State College officials discuss district policies amid concerns of ICE raids in schools
As the Trump administration launches large-scale immigration enforcement operations across the country, the State College Area School District is clarifying protocols surrounding law enforcement activity in its schools.
Under district policy, the State College Area School District does not provide building access to local, state or federal law enforcement without proper legal approval, Superintendent Curtis Johnson reiterated during Monday night’s school board meeting. Reading aloud from a written statement, Johnson discussed the district’s law enforcement policies due to “recent conversations surrounding the possibility of law enforcement entering buildings” — particularly as rumors of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in local schools ran rampant Monday.
Building administrators are required to notify district officials when law enforcement agents attempt to enter school buildings, Johnson said. They are also prohibited from sharing information regarding individual students, family members or State College Area School District employees, or providing immediate access to school buildings beyond their main offices.
More detailed protocols for school secretaries were shared with building principals and other senior administrators throughout State College’s schools, the district said.
“We have shared specific protocols with building secretaries and principals that include consulting with legal counsel, who would review the request and any other material provided, such as a valid judicial warrant,” Johnson said. “Only after a thorough legal review would any further steps be considered.”
Rumors surfaced online Monday claiming several State College Area District schools, including Park Forest Middle School and Easterly Parkway Elementary School, entered lockdowns due to alleged ICE activity. Those speculations were quickly denied by Chris Rosenblum, the district’s director of communications, who said State College Area School District has had no recent contact with ICE or other immigration enforcement agencies.
A Penn State spokesperson said Monday the university was also unaware of ICE activity on its University Park campus, adding the university would not comment on rumors.
When asked about potential ICE activity in the State College area, the Drug Enforcement Administration deferred comment to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not respond Monday.
ICE arrested at least 956 people across the U.S. Sunday, bringing the agency’s total up to 2,681 arrests since President Donald Trump again assumed office on Jan. 20. His administration quickly moved to scrap policies that restricted officers enforcing immigration laws from arresting migrants at sensitive locations, including schools and churches. Some groups have already voiced concerns over alleged arrests of lawful citizens and Native Americans during enforcement operations.
The Migration Policy Institute, an independent think tank focused on immigration policies, estimates around 733,000 school-aged children live in the United States without legal status.
“Please know we will do everything legally possible to protect our school communities and the safety of our students, their families and our employees,” Johnson said at Monday’s board meeting.
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