Denver Public Schools made history on Wednesday as the first U.S. school district to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its policy permitting ICE immigration agents to enter schools. Colorado’s largest public school district contended in the federal lawsuit that the policy has led to the diversion of crucial educational resources and a decline in attendance.
The lawsuit stated, “DPS is impeded in its duty to provide education and life services to students who are avoiding attending DPS schools due to apprehensions of immigration enforcement actions taking place on school premises.” The federal lawsuit targets the Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, alleging that the Trump administration failed to provide a sufficient rationale for rescinding the regulations or adequately assess and address the repercussions.
Last month, President Donald Trump eliminated long-standing restrictions on immigration enforcement near sensitive locations, including schools, as part of his efforts to fulfill campaign promises of mass deportations. In response, Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, emphasized, “Denver is advocating for its children and families and safeguarding the right of all children, regardless of their immigration status, to attend public schools.”
According to the lawsuit, Denver Public Schools cater to over 90,000 students, including approximately 4,000 immigrants, as per figures from the 2023-2024 school year. More than half of the student population is Hispanic or Latinx. Notably, Denver has experienced a surge in migrants in recent years, with around 43,000 individuals arriving in the city from the U.S. southern border since 2023.
The lawsuit highlighted the concern of parents who enroll their children in public schools under the belief that their children will receive education and enrichment without fear of government intervention in immigration matters on school premises. Denver Public Schools revealed the significant time and resources allocated towards implementing policies to ensure student safety and training faculty and staff on how to handle situations where individuals claim to be carrying out immigration enforcement activities at schools.
Moreover, Denver Public Schools urged DHS to publicly release the directive, asserting that the lack of accessibility to the policy change has hindered their ability to make necessary preparations. The Trump administration had not responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press at the time of reporting.
Contributor Lisa Baumann from Bellingham, Washington, provided valuable insights for this report.
