Following President Trump's inauguration last month, many policy changes were implemented almost immediately after numerous executive orders. Policies regarding immigration and deportation were among those enacted during the president’s first day in office.

Part of the sweeping changes ordered included removing the general restriction on ICE and other officials from entering “sensitive areas," which included hospitals, schools, and places of worship.

Although it is not explicitly said that ICE should or would go into such areas, the removal of the guidance warning against doing so could make this possibility more likely.

Several school districts began evaluating how to handle potential immigration raids. Bridgeport Public Schools, for example, announced guidelines designed to protect students in the event of an attempted raid at any of its schools, and Denver Public Schools issued a memo to staff to not allow ICE agents entry to their buildings without an appointment.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) has been closely monitoring the issue, specifically focusing on what would happen in a school bus or bus stop setting.

In most states, the bus itself is a part of school property, while bus stops are not universally defined as part of the school. As a result, the situation is different for each district.

One district in Texas warned parents that ICE agents may board school buses to apprehend individuals targeted for deportation. One day after its memo, school officials reassured parents that school buses will not be targeted.

This story motivated NAPT to offer guidance and information to its members.

After reviewing the situation, NAPT offered their thoughts on how to ensure student safety, driver confidence, and compliance with the law. 

They recommend the AASA’s webpage for resources in preparation for potential of increased immigration enforcement efforts. And, they also provided the following recommended actions:

• Transportation leaders should consult closely with their school leadership and attorneys on what the school posture and policies are in such matters…and then plan to abide by those policies in their operations. Provide school bus drivers with information about the issues and about the school district policies that will be enforced at all times. 

• Provide school bus drivers with training you believe will assist them in doing their jobs to keep their riders safe. This will need to be consistent with school district policies. The training could include a recitation of school policy and a step-by-step approach to handling the appearance of ICE and how they should address such an event. This might include contacting the transportation office or the superintendent to report the event and seek guidance. (Note the detailed steps in the AASA link on managing ICE approaches in a building setting as it may give ideas for training and practices.)

• If your transportation is offered through private school bus contractors, share school district policies and allow access to any training you develop for drivers.

• Similarly, your transportation team (dispatchers, aides, trainers, technicians) should be given this information and training.

Immigration remains a point of contention for many in the United States, and educators need to remain aware of what changes are being made at the capitol to help their teams adapt to potential situations.

For questions, NAPT suggests reaching out to Peter Mannella, the association's public policy consultant.