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To remain anonymous, a name in this article has been changed.
On Jan. 20, Donald Trump was inaugurated into his second term. One of his first major changes was to focus on immigration and deportation of people who have come to the US illegally.
Under president Trump, immigration policies emphasized mass deportation, including removing protections in schools and churches. Governor Cox however released a statement asserting that the attention will be on removing individuals who have a criminal record or who pose a threat to public safety.
“I know that it’s a concern in our community and statewide, and I’m trusting in what our governor has stated that their focus will be on illegal immigrants who have committed crimes,” Principal Christine Straatman said. “I’m trusting that that’s where their effort will be and not just knocking on doors.”
The biggest issue surrounding ICE in our school is the uncertainty of immigrant students on what could happen if agents were to come to NS.
“I know it worries my parents, and it worries me too,” student Lily said, “but I’m just trusting that I’m as safe as everyone else in this school.”
Superintendent O’Dee Hansen sent out a statement to parents addressing these concerns. This statement includes reassurance that the immigration status of students is unknown and does not change their ability to attend schools in the district. It also provided instructions as to what schools are to do if ICE agents were to show up and ask for student information.
“We provide education to all students in our district boundaries,” Hansen said. “We do not ask, nor do we know, the status of citizenship of any of our students. We worry about the safety and security concerns of our students. We want to be able to learn without distractions.”
The district policy ensures that if an individual who identifies with ICE were to show up to a school, a representative from the district office is to be called to handle the situation. An ICE agent will be stopped and not allowed to wander or show up in classes looking for students. This helps students who worry about whether a school is the safest place to be in times like these.
“I want all kids to feel safe,” Straatman said. “They need to know that schools are safe places for them regardless of circumstances.”
Student concerns are also the worry that their parents and family members might be taken away from them with these new laws.
“I knew that this would happen after the election,” Lily said. “I was just hoping that I was going to be old enough to be able to help my parents when it did.”
A bigger worry for Lily was also the effect that this law would have on her parents and siblings if anything were to happen.
“Me and my siblings would probably have nowhere to go,” she said. “I’m the oldest and my siblings being separated at such a young age would have a severe effect on not only me but them too.”
Education is also being impacted as this policy can create distraction from a student’s learning.
“I was so worried that I would go home one day and my parents were gone so my grades definitely dropped which made me more upset,” Lily said. “It definitely has been one of the most difficult moments of my life.”
New policies like these are bound to impact mental health, but with the severity and cultural opinion of the situation, students may find it hard to speak up about how it’s affecting them.
“I know that there are people who want to help and are supportive in the community,” Lily said, “but it’s hard to ask because I never know if someone might look at me differently. I don’t want to lose friends or connections over something that I had no control over.”
Students who are struggling should be aware that there are people who they can reach out to in hard times like these.
“We have amazing students who deal with a lot of distractions and challenges,” Hansen said. “ If you are struggling I would encourage you to talk to your parents, your school officials, or our school counselors and social workers. We are here for you.”
Moving forward, it is important for families and students to know their rights and also know that they are not alone in situations like these.
“I know that we all have battles, and we all have things that can make us feel like outliers, but I also know that we’re not going through this alone,” Lily said. “I know that I can trust the officials who are running the schools and I also know that if it were to happen to someone here, people would have their backs, no matter what their stance is on the situation because we are all more connected than we think.”
