Denver Public Schools sues Trump admin policy allowing ICE agents in schools

Denver, US: Denver Public Schools became the first U.S. school system to sue the Trump administration on Wednesday, contesting its policy of allowing ICE immigration officials in schools.

In the federal case, Colorado's largest public school system claimed that the policy pushed schools to divert important educational resources, causing attendance to fall.

“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,” the lawsuit states.

The federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claims that the Trump administration did not present a "good reason" for rescinding the rules, nor did it fully consider or address the consequences.

Last month, President Donald Trump overturned longstanding restrictions on immigration enforcement near sensitive places, including schools. The announcement came as the incoming president sought to follow through on campaign vows to carry out mass deportations, AP reported.

“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," Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants' Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, said in an email.

According to the lawsuit, Denver Public Schools serves over 90,000 children, with approximately 4,000 of them being immigrants. More than 50% of the students are Hispanic or Latinx.

Denver has recently experienced a rise in the number of migrants. According to the lawsuit, around 43,000 migrants have entered the city through the US southern border since 2023.

“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 lawsuit said.

The school district claims it has had to dedicate a significant amount of time and resources to implementing policies that protect students and teaching instructors and staff on how to respond to people claiming to be performing immigration enforcement at schools.

Denver Public Schools also wants DHS to publish the directive publicly, claiming that being unable to view the policy change has hampered their capacity to prepare for it, according to the lawsuit. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to The Associated Press's email for comment.