LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some Kentucky school districts are reminding teachers and staff what to do if an immigration and customs enforcement officer visits a school. It comes just days after President Donald Trump ended a Biden-era rule barring ICE and border patrol from entering sensitive areas like schools and churches.

What You Need To Know

  • The Department of Homeland Security issued a pair of directives Monday to enact aspects of the executive orders on immigration President Trump signed on his first day in office

  • Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman rescinded a Biden administration guideline that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection from allowing law enforcement near schools, hospitals, places of worship and other so-called sensitive areas

  • He also restricted the use of humanitarian parole — a system for foreign nationals to temporarily enter the United States because of an emergency or urgent humanitarian reason

  • Huffman’s directive says humanitarian parole will be granted on a case-by-case basis and orders ICE and CBP to phase out parole programs the DHS says do not follow the law

In Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools distributed a letter this week that outlines how to handle a visit by a government official during a non-emergency. District officials tell Spectrum News this is not new guidance, but was sent as a reminder of the policy.

The letter instructs staff to call JCPS police and have them involved in the situation. It also tells them to follow instructions given by district attorneys and, except in cases of suspected child abuse, inform the parents that someone was there to ask about their child.

In Fayette County, families received an email Thursday from superintendent Demetrius Liggins on changes to the country’s immigration policies.

“We will continue to monitor any changes in federal and state laws and directives closely and keep all lines of communication open between home and school,” the email said in part.  

Spectrum News reached out to Kentucky’s Department of Education, asking if they will provide guidance to districts on what to do if immigration officers show up following a change in policy by the Trump administration. At this time, a response has not been given.

“So I think that there, there’s a lot of anxiety that this has created in our community,” said Dr. David Finke, CEO of Jewish Family & Career Services. Among other things, the organization helps refugees and new immigrants.

Dr. David Finke is the CEO of Jewish Family & Career Services (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

Finke had this to say about President Trump’s executive order allowing immigration officers into previously off limits places like schools, churches or daycares.

“Because our building is locked and we only allow admittance to people who have business here, and we have confidential information in this building, we can’t allow people just to come and go that because of that, we, we do not have to give ice agents access to our building unless they have a judge’s order instructing us to do so. That’s been the legal advice that we’ve been given,” he said.

Finke encourages people who might be affected by the orders surrounding immigration to seek legal help on what to do next. He also recommends have a plan in place should they encounter an immigration agency.

“It’s very important to consult an attorney. And there are immigration law attorneys, there’s also agencies like the American Civil Liberties Union in Kentucky, as well as the New American initiatives. There is also organization such as the Louisville Coalition for Immigrant Support that is providing some networking and some resources,” Finke said.

In November, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official told Kentucky lawmakers ICE has less than 30 officers in Kentucky and southern Indiana.  

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