City of Vancouver briefs Vancouver Public Schools board on immigration-enforcement policy changes

Council member Ty Stober and officials from the Vancouver Police Department briefed the Vancouver Public Schools board on the city’s approach to immigration enforcement and efforts to ensure community members feel safe contacting police.

The presentation came after federal guidance was changed Jan. 20, a change Stober said gives immigration agents greater latitude to question people’s immigration status. Because the city and the school district interact frequently, Stober told the board the city has been reinforcing a policy in effect for more than five years and is training frontline staff on how to respond when immigration officials are present.

Why it matters: Board members said they share the district’s interest in making schools welcoming and safe for all students and families. Community members’ willingness to call 911 or report crimes affects public safety and the district’s ability to operate normal school functions.

Stober described the city’s practical steps: clarifying that Vancouver police are not immigration officials, training public-facing staff at facilities such as Marshall and Firstenberg community centers and city hall, and providing on-call city attorney support from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week to help staff distinguish between judicial and administrative warrants. He said the city will comply with judicial warrants signed by a judge but will provide frontline staff a clear decision path when immigration officials appear.

Stober said in part, “Vancouver Police Officers are not authorized immigration officials, nor do they have the capacity nor the training to act as such.” He added that “members of the public, regardless of their race, ethnicity, country of birth … must feel secure in asking for help, reporting a crime or calling 911.”

Board president Decker thanked the guests and noted the board’s intent to maintain policies and training that promote student safety and inclusion. Decker and Superintendent Snell said the district would continue to coordinate with the city and promised further discussion later in the evening.

The city officials’ remarks directly referenced the federal change and the city’s multi-pronged response; board members did not take formal action during the presentation.

The briefing closed with officials inviting further questions and promising continued information sharing between the city and district.