St. Paul, Minnesota - Minnesota educators are suing to block DHS and ICE from conducting immigration enforcement activities in or near public schools.
The lawsuit – filed Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota – takes aim at DHS' decision to remove longstanding limits on immigration enforcement at "sensitive locations," including schools.
"Defendants' unexplained and irrational change in agency policy is arbitrary and capricious and was done without undertaking notice-and-comment rulemaking, and therefore violates the Administrative Procedure Act," the complaint reads.
Plaintiffs include the Education Minnesota teachers' union, Duluth Public Schools, and Fridley Public Schools.
"Students can't learn, and educators can't teach, when there are armed, masked federal agents stationed within view of classroom windows, sometimes for days on end," Education Minnesota President Monica Byron said in a statement.
"ICE and Border Patrol need to stay away from our schools so students can go there safely each day to learn without fear, and so that our members can focus on teaching instead of constantly reacting to the shocking and unconstitutional actions of federal agents."
ICE terror has "real consequences" for school communities
The Trump administration has deployed thousands of federal agents to Minnesota as part of its "Operation Metro Surge," which DHS has touted as "the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out."
Mass public protests have erupted in Minnesota and around the nation in response to killings, beatings, kidnappings, family separations, and other acts of terror perpetrated by the masked officers.
"The removal of long-standing protections around schools has had immediate and real consequences for our learning community," Duluth Public Schools Superintendent John Magas said.
"We've seen increased anxiety among students, disruptions to attendance, and families questioning whether school remains a safe and predictable place for their children."
"Schools function best when families trust that education can happen without fear, and that stability has been undermined."