Fort Worth ISD community members call for policy to protect students from ICE raids
Community members are calling on the Fort Worth Independent School District to implement a policy that protects students and prepares teachers in the event of potential raids at schools by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Multiple people shared their concerns about the current and potential impacts being faced by immigrant students during the public comment portion of a Fort Worth ISD school board meeting on Tuesday night, Feb. 18.
The fears stem from a new policy recently announced by the Trump administration that allows federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals — places previously protected from such arrests. These fears were stoked locally in late January after the district opened an investigation into a social media post inviting immigration enforcement officials to North Side High School, which appeared to be written by a substitute teacher. In early February, several dozen students at the district’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy in downtown walked out of school to protest crackdowns on undocumented immigrants.
Sabrina Ball, a Fort Worth ISD parent and a co-leader of Indivisible 12, presented proposed policy language for the school board on Tuesday, stating that a 2017 resolution approved by the board declaring the district “welcoming and safe” for all students regardless of immigration status was no longer sufficient, and an enforceable policy is needed. Indivisible is a national grassroots movement “with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda,” according to its website. Indivisible 12 is the local chapter covering Congressional District 12, Ball told the Star-Telegram.
“You may feel much of this is beyond your control, but policy is not. You can ensure students feel safe and that staff have clear guidelines if ICE shows up. Even undocumented students have constitutional rights,” Ball told the school board. “If ICE presents a signed judicial warrant, the district will comply. This is about ensuring the law is followed so no child endures unnecessary fear while at school.”
“In Fort Worth ISD, we don’t care where a student is from. We care that they are safe and they can read,” she added.
The proposed policy calls for:
Immediate notification of the superintendent’s office for requests of access to a school by immigration enforcement
Blocking any third party from accessing a school without the permission of the superintendent
If approached by immigration enforcement, requiring the superintendent’s office to: request identification from officers and photocopy it; request a signed judicial warrant and photocopy it; and obtain information of the agent, the names of students involved and the reason for the request of access, among other steps
Notifying parents or guardians of students involved in an immigration inquiry
No collection or distribution of student immigration status unless legally required to do
Providing staff training on immigration laws and student rights
Ensuring immigration enforcement never takes place on school grounds
It also calls on the district to create a “Rapid Response Team” to react in a scenario where a Fort Worth ISD student is deprived of adult supervision outside of school due to an immigration enforcement action. Ball said the proposal was written with guidance from the National Educators Association.
Fort Worth ISD officials said in a statement on Wednesday that “a decision has not been made at this point” on drafting a policy related to immigration crackdowns. Spokesperson Cesar Padilla noted a current board policy in place — known as GRA (LOCAL) — that provides guidance to campuses on relations with state and local governmental authorities. It mostly focuses on child abuse and neglect investigations conducted by the state Department of Family and Protective Services and refers to the boundaries that warrant a student to be taken into custody under the Texas Family Code, which governs family relationships and domestic matters within the state.
It does note guidance about students being questions by law enforcement for reasons outside of a child abuse investigation, which requires a campus administrator to:
Verify and record the identity of the officer, make a copy of their badge or credentials and request an explanation of the interview request
Notify a parent or guardian of the interviewer, unless the interviewer raises “what the administrator considers to be a valid objection to the notification (such as the parent being under investigation”
Be present during questioning of a student, unless the interviewer has a “valid” objection to the administrator’s presence. This scenario would also require documentation.
If a student is taken into custody, the same steps must be taken by an administrator to verify and record the officer’s identity and credentials.
“To the best of his or her ability, the campus administrator shall verify the official’s authority to take custody of the student and then shall deliver over the student,” according to the policy. “The administrator shall immediately notify the Superintendent or designee and shall notify the parent or other person having lawful control of the student. If the officer or other authorized person raises what the administrator considers to be a valid objection to notifying the parent at that time, the campus administrator shall document the objection and shall not notify the parent.”
District officials also referred to Interim Superintendent Karen Molinar’s Jan. 25 statement, which voiced support for families “regardless of their background or immigration status.” The district does not collect information on the immigration status of students or their families, and safeguards student records in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, she said.
In the event that a parent is detained during school hours, the district will “ensure the safety” of a student until an authorized adult picks them up, Molinar said. She encouraged parents to update emergency contact information for their students and to contact their principal or school counselor if a student is concerned about attending school.
“We recognize that recent national changes in immigration policies may have left some families in our community feeling uncertain or concerned. Please rest assured that Fort Worth ISD remains steadfast in its mission to provide schools that are safe, inviting, and respectful for all,” Molinar said. “We are here to support all of our students, families, and staff. We will continue to communicate with you should we have any information that impacts on our students and schools. The safety and well-being of our students is and always will be our top priority.”
On Tuesday night, Fort Worth ISD parent and teacher Carrie English said schools should be a safe place for everyone, and it’s up to the district to preserve the trust it has built with students and parents around campuses being safe places. She echoed some of Ball’s proposed policy points, such as vetting the validity of warrants and the identity of immigration enforcement officials.
“I hope we can minimize the fear and uncertainty that so many students, parents and teachers are feeling by creating a policy that assures everyone that Fort Worth ISD will protect our students as much as we possibly can,” English said.
Mia Morales, a senior at Young Women’s Leadership Academy, said she was speaking out for herself and students who are unable to use their voice because they’re living in fear. Morales is also a member of the LULAC Youth Council, which is part of the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organizations in the country.
“For many students, the fear of ICE activity disrupts their ability to focus in the classroom. Some come to school. Others are too afraid to come at all. No child should have to carry this burden,” she said. “We must make sure that every family knows that they are welcome here, that they belong and that we will stand with them. No family should feel alone in their fight for dignity and safety.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM.
