Information from district leadership included in this article is up to date as of noon on Monday. Whether the district has since shared information about immigration enforcement, the Editorial Board believes the expectation for EPS’s clear and timely communication as outlined in the article remains.

While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out raids across the Twin Cities under “Operation Metro Surge” two weeks ago, Edina High School students received an email assuring us we are “valued,” “belong,” and “safe.” For those who actively seek it out, Edina Public Schools has general visitor policies and emergency protocols that could apply to ICE; however, for many in our community—especially Somali, Latino, and immigrant families—without publicized protocols, safety is not so easily guaranteed. And at a time when federal changes make schools more vulnerable to immigration enforcement, reassurance alone is not protection.

EPS must be more transparent about its district-wide policies and protocols in the event of ICE presence by sharing information directly to all families and making it accessible to the community.

On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump’s administration rescinded guidelines limiting ICE enforcement actions in “sensitive areas,” including schools. The Trump administration has placed an increased emphasis on enforcement this year through other additional policy changes. In Minnesota, 1721 ICE arrests were made this year as of Oct. 15, up from 909 in 2024.

A photo of what appeared to be an ICE agent outside of Aquila Elementary School of St. Louis Park, only about a 15-minute drive from EHS, was posted on Facebook on Dec. 4.

Last week, ICE agents were reportedly staying at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in the Southdale area of Edina as part of “Operation Metro Surge.” 

With ICE’s close proximity to EHS, students and families could risk being targeted. 

In the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, EHS enrolled 204 Hispanic students and 277 Black students out of 2,585 total in the 2023–24 school year. The district as a whole has similar figures. Immigration and ethnic status is not reported.

The presence of immigration agents doesn’t just affect students emotionally but also academically. ICE enforcement in a school district depresses Hispanic children’s test scores, particularly when enforcement is substantial and directly in communities, according to a 2025 study comparing 10 years of ICE arrest records with school-district-level achievement data in a New Orleans district. 

Similarly, a 2021 study of Latinx secondary students from seven large school districts in California found that increased immigration arrests led to higher absenteeism rates, lower math achievement, lower reported senses of belonging, and lower views of the school as respectful and safe. 

In this context, the district’s response matters. And right now, EPS’s response is insufficient.

The email sent by Principal Paul Paetzel to families Dec. 6 acknowledged “external remarks and enforcement actions” affecting the community. It established that district schools are “welcoming environments” and the district does not “tolerate hate or disrespect.” It urged students feeling afraid to talk to a trusted adult.

But it did not outline what staff would do if ICE appeared at EHS, what rights families have, how the district would protect student privacy, or what resources exist for impacted families. Nowhere in the email was a direct reference to ICE or immigration authorities.

The Zephyrus Editorial Board reached out to Superintendent Dan Bittman, Paetzel, and the Edina School Board to request information about the district’s response to ICE presence and whether policies specific to ICE exist or are in development.

Bittman responded that the district will not be creating a separate protocol for immigration enforcement but will require ICE personnel to provide a judicial warrant prior to entry. If no valid judicial warrant is presented, then crisis-response protocols will be activated.

Additionally, Bittman provided information about the enforcement of crisis-response protocols, which align with existing hold and lockdown systems, and resources to support families concerned about immigration enforcement.

As of noon on Monday, Bittman sent an email out to EPS staff members and families reiterating support for those impacted. However, the information sent to the Zephyrus Editorial Board was not shared with students and families. Both messages also did not specify what these procedures and protections look like.

Bittman’s Monday email also linked a previous email, only sent to families who opted in to receive communications in a language other than English, claiming that “clear district procedures and protections” are in place to assure the safety of those on campus grounds. Neither email was sent to students.

The limited distribution of these messages means that information about the resources EPS will provide—as vague as they may be—is not democratized and leaves families who are worried about being targeted by ICE, in addition to the rest of Edina, without guidance as to how to proceed as a community. 

School board chair Karen Gabler also began the Dec. 8 school board meeting with a statement about EPS’s commitment to inclusion in response to Trump’s recent remarks about Somali people, similar to Paetzel’s email.

The school board has not yet issued districtwide statements concerning board policy or guidance for families. Currently, two policies could be applied to the presence of immigration enforcement.

Policy 810, regarding the safety and security of people in the event of a lockdown, does not specify what activates lockdowns or holds, nor does it mention protocols for the presence of law enforcement like ICE.

Policy 903 details procedures for visitors to school district buildings and property. It does not specify circumstances under which visitors would be barred from entry, nor does it take a stance on whether building staff would cooperate with visiting law enforcement. 

The policy does outline circumstances under which visitors are subject to discipline and/or removal from EPS buildings and property, such as making threats of or engaging in hostile behavior or “creating a disruption to the learning or working environment.” However, there is no information about who enforces those guidelines, or what constitutes a violation, meaning that its applicability to the presence of ICE is ambiguous.

Students and families should not have to dig through district policies and contact administration themselves to clarify district safety.

Families may hesitate to request information, especially if it is unclear whether the district may cooperate with immigration enforcement, because doing so may imply their immigration status and endanger them. 

Members of the school board appear to be aware of this fact; during the October school board meeting, vice chair Erica Allenburg acknowledged families may be reluctant to request foreign language interpreters because they do not want to single themselves out “given the current state of the country.”

The Zephyrus Editorial Board has contacted the school board for additional information but has not received any reply.

While communications in EPS have remained vague, neighboring districts have moved decisively.

The Hopkins Public Schools superintendent outlined district protocols, including protections for bus routes and staff response procedures. The Robbinsdale Area Schools superintendent shared a comprehensive guide for families with steps, family and community resources, and legal resources. The St. Louis Park Public School District superintendent sent families a similar, specific and detailed message with resources and policies. Minneapolis Public Schools publicly reaffirmed adherence to policies protecting students rights, linked families to legal resources, and emphasized the district’s legal responsibility to safeguard immigrant students regardless of shifts in federal enforcement.

Other districts including Bloomington, St. Paul, and Rochester made changes earlier in the year after Trump’s initial announcements to increase immigration restrictions.

The school board and administration must follow suit by communicating districtwide protocols outlining how staff should respond to ICE presence on or near school property and publicizing them with resources clearly to families.

EPS is not an outlier in its demographics, but an outlier in its silence.

This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on Dec. 18, 2025