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Resident recounts ICE detention, urges board to acknowledge student trauma; district posts FAQ and resources
Summary
A Council Bluffs resident described family trauma from an ICE detention and urged the school board to consider students’ fear. The district said it has posted a frequently asked questions page with resources and translations and directed staff to assist families and staff navigating federal immigration changes.
Lisa Lima, a Council Bluffs resident, told the school board the community is anxious following recent immigration enforcement activity in the region and asked the board to acknowledge students’ fear and trauma.
"We had to go to therapy for years and, you know, the magnitude was huge," Lima said, describing her family’s experience when Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained her husband in 2018. She told the board her daughter at Kern Elementary had memorized an ACLU "Know Your Rights" pamphlet and felt prepared, but that her classmates may not be equally informed.
The board and district leadership responded by describing steps the district has taken to communicate with families and staff. District leaders said a parents-and-students FAQ page has been posted on the district website with links to local resources and that the FAQ is available in other languages. District staff encouraged families to call or email the district for help locating resources.
Board members emphasized the district’s obligation to follow state and federal guidance and noted that the district does not collect or maintain information about students’ immigration status. According to the board’s public remarks, requests from immigration officials to access student information or to communicate with a student will be referred to a district official and any law‑enforcement action must be supported by legal authority.
The public comment and the board’s response took place during the meeting’s public participation portion and the closing remarks. Board members said they will continue monitoring developments at the federal and state levels and directed district staff to provide resources and communications to families and employees as needed.
