“I think it’s important because we have a lot of families that are concerned about their children’s safety and their own safety. There’s a lot of fear in the community
Richard Williamson is a Grand Rapids School Board member but says he speaks for himself, not the district, in his reaction to the recently distributed procedures.
“I do know we are all taking this very seriously and we want to make sure kids are able to come to school and get the education they have a right to and be safe doing it.”
“What To Do if Immigration And Customs Enforcement Visits Your School” the document lays out steps to be taken including not allowing ICE officials contact with staff or students or to enter beyond the lobby. It provides district contacts and instructs staff remain silent and not sign any paperwork.
Richard Kessler, a Grand Rapids attorney has specialized in immigration law for more than 40 years. He says previous protections have been removed recently that kept ICE agents from schools, hospitals and religious institutions. He encourages school districts to take a stand by insisting ICE has specific warrants before allowing entry.
They’re not going to share information about students or their families' - parents and siblings included – immigration status because we believe that’s completely detrimental to education and hurts our students and hurts our communities.”
Kessler urges those worried to contact a lawyer to discuss their own immigration status and options.
“People should not panic. We have not seen mass deportations in Grand Rapids. We do not think we’ll see mass deportations in Grand Rapids. People should basically carry on.”
