Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Hartford area public-school superintendents have assured parents of student safety in the wake of increased ICE enforcement activity nationwide.
It comes despite a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that ICE does not raid schools.
“I think we are trying to remind parents that their kids can come to school safely,” Lamont said in Hartford on Wednesday.
He said the state has rules that do not allow masked ICE agents in schools.
“By setting very clear rules, maybe that might serve as a deterrent for some who might want to knock on the door and try to detain a student,” he said.
"It's not a big problem in this state right now, but let's get in front of it and assure parents that their kids can come here safely," Lamont said, acknowledging that ICE has not engaged in enforcement activities in Connecticut schools.
But schools have received phone calls from concerned parents, said Thomas Anderson, East Hartford school superintendent.
“And they really want to know what the proper procedures are. What the schools are going to do to make their children feel safe,” Anderson said. “So, part of a message of communication like today is just keeping people informed that there is a plan in place.”
Guidance from the state Department of Education allows only properly identified law enforcement officials with signed judicial warrants to enter schools to make arrests.
Last week, ICE said it is not conducting enforcement operations at schools and is not going to schools to arrest children.
