Roanoke schools are bracing for immigration enforcement changes by the Trump administration that could impact migrant children or their families. The diverse division is one of the first school systems in Southwest Virginia to make a statement about student safety after President Donald Trump started moving on plans for widespread deportation of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
The school division sent a letter to families on Tuesday explaining the limitations on what federal immigration officials are allowed to do if they show up at any of the city’s 20-plus school facilities.
“There is a possibility that federal law enforcement officials may visit school grounds,” Superintendent Verletta White said at a school board work session Tuesday.
Trump, who was inaugurated for a second term last week, has ordered the removal of immigrants he has referred to as “criminals,” as well as a halt to processing for refugees and asylum seekers who are in the U.S. legally.
The Trump administration has also rescinded federal guidance that designated schools, churches and hospitals as protected areas, which blocked immigration enforcement from being conducted there.
School division spokesperson Claire Mitzel said that there had been no school visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and that the letter was a proactive step to provide guidance and support to families.
The Roanoke division has a diverse student body: 39% of students are Black, about 21% are Hispanic, 3.4% are Asian and 6.5% are multiracial. Thirty percent of the division’s students are white. The division enrolls more than 13,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Mitzel said the division doesn’t know how many students could be affected by ICE raids because it doesn’t collect data on immigration status.
About 16% of students in the division are English language learners. Mitzel said more than 70 languages are spoken by students and families.
The letter to families, which was signed by White and all six current school board members, said that federal officials must have a judicial warrant to enter school property. If that order is presented, a parent or guardian must consent before officials may interview their student.
The letter also explained that schools can’t share a student’s personal information without permission from a parent or guardian under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA.
White said the letter “reiterates our commitment to providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for all of our students in accordance with the law.”
She said school staff have been instructed to notify their building supervisors in the event of a visit from federal law enforcement, and those building supervisors will notify the school division office. Central office staff will work directly with law enforcement.
Visitors to the division’s website are greeted by a pop-up message asking them to read the letter from White and the school board members.
Nationwide, children can enroll in public school regardless of their immigration status.
Jessica Blandy of the Roanoke City Council of PTAs said she had received more than two dozen emails from parents in the week leading up to the announcement from the school division, asking what might happen in their kids’ schools.
She said that volume was much higher than the number of messages she usually receives about division-wide issues.
Blandy is a teacher in the division, but she spoke only from her perspective as president of the umbrella organization over the schools’ parent-teacher associations. Nearly 3,000 parents across the division are members of their schools’ PTAs, which serve as advocates for children and parents.
After the letter from White and the school board was sent out, Blandy said a few parents emailed her again saying they appreciated the division’s response.
“In times of uncertainty, whichever side of the aisle you’re on, you’re looking for a playbook,” she said.
In an email late Tuesday, Mayor Joe Cobb stated his appreciation for the division’s letter and said the Roanoke City Council “fully supports RCPS in their efforts to protect students’ rights, maintain a welcoming and safe environment, and comply with legal requirements.”
Roanoke has a long history of welcoming immigrants, including refugees escaping war, poverty or other dangerous conditions in their country. About 16,000 people in Roanoke are immigrants, according to data from George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research. About 30% of them are Hispanic, a population that’s been targeted by the Trump administration as it works to block migration across the border with Mexico.
The Christian service organization Friendship House is one of several organizations in Roanoke that provides aid to refugees. Executive Director Aaron Dowdy said Wednesday that several clients had questions after receiving the letter from Roanoke city schools. He tried to explain the letter to them in very basic English, he said.
“The memo was good, but the fact that it had to be sent at all was alarming to families,” Dowdy said. “A lot of people are worried.”
He said staff members delivering food to asylum seekers will educate those clients on changes to immigration policy as more information becomes available, and will answer questions as best they can in the meantime.
Across Southwest and Southside Virginia, few school divisions have made statements on their websites or social media accounts about immigration policy changes. Several school divisions in Southwest and Southside that post social media announcements in both English and Spanish did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
On Monday, Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said in a letter to families that no one should be afraid of coming to school. “No matter who you are, where you come from, or how you define yourself, we will always do everything we can to ensure that you are safe and protected on school grounds.”
The division, where 20% of students are English language learners, set up a webpage of immigration resources for families.
