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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools prepare for potential ICE arrests after reversal of Biden-era policy

CMS students getting on buses.
Ann Doss Helms
/
WFAE
CMS students getting on buses.

The Department of Homeland Security will now allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct arrests at schools, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is now preparing for these new changes.

The new directive announced Tuesday rolls back Biden-era policy that prohibited ICE detentions at schools, churches and hospitals. DHS said they now expect local law enforcement to “use common sense” to aid in deportations.

“This reversal is deeply troubling," CMS Board of Education Member Liz Monterrey said. “This decision may discourage families from sending their children to school or seeking critical resources, which could lead to even higher absenteeism and dropouts.”

There are over 140,000 students in CMS, with 175 countries of origin. Monterrey said the school system and the school board are examining this new directive.

“I want the community to know that we’re working on this, and that we’re navigating this," Monterrey said. "This is new waters for us and I want everyone to remain calm.”

Monterrey said undocumented students have the legal right to enroll in public schools and seek the same educational opportunities as all other students. If ICE agents arrive at a school, she says administrators should verify credentials, review warrants and notify parents immediately.

The CMS Board of Education's Intergovernmental Relationships Committee will meet Friday at 11 a.m. Monterrey plans to discuss support for undocumented students at the meeting.

A fluent Spanish speaker, Julian Berger will focus on Latino communities in and around Charlotte, which make up the largest group of immigrants. He will also report on the thriving immigrant communities from other parts of the world — Indian Americans are the second-largest group of foreign-born Charlotteans, for example — that continue to grow in our region.
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