Eden Prairie Schools responds to ICE policy shift, works with families, staff

Eden Prairie Schools said it has a policy regarding access to its schools, staff, and students by U.S. immigration enforcement officials and is providing guidance to staff while working directly with concerned families.

This follows the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Jan. 21 announcement of changes to previous federal guidelines that had restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from accessing “sensitive” areas, including churches and schools.

Some metro area school districts have sent letters to families outlining their policies and procedures regarding ICE access to district property, staff, or students.

Eden Prairie Schools said on Jan. 29 that it will not send a districtwide letter outlining its policies and procedures. Instead, district officials said they will work directly with concerned families and communicate with staff.

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Dirk Tedmon, executive director of marketing and communications, said, “We do have a policy in place, and principals have all been informed of the policy and the appropriate steps to take. They have also shared that information with their front office staff, and we’ll be meeting with staff at each school to go over it as well. This includes property, staff, students, and data.”

He added, “For families who have concerns, we are working with them on an individual basis. We cannot legally advise families on issues pertaining to immigration issues, but we can make sure they are cared for while they are in school and that their educational needs are met.”

The number of individuals or families in the Eden Prairie Schools community who might be affected by the federal policy shift is not public information.