By Brittany Kelley HAYS COUNTY — Following two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Hays County school districts have responded to parental concerns.
A news release from acting DHS secretary Benjamine Huffman on Jan. 21 revealed that two directives were issued to end “the invasion of the U.S. southern border and empower law enforcement to protect Americans.”
The first removes the guideline that prevents ICE from entering “sensitive” areas, which, according to a 2011 memorandum from ICE, includes schools, hospitals, churches, synagogues and buildings related to religious services, the site of a funeral, wedding or other religious ceremony, during the occurrence of a public demonstration and more.
“The second directive ends the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returns the program to a case-by-case basis,” stated the release.
Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright sent an email in an effort to curb concern from parents and guardians in the district.
In Wright’s email, he stated that it is a national policy matter and the district must and will follow the law. Though, if ICE initially focuses on criminals, the school district would not be significantly affected, as “only a minuscule number of students are ever charged with violent crimes. For students who are, the odds would favor them being citizens and they would likely either be incarcerated or not currently allowed at our regular campuses anyway.”
“The most likely scenario, if any at all, would be agents serving a specific warrant or court order for a specific case — not any type of a mass campus raid,” he explained.
The superintendent continued by citing Plyer v. Doe, a 1982 Supreme Court decision, which notes that “states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education on account of their immigration status,” according to the American Immigration Council. The district’s Frequently Asked Questions also noted that the district does not collect any immigration information due to this.
“We will continue to focus on our mission for our students, which is dependent upon maintaining a welcoming and safe environment,” Wright said.
Any parents with concerns can reach out to their campus to work through needs with its respective principal, counselors and other administrators, said Hays CISD Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy.
According to Wimberley ISD Communications Director Allen Bruggman, the district will follow the law, as well, and has “shared procedural guidance with the front-office staff and administrators who would directly interact with law enforcement officials visiting a campus. We have addressed a minimal number of parent questions [regarding the issue] on a case-bycase basis.”
For resources regarding immigration in Hays CISD, visit www.hayscisd.net/ immigration.
Dripping Springs ISD did not respond to a request for comment.
