The Portland Public Schools (PPS) board is set to vote on a resolution affirming the rights of undocumented students and outlining the district’s protocols regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to schools. This vote occurs just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration, during which he has pledged to implement mass deportations on an “unprecedented scale.”
In 2016, PPS and other Oregon school districts adopted similar policies in response to Trump’s election, and many, including Salem-Keizer Public Schools, have recently reaffirmed their commitment to these protections. Oregon has a long-standing tradition of enacting “sanctuary” laws and policies.
According to the proposed resolution, Oregon law prohibits enforcement agencies from utilizing public resources to detect or detain individuals solely for violating U.S. immigration law. Additionally, state law safeguards students’ educational records from being used in immigration proceedings.
The new resolution builds upon the district’s existing 2016 policy and incorporates best practices developed over the past eight years. It maintains that district employees cannot disclose a student’s information, including immigration status, without parental consent, and allows the superintendent and general counsel to verify ICE agents’ credentials.
Moreover, the resolution emphasizes that the district will not assist ICE in enforcing federal civil immigration law, limiting agents’ access to school premises to the front office unless they present a court order or other valid authority.
