trump is 'not opposed to lawlessness and violence as long as it serves him.' In the address, Newsom condemned protesters who resorted to violence, noting that about 220 people have been arrested so far over the past few days. He added that 'if you exercise your First Amendment rights, please, please, do it peacefully.' 'What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence — to be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him,' he said. 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ICE posted photographs Tuesday on X that appeared to show members of the National Guard present as people were detained in Los Angeles. The troops wore camouflage uniforms, helmets and body armor, seemingly providing a protective bubble around law enforcement as people were handcuffed. On Saturday, Trump called up the troops by invoking a rarely used section of a law that gives him the authority to do so when a president considers it needed to suppress a rebellion or foreign invasion. At a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the deployments by saying they were needed to protect federal immigration agents. Hegseth estimated the mission would cost $134 million for 60 days of operations. Bass said Los Angeles police, working with state and local partners, had the situation under control and did not need federal intervention. She conceded that some violence and sporadic looting did occur throughout downtown on Monday and early Tuesday morning. The violence began after police pushed demonstrators back from an area around the federal building. Splinter groups of protesters — which Bass described as antagonists — then clashed with police and looted several businesses, including an Apple store. Los Angeles police said at least 94 people were arrested for failure to disperse and another 14 were arrested for looting. Two police officers were also injured. In Austin, police also blamed 'agitators' after rocks were thrown at officers during an anti-ICE protest on Monday. Someone also spit in an officer's eye, the Austin police said. Officers there used pepper balls and tear gas, the police department said. Eight people were arrested on charges including resisting arrest and harassment of a public servant, according to Austin police. Four officers were briefly hospitalized. Skirmishes also broke out Monday night and Tuesday in San Francisco. According to San Francisco police, two groups broke off from a large, mostly peaceful rally Monday and began committing acts of vandalism. About 60 people were arrested. Several more arrests were made Tuesday morning when protests erupted at an immigration court after ICE agents detained three people. When the agents' van attempted to drive away, a group of about 10 protesters attempted to stop the vehicle from leaving. The van slowly pushed the small crowd down the block until it turned a corner. In the hours that followed, around 200 protesters gathered and held signs protesting the detentions. ICE declined to comment or provide details about what sparked the disturbance. In Los Angeles, some protesters say Trump's troop deployments have left them rattled that the country could be sliding toward authoritarianism. Carlos Hernandez, a 67-year-old Salvadoran American who attended a protest there over the weekend, said the military response reminded him of dictatorships that long governed his home country. 'We are recycling repressive methods that were used in the past,' said Hernandez, a consultant and former college professor. 'We have seen tanks on the streets. … It's no joke, this is not a movie. It provokes fear.' Craig and Lamothe reported from Washington and Thebault from Los Angeles. Anumita Kaur, Ben Brasch, Aaron Schaffer and Marianne LeVine in Washington, Caroline O'Donovan in San Francisco, Maeve Reston in Los Angeles and Niha Masih, Kelly Kasulis Cho and Kelsey Ables in Seoul contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Car drives through anti-ICE protesters as Chicago joins nationwide anti-ICE unrest amid Trump crackdown
A car drove through a crowd of demonstrators Tuesday night as hundreds of anti-ICE protesters gathered in Downtown Chicago. The protests in Chicago come as Los Angeles has faced days of unrest. Protests in LA started on June 7, with rioters burning cars, throwing objects and fireworks at police, smashing the windows of the LAPD's headquarters and looting stores. Tuesday's footage from Fox 32 Chicago shows what appeared to be a woman driving through the Chicago demonstrators walking with signs and biking on Wabash and Monroe. A police officer attempted to hit the window of the moving vehicle in an apparent attempt to get the driver to stop, but it kept moving, FOX 32 reported. It is unclear if anyone was injured during the incident. Dozens Of Anti-ice Rioters Arrested In La As Trump Sends In National Guard To Quell Violence Read On The Fox News App The Chicago Police Department told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening that they were waiting to hear from responding officers when asked if the car's driver would face charges for driving through protesters. While most Chicago protesters were peaceful on Tuesday, some demonstrators clashed and vandalized police vehicles, and public transportation was temporarily suspended downtown, FOX 32 reported. La News Anchor Claims People Are Having 'Fun' Watching Cars Burn, Riots 'Relatively Peaceful' Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez noted on X that multiple police cars had been vandalized. "I guess we haven't learned," he wrote in one Tuesday evening post. Rioters Smash Windows At Lapd Headquarters As Anti-ice Agitators Clash With Authorities "I'm so sick of anarchy apologists and their 'It's not violent, just property damage bro' bull----," he said in another. An earlier protest Tuesday was part of a campaign called "From LA to Chicago: ICE Out!" according to FOX 32. "I just think it's not right what's going on right now … people are being snatched off the street, so you just gotta do something about it," Benjamin Rose, one of the protesters, told the outlet. Demonstrator Steals Police Car During Anti-deportation Protest In Arizona Demonstrations have been popping up across the country, from Asheville, North Carolina, to Chicago to Los Angeles, where unrest broke out over the weekend following a raid. The Department of Homeland Security said ICE raids in LA over the weekend resulted in "hundreds of illegal aliens [being] arrested by ICE officers and agents," including "many with a criminal history and criminal convictions." DHS listed more information about 19 suspects that ICE Los Angeles arrested on June 7 who are accused of crimes ranging from robbery to second-degree murder to rape. "America's brave ICE officers are removing the worst of the worst from LA's streets, while LA's leaders are working tirelessly against them," DHS said in a Sunday statement as riots continued through the article source: Car drives through anti-ICE protesters as Chicago joins nationwide anti-ICE unrest amid Trump crackdown
Axios
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Marines in LA as ICE protests spread to more U.S. cities: In photos
A curfew in downtown Los Angeles is in effect, after some 700 Marines arrived in LA Tuesday as part of the federal response to five days of fiery protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The big picture: Demonstrators across the U.S. are protesting the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. While most rallies were peaceful, there were reports of standoffs between police and protesters in several cities — including in LA during the curfew. The LA Police Department said on X after the 8pm-6am curfew took effect that "mass arrests are being initiated" in downtown LA. What they're saying: "Any person who remains engaged in unlawful assembly or criminal activity will be detained and arrested," per an LAPD X post. New York City There were clashes between police and ICE protesters in New York City's Foley Square, as thousands rallied against the Trump administration's immigration policies and in solidarity with LA demonstrators on Tuesday. Details: NYPD Sgt Matt Evans told Axios by phone that police were called to the scene at 5:10pm after "multiple" people blocked traffic and they refused to with officers' instructions to leave the roadway. He said he couldn't immediately say how many people had been arrested as the "incident remains ongoing" and the crowd was moving from one location to another. Chicago Thousands of people joined ICE protests in downtown Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday. Details: The protests were mostly peaceful, though there were periodic clashes between police and demonstrators and six demonstrators were detained, Axios' Justin Kaufmann and Monica Eng report. A driver struck a group of protesters in one city street, but officials said no one was hospitalized. Washington, D.C. Dozens rallied in D.C. ICE protests on Tuesday. What we're watching: Demonstrators are expected to turn out for a larger rally in D.C. and nationwide on Saturday to counter President Trump's June 14 military parade. Organizers expect millions to take part in the " No Kings" protests. Denver, Colorado Thousands of demonstrators reportedly rallied against ICE and in support of LA protesters at the Colorado State Capitol on Tuesday. Zoom in: There were no immediate reports of any issues. Denver Police Department wrote on X, "Precautionary advisory for motorists and pedestrians in the area of Downtown Denver —Large crowds and possible unlawful road closures. Alternate routes are advised." Santa Ana, Calif. The National Guard was deployed to downtown Santa Ana ICE protests on Tuesday, one day after tear gas was deployed on demonstrators. Situation report: While there was initially tense scenes between law enforcement and protesters at a federal building, the OC Register reports that the group left the scene without incident after an unlawful assembly was declared.
