¡Este artículo también está en español en el sitio web de Voices of Roosevelt!
Immigrant communities are facing serious threats across the country, and our neighborhoods are no exception. Over the last few weeks, Oregon has faced continuously distressing news as Trump has focused his attention on the city of Portland by threatening to send 200 federal troops to the city, unleashing a wave of fear throughout our community. These announcements are constantly changing, likely even by the time this publication is released. After North Portland has seen two heartbreaking Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainments this September, the question on many people’s minds is: What if ICE shows up at Roosevelt? How far will my school go to protect me and my family?
Voices of Roosevelt spoke with various educators and school administrators to clear up any uncertainty regarding PPS policy and to get a sense of what PPS staff see as their role if ICE shows up at our school. In an interview with Roosevelt’s chemistry and algebra teacher, Mr. Schweizer, some insight was gained into how teachers prepare themselves and what role the district plays in that preparation.
Schweizer told Voices of Roosevelt, “In my understanding, if immigration officers come into the school, they are supposed to be stopped at the front and told you’re not allowed to enter the school without a [judicial] warrant.” He and other staff members report having been sent the official PPS protocol, which involves contacting the District office, any affected student’s families, and the district lawyers. “We can’t just let random adults come in the building (…) You have to get approval, you have to talk to an administrator, etc. There are procedures people have to follow,” assures Mr. Schweizer. He is also one of RHS’s Portland Association of Teachers’ (PAT) Union Reps. “I have not seen training [for teachers regarding ICE response] coming from the District, but if a teacher wants that information, the union is providing training.”
Also reporting to VOR is our principal, KD Parman, who said, “If we know ICE is outside the building, we would go into Secure the Perimeter.” This means the school is essentially on lockdown, and the community is alerted. Dr. Parman emphasizes the school’s priority for keeping students away from any officers. “We will make it very clear that ICE does not belong in our building.”
On the other hand, many staff members appear to be prepared to take more action than they can say on record. An anonymous Roosevelt staff member shared that if ICE cars show up where the school’s property boundaries don’t protect us, it’s up to community members and teachers to respond. “We are working to support and be eyes on the street (…) For any teacher reading this, we encourage you to get trained.”
The what-ifs are incredibly frightening at this time. PPS Board District 4 Representative Rashelle Chase-Miller was able to explain some key information specific to Oregon’s laws.
- PPS schools are protected by Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise Act. According to Director Chase-Miller, this means that “staff will not ask about or disclose a student’s immigration status or the status of their family members.” It is against the law for school staff to cooperate with ICE.
- In addition, Chase-Miller informs, “The PPS Board passed Resolution 5363 (…). This resolution allows us to bolster state law with our own district policy (…) In addition to a judicial warrant, any ICE Officer wanting to enter any PPS property is required by PPS to contact the Superintendent and the District’s legal counsel, with enough notice given to allow PPS to provide for the physical and emotional safety of our students and staff.”
Nevertheless, this is a very difficult time for North Portland and our city as a whole. Roosevelt, having the highest Latino population in PPS and one of two Newcomer Programs in the district, is particularly affected. We have students who are at high risk, fearing for their own safety and the safety of their families every single day. Depending on your privilege, the increased and unlawful presence of immigration enforcement in Portland means a lot more to our community than you might think.
But our community is strong. In addition to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC), which runs a statewide hotline with volunteers on call constantly, we also have a local neighborhood-based group prepared to defend our community. “Worth Fighting for St. John’s Immigrant Solidarity Rapid Response team has nearly 80 members ready to defend attacks on our community as well as to support families who are impacted,” describes one volunteer.
Roosevelt families have some unique resources available as well, including Latino Network, the ACLU, Mission Citizen, and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), which all work around the school for immigrant rights.
Using these resources comes with responsibility as well. In a PAT Migra Watch Training, President Angela Bonilla taught the meeting the CLEAR method for reporting ICE sightings online. Count: counting the people and vehicles involved. Location: recording the exact location. Equipment: includes uniforms, vehicles, and weapons present. Activity: even if recording, it’s useful to narrate what is happening. Report time: the time of the incident. These are the essential components of an ICE report, and should be directly sent to one of the hotlines. As said in the PAT training, posting on social media is discouraged as it doesn’t provide much active help. Reporting to an organization suited for responding is the safest, most effective way to respond. Make sure to focus the camera on the officers involved and not the victims, keep your distance from any violence, and it’s best not to repost reports you have only heard about online.
It’s natural to feel scared, but it’s also important to hold onto what is within our power – knowing our rights, sharing facts and information with one another while being careful not to share rumors, and standing up for one another and using whatever privileges we have to assert our voices. ICE and the current administration rely on, feed off of, and seek out our fear because it breaks us apart. The history of social justice movements shows us that supporting your peers and taking action are the only ways to make change happen. Please, don’t doom-scroll and sit in your fear; talk with your loved ones, seek out reliable information, and don’t consent.
RESOURCES
-DON’T OPEN THE DOOR/ NO HABRÁN LA PUERTA
-DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS OR GIVE PERMISSION TO SEARCH/ NO CONTESTE NINGUNA PREGUNTA Y NO DE PERMISO QUE TE REVISEN
-DONT SIGN ANYTHING/NO FIRME NADA
-TAKE PHOTOS, VIDEOS, OR NOTES/ TOMA FOTOS, VIDEOS, O NOTAS
Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition HOTLINE:
1-888-622-1510
Equity Corps of Oregon:
1-888-274-7292
Sanctuary Promise Hotline:
1-844-274-7292
