Trump’s Dream: The Sabotage of Sensitive Locations

The arrival of a second term for President Donald Trump’s administration this past week saw the r eversal of multiple Biden-era legislations and legal protections and support for minority communities. Within hours of his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, President Trump signed multiple executive orders and suspended programs and systems concerning pathways to legal migration and citizenship.

These attacks included attempting to eliminate birthright citizenship , canceling travel plans for refugees cleared for resettlement and shutting down an immigration app that allowed migrants to apply legally for asylum in the U.S. In tandem with these actions, Trump also dissolved policies that limited the arrests of undocumented individuals at sensitive locations like churches and schools.



Sensitive locations like schools, in particular, should be places where all students, regardless of their immigration status, feel safe and supported in their pursuit of education. Allowing government agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection to arrest undocumented individuals in sensitive locations with a growing influx of nativist policy curates a hostile environment, promoting fear and further division in the country. In 1982, the Supreme Court decision in Plyler v.

Doe concluded that although education is not a fundamental right, the children of undocumented immigrants under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment are protected in their access to public education. Without substantial state interest , access to public education cannot be inhibited regardless of immigration status. In 2011, ICE’s Enforcement at or Focused on Sensitive Locations memorandum established that immigration enforcement would not be conducted at safe zones such as schools, hospitals, places of worship and other sensitive locations outlined.

These rulings and policies set a precedent highlighting the importance of education access and safe zones. In changing the status of sensitive locations, Trump increases ICE’s authority to act and can fulfill his campaign dream of having “the largest deportation operation in American history.” Trump’s dissolution of policies that have ensured the security of sensitive locations for undocumented individuals over the last two decades has changed the school environment from one of safety, security and education to one of potential detention.

Trump’s Executive Order “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” argues that undocumented individuals “present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans.” While this order posits that many undocumented individuals are intrinsically threatening, the National Institute of Justice, in a Sept. 2024 report , found that the crime rate of undocumented immigrants is lower than the crime rate of U.

S.-born individuals. The first week of Trump’s second term marked the first time military aircraft were used in deportations , as Tom Homan, the administration’s “border czar,” contended that any undocumented person in the country should be susceptible to arrest and deportation.

The Trump administration has set out to push a narrative to villainize and generate hostility towards migrants to justify further and make good on his campaign promise of mass deportations. No one deserves to go to school in fear. Prior to Trump’s inauguration, many schools were proactive in declaring support for their community.

The Bronx has a rich history and culture thanks to the contributions of multiple immigrant communities. Over 100,000 Bronx residents are undocumented. With the growing fear of deportation, NYC public schools offered training to school officials, staff and parents on the rights of students and how to handle interaction with immigration enforcement.

In Palm Springs, California, through a resolution, the school board affirmed their commitment to ensuring the protection and safety of their students at school without fear of deportation, regardless of immigration status. The superintendent of Denver Public Schools , Dr. Alex Marrero, offered training to principals and office staff on protocol if federal immigration officers showed up to their schools, beginning with denying entry to the school buildings.

In a letter to the school district titled “ Supports for our Immigrant Community ,” Marrero asserted the district’s commitment to providing a safe and equitable environment for students, which included resources for action plans. In the wake of the protection status removal of sensitive locations, many school districts have elected to not work with ICE and not comply with the Trump administration. In Worcester, Massachusetts, the district has also been committed to protecting its students and their families.

Superintendent Dr. Rachel Monarrez has said that Worcester Public Schools “ will not coordinate with ICE ” and pointed to established policies and procedures concerning interactions with immigration enforcement . In a letter to families, Monarrez outlined protections the school district has instituted.

Immigration is a cornerstone of American history and life. Immigrants are important. The safety of children is important.

Schools should serve as a haven for students to learn and grow. Sensitive locations should have continued to remain safe zones for undocumented communities across the nation despite the Trump administration’s desire. Regardless of immigration status, no one deserves to live in fear of being detained and torn away from their families, communities, homes or schools.

Protecting undocumented individuals ensures the respect and dignity that all individuals deserve. The unease and uncertainty of the next four years under a Trump presidency pose a political, economic and social risk for America. Protecting the rights and safety of all individuals, regardless of immigration status, is essential to a united, strong and welcoming America — perhaps an America that Donald Trump fears.

Indira Kar, FCRH ’25, is an international studies major from St. Louis, Missouri.