Denver Public Schools filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and its secretary, Kristi Noem, over a policy allowing ICE on school grounds.
“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 obtained by ABC News says.
“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 filing continues.
The lawsuit added that 43,000 migrants have arrived to the area since 2023.
Denver Public Schools serves more than 90,000 students, ABC News said, noting that about 4,000 of those students are immigrants.
Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, told the outlet in an emailed statement that 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.”
Last month, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced that the city would not honor ICE detainers.
“The whole state is bound by our state law in this, which is … we don’t honor ICE detainers,” Johnston clarified. “If ICE calls and says, ‘Will you hold someone for three more days?’ That doesn’t happen in Douglas County, Yuma, or Denver. We’re not having our local police doing federal law enforcement, that’s not our job.” However, Johnston confirmed the city would inform ICE about the release of individuals in custody when requested.
