ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws, including detaining and deporting people.

In early 2025, the Trump Administration repealed protections that treated schools as “sensitive locations.” This means ICE can legally enter school grounds. However, most North Carolina school districts have said they will only allow ICE inside with a signed judicial warrant.

How ICE might appear in school settings:

• Showing up with a judicial warrant to look for a specific person.
  
  
• Waiting near school drop-offs or bus stops to detain people.
  
  
• Requesting student information through local police or public records requests.
  
  
• Receiving data from schools that are not properly safeguarding student information.
  
  

Even if ICE doesn’t enter a school building, unsafe policies and poor data practices can put students and families at serious risk. 

Learn more about your rights if ICE shows up at your school.