Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) released a joint letter on Thursday reaffirming that they are a “sanctuary” space for “all students, parents, employees, and community members at the school for school-related business.”
“We know that many of our students, families, and staff have expressed concern and anxiety about the impact that the new presidential administration will have on CPS. All school community stakeholders can be assured that our schools will continue to be safe learning environments that promote respect, love, and tolerance,” the letter, penned by Chief Executive Officer of CPS Pedro Martinez and CTU president Stacy Davis Gates, reads.
Martinez and Davis Gates in 2019 reached a collective bargaining agreement that declared that the schools will be sanctuary spaces. Ahead of the incoming Trump administration, the two entities outlined in the letter specifically how they will uphold their commitment to “safeguarding the rights and safety of all students.”
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates speaks before a march to demand that police officers be removed from schools in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. June 24, 2020. (REUTERS/Max Herman)
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President-elect Donald Trump’s “border czar” pick, Tom Homan, recently vowed to crack down on the migrant influx in Chicago. Homan wants to verify the status of asylum seekers and arrest anyone providing sanctuary to illegal immigrants. The incoming border czar also warned that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson would be prosecuted should he obstruct ICE’s mass deportation efforts.
When students are being registered, the joint letter reads, school personnel are expected to make the process “as easy as possible” and “should families not have a permanent address, staff should follow the (STLS) Students in Temporary Living Situations guidance,” which classifies students who do not live in permanent housing.
Staff are not allowed to inquire about a student’s or a family member’s immigration status. Furthermore, they can’t retain information regarding the immigration status of a student or their family member.
Chicago residents on Monday criticized Mayor Brandon Johnson for the city’s spending when it comes to supporting migrants. (City of Chicago)
“The appropriate CPS staff will be trained on how to appropriately respond to ICE agents requesting entrance to school property, and proactive steps to aid students and families in obtaining assistance with immigration issue,” the letter reads.
ICE is not allowed to enter school grounds due to Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance unless they provide a warrant signed by a federal judge. Chicago’s “welcoming city” ordinance, in compliance with the 2017 Illinois Trust Act, prohibits local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement.
Chicago has been grappling with a migrant surge over the past several years. Immigration has been a heated issue in the Windy City as officials debated over how they will work with federal authorities and appropriate funds to shelters provided for the asylum-seeking population. On the other hand, residents blasted Mayor Johnson and Chicago’s New Arrivals Mission, which has cost the city over $500 million since it was established in 2022.
The Chicago city council on Wednesday blocked a proposal that would have allowed local law enforcement to assist ICE to detain migrants with a criminal record.
Chicago Public Schools says they have recovered some of the lost tech devices cited in the OIG report. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
CTU applauded the termination of the measure, introduced by Ald. Ray Lopez and Ald. Silvana Taberes. CTU Financial Secretary Maria Mareno accused Lopez of trying to “endanger the city’s immigrant communities, expose the city to legal liabilities, and collaborate with Trump in his mass deportation plans.”
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“Leaders show us who they are in trying times for vulnerable communities,” Mareno said.
Lopez and Tabares wanted to change the ordinance to enable police to cooperate with ICE to target migrants who had been arrested for gang or drug-related activities or sexual crimes involving minors. Their measure received backlash from activist groups when they first introduced the measure in 2023.