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Colorado’s largest public school district argued in the federal
lawsuit that the policy has forced schools to divert vital
educational resources and caused attendance to plummet.
“DPS is hindered in fulfilling its mission of providing
education and life services to the students who are refraining
from attending DPS schools for fear of immigration enforcement
actions occurring on DPS school grounds,” the lawsuit states.
The federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security
and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the Trump
administration hasn't provided “good reason” for rescinding the
rules nor adequately considered or addressed the fallout.
Last month, President Donald Trump lifted longtime rules
restricting immigration enforcement near sensitive locations,
including schools. The announcement came as the new president
seeks to make good on campaign promises to carry out mass
deportations.
“Denver is standing up for its children and families and
protecting the right of all children, regardless of their
immigration status, to attend public schools," Elora Mukherjee,
director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law
School, said in an email.
Denver Public Schools serve more than 90,000 students — about
4,000 of which are immigrants, according to the lawsuit, which
cites 2023-2024 school year numbers. More than half of the
students are Hispanic or Latinx.
The city of Denver has seen an increase in migrants recently.
Since 2023, about 43,000 people have arrived in the city from
the U.S. southern border, according to the lawsuit.
“Parents across Denver enroll their children in public schools
believing that while at school, their children will be educated
and enriched without fear the government will enforce
immigration laws on those premises,” the lawsuit said.
The school district says it has had to devote a lot of time and
resources to adding policies that keep students safe and
training faculty and staff on how to respond to people claiming
they are conducting immigration enforcement at schools.
Denver Public Schools also want to see DHS publish the directive
publicly, saying that not being able to view the change in
policy has impeded their ability to prepare for it, according to
the lawsuit.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to an email
from The Associated Press seeking comment.
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Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this
report.
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