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Lawrence schools update policy on immigration-enforcement requests, board approves revisions
Summary
The board approved revisions to the district’s immigration- and-enforcement policy to reflect recent legal guidance from the Massachusetts attorney general and to clarify procedures around parental consent and warrants.
The Lawrence Alliance for Education on Feb. 26 approved edits to the district’s policy on responses to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requests, updating language to reflect recent guidance from the Massachusetts Attorney General and to clarify staff procedures.
Superintendent Carrero said the revisions remove outdated contextual language from the district’s 2016 statement, add links to Attorney General guidance and incorporate specific language addressing parental consent and judicial warrants that align with legal counsel’s recommendations.
Carrero said district principals and front-office staff, including security staff, have been briefed on recognizing warrants and on the procedure to follow if a federal agent appears at a school. "We have also alerted our legal [counsel] and they are available... in order to address any situations that might arise," Carrero said.
A board member asked whether all staff have been trained; Carrero replied that principals have met with support staff and security personnel and that the district continues to hold regular discussions with state education officials.
The board approved the updated policy by roll call (Doctor Dolores Galaf, Arlene Garcia, Juana Matias and Maria Mueller voted yes). Carrero said the district will post the revised policy on its website in English and Spanish and continue staff training.
