Education

Chicago Public Schools Sets Up District Command Center in Response to ‘Fear and Anxiety’ From ICE Operations

As federal immigration enforcement operations spread “fear and anxiety” among many Chicago Public Schools families, district leaders say they’ve launched a command center to stay on top of emergency situations and provide help to concerned school leaders.

Interim CPS CEO Macquline King on Wednesday said the district command center was set up in order to provide “round-the-clock support” to school communities experiencing “heightened stress due to activity outside their building.”

“In these uncertain times, I want to reassure all of our families, all of our students, all of our staff members — our schools will remain a safe place for all of our children,” King told the Board of Education.

King said CPS set up the command center because the district is “committed to responding to our leaders daily.”

CPS spokespersons did not immediately respond to a request for further details on how the command center operates or what its objectives are.

According to King, the district will continue evolving its response to the increased enforcement activity around schools. Already, she said CPS has established protocols and training for staff to allow them to “respond effectively to any potential disruptions.”

CPS is also collaborating with labor partners and city government in order to “ensure a coordinated and compassionate response within and outside of the school building,” King said.

“We understand the weight many of our families are carrying,” she said, “and we want you to know you are not alone. We are here for you, we are with you.”

King’s comments come as the Trump administration continues ramping up immigration enforcement in Chicago through the Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing “Operation Midway Blitz.”

While federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement are not allowed inside any CPS property without a valid warrant signed by a judge, several public speakers at Wednesday’s meeting expressed concerns for children or families who could be detained by ICE agents on their way to or from schools.

“I’ve spoken to various parents and they’ve told me their children have not been sleeping properly, are nervous and have lost their appetites,” Thelma Roman, the mother of three CPS students, said through a translator. “What I mean to say is that our children should not, in an ideal world, have reason to fear. It’s our responsibility to give them a completely secure space.”

King has previously resisted calls for remote learning, though some speakers on Wednesday again called on the district to allow students to attend classes virtually to assuage those fears.

Jennifer Torres, a parent at Inter-American Magnet School, called on CPS to enact an emergency policy allowing for excused absences and remote learning for students whose families are being “terrorized and harassed by ICE.”

“These families are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to send their children to school and afraid to go to work,” she said. “They’re listening to drones over their homes at night and watching for Texas license plates on cars during the day.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

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