Tag: ICE

  • ICE Sued Over Policy Allowing Immigration Actions on Campus

    ICE Sued Over Policy Allowing Immigration Actions on Campus

    There has been a significant increase in ICE presence in Minnesota since late December and school districts have seen attendance drop.

    Lawrey/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    A collection of public school districts and university faculty members are challenging Department of Homeland Security policies that allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to conduct detainment activities on or near public education campuses.

    The complaint, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, comes in the wake of a surge of ICE presence in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and the killing of two American protesters, Alex Pretti and Renee Good. As the threat of immigration enforcement grows, the plaintiffs argue that ICE action at public K-12 schools and on college campuses is not only a violation of the rights of immigrants but also a disruption to the lives of U.S. citizens. 

    Historically, federal regulations deemed public education institutions, churches and other religiously affiliated spaces as “sensitive locations” and therefore they were off limits to immigration enforcement teams, except in rare pre-approved circumstances. But on Jan. 21, 2025, President Trump revoked that policy, opening the flood gates to increased ICE activity in all spaces.

    That change has endangered students of all backgrounds, driven away families from classrooms and obstructed access to education, said Democracy Forward, the nonprofit law firm that is representing plaintiffs. The firm specifically pointed to overall attendance rates among schools in the Twin Cities, saying in a news release that “some districts [are] reporting attendance declines of nearly one-third within weeks.”

    “This is unlawful, reckless, and legally and morally indefensible,” Democracy Forward president and CEO Skye Perryman said in a news release. “We are in court because children should never have to look over their shoulders at school or worry that their loved ones could be taken away at the schoolhouse gate, and because the government cannot undermine decades of settled policy without regard for students, educators, or the law.”

    The firm, which has led many lawsuits against the Trump administration in its first year, is hopeful that the court will rule in its favor once again as it has already seen success in a similar case concerning religious houses of worship.

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  • ICE Needs Higher Education and Training Standards (opinion)

    ICE Needs Higher Education and Training Standards (opinion)

    Nearly half of the police academies in America are offered at colleges or technical schools, like ours at Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts.

    At its best, police education and training prepare law enforcement officers with the knowledge and skills—including principles of constitutional law, active listening and verbal de-escalation techniques, implicit bias awareness, how to recognize signs of mental illness or substance abuse, use of force standards, and ethical decision-making and professional conduct—that they will need to protect and serve the public as safely and effectively as possible.

    While no amount of training will prepare officers for every challenging situation they will face in their careers, or guarantee that every action they take will have the best outcome, the content, quality, culture and time spent on task of their training can make the difference between lives saved and lives lost.

    Neglecting that high-quality training is one of the reasons we have seen so many use-of-force incidents, including shootings and fatalities, involving federal immigration agents over the past year—and why, unless we change course quickly, we are likely going to see more in the months ahead.

    In 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) more than doubled the size of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workforce, from 10,000 to 22,000 agents, in less than a year, through aggressive recruitment techniques, reduced standards and significantly less training. The results are now appearing, tragically, on the streets of cities across the country.

    Between 2015 and 2021, ICE agents were involved in 59 shootings, an average of 10 each year, resulting in 23 deaths.

    Since the start of President Trump’s immigration crackdown in cities across the U.S. last summer, federal immigration agents have fired shots in at least 19 separate incidents, resulting in at least five deaths, according to the nonprofit news organization The Trace. This includes the fatal shootings in Minneapolis this month of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and poet, who had recently completed a degree in English at Old Dominion University, and of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital and a University of Minnesota alumnus.

    None of this should be surprising.

    The sheer number of ICE agents dispatched, military-style, into cities that have specifically asked for them to limit their presence, has increased the likelihood of conflict with local residents.

    Potentially more impactful, though, is the insufficient preparation of those agents for their assignments: In order to meet its ambitious recruitment goal, the Department of Homeland Security offered signing bonuses up to $50,000, eliminated age limits, reduced physical fitness standards, and cut training time in about half, to only eight weeks.

    In addition, the White House has eviscerated transparency and accountability for ICE and other agencies by eliminating the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, along with a variety of inspectors general and ombudsman positions, while using a steady stream of rhetoric that glamorizes the agency, dehumanizes immigrants, and encourages a gung-ho, no-holds-barred approach to encounters, arrests and deportations.

    All of this flies in the face of what educators know works best for community policing, and it is the opposite of the approach we have been taking in Massachusetts and at other college-hosted police academies across the country.

    In 2017, I led a statewide task force of police chiefs, elected officials, municipal and higher education leaders that examined police education and training in Massachusetts and made recommendations for improvement.

    Our research was clear: The more education, training and practice officers receive, the more likely they are to think critically, solve problems effectively, understand civil rights issues from multiple perspectives, and experience fewer complaints and disciplinary actions; and the less likely they are to use excessive or deadly force.

    Since then, the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee, which oversees curriculum and instructional practices for all of the state’s 21-week police academies, has expanded collaborations with educational institutions and shifted from military-style boot camp training to an academy culture that prepares officers for public-facing professional community policing roles.

    In 2020, the state created the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, designed to bring even greater transparency and accountability to policing in the Commonwealth by requiring certification, discipline and training standards statewide.

    In 2021, Northern Essex Community College became the first Massachusetts police academy to become ABLE (Active Bystander for Law Enforcement) certified and now, along with other academies in the state, prepares every officer with an eight-hour course teaching them how to respond if a fellow officer is involved in misconduct.

    As a result of rigorous training over time, high standards, a culture of community policing, public transparency and accountability, and increasing access to higher education, Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates of fatal shootings by police in the country, while remaining one of the safest states to live.

    However you may feel about the politics of American immigration laws and their enforcement, from the perspective of effective police education and training, the nation’s Department of Homeland Security, through its revised recruitment and training practices, is degrading the preparedness and effectiveness of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

    Unless DHS changes its practices quickly, or is forced to by pressure from states and members of Congress, and adopts higher standards of education and training and a culture of community policing, the agency is all but guaranteeing there will be more unnecessary deaths at the hands of underprepared ICE officers around the country.

    Lane A. Glenn is president of Northern Essex Community College.

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  • Children With Disabilities Particularly Vulnerable to Minneapolis ICE Crackdown – The 74

    Children With Disabilities Particularly Vulnerable to Minneapolis ICE Crackdown – The 74


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    The Trump administration’s weeks-long immigration enforcement campaign in Minneapolis, which has shuttered schools and terrified students and parents, has left one group particularly vulnerable: children with disabilities. 

    Their families, who already fear their kids shutting down, running away, harming themselves or acting out when confronted under normal circumstances, have seen their anxiety skyrocket as they contemplate worst-case scenarios with federal agents. 

    Thousands of Minnesotans gathered in sub-zero temperatures Friday to demonstrate against the federal government’s ongoing presence, including surrounding the airport terminal and flooding the streets downtown.

    Idil Ahmed, who lives near the epicenter of raids and protests, worries about her 6-year-old autistic daughter having a meltdown during an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

    “If they stop us, all hell will break loose with my child,” Ahmed said. “And there is no talking to these people.”

    Parents tell The 74 they have no faith, after federal agents ripped a disabled, autistic woman from her car and, according to school officials, used a 5-year-old as bait this week to lure his mother from their home, that immigration officials would be patient with a child who can’t immediately respond to orders.

    “When I saw that image of this young boy with his backpack, I thought, ‘That could be my son,’” said Najma Siyad, mother of a 5-year-old with autism. 

    Both Ahmed and Siyad are members of Minneapolis’ Somali community, the largest in the United States and one that has been virulently targeted for removal by President Donald Trump. 

    They are among many Somali families whose children have autism; a neurodevelopmental condition that is prevalent in their community.

    They and other Somali-Americans say their children are doubly vulnerable by virtue of their race and disability: While the first is obvious, making them a potential mark for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the second is not. 

    They and other families with special needs kids have missed school, skipped doctor’s visits and, in many cases, are not getting the occupational, physical and speech therapy services that help their children manage their lives and progress academically.  

    Ahmed said her daughter missed three consecutive weeks of occupational therapy because her therapist was too fearful to enter their neighborhood.

    “OT for us is so important,” Ahmed said. “It regulates her emotions, helps with fine motor skills, simple things like dressing, eating, body movements, the teaching of how to be physically independent.”

    And while multiple districts are offering remote learning to families afraid to leave their homes, online instruction isn’t a viable option for children who need a team of skilled school staff to access their education. 

    “It’s not a solution for us,” said Anisa Hagi-Mohamed, founder of an autism advocacy group called Maangaar Voices. 

    Regression, both educationally and socially, is a constant concern, these parents say. But stronger still is their worry about their child coming face-to-face with a federal agent who doesn’t know — and perhaps doesn’t care — why they won’t interact. 

    A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and CBP, said he was working on a response as to whether agents are trained to interact with autistic children and others with disabilities. Minnesota law requires autism training for peace officers but this does not apply to ICE and CBP, Minneapolis advocates say.

    Hagi-Mohamed has three kids, a 9-year-old son and two daughters, ages 5 and 8. All are “on the autism spectrum,” and each has their own unique vulnerability, she said.

    Her middle child is nonverbal and frequently runs away to no particular destination. 

    And her son looks far older than his age. He also has difficulty responding to anyone who commands him to act. 

    “He would completely shut down, self harm and get hurt in the process,” Hagi-Mohamed said, imagining him in an ICE encounter. “I worry all the time.”

    She’s advised him not to talk to any adults outside of school or home. 

    She’s frightened, too, for her 5-year-old, who treats all grownups with the same deference as her parents. 

    “The stranger danger thing is not so strong in her,” Hagi-Mohamed said. “She is one of those kids who if you tell her to do something, she will do it.”

    These families say they have remained petrified ever since an ICE agent in Minneapolis killed unarmed motorist Renee Good on Jan. 7 just after she dropped her 6-year-old son off at school. Hours later, federal agents wreaked havoc at nearby Roosevelt High School. 

    Maren Christenson, executive director of the Multicultural Autism Action Network, said she lives so close to where Good was shot that she’s worried tear gas will seep through the family’s windows from the ongoing protests. 

    Maren Christenson and her son, Simon Hofer (Maren Christenson)

    Christenson’s 14-year-old son, Simon Hofer, has autism and she can’t predict how he would respond to an ICE agent. 

    The boy said he’s worried — not so much for himself, but for his friends. 

    “I have been feeling angry, scared, sad,” he told The 74 on Thursday. “It feels kind of hopeless sometimes and overwhelming. Friends of mine and classmates are afraid to go to school and so they attend online.”

    His mother has told the special education community that even if someone is Caucasian, is a citizen, has a disability and can articulate their challenges, they are not free from peril. 

    Her advice? “Comply: do what they tell you to stay safe.” 

    But she’s unsure whether that strategy would work for people with autism who can become unmoored by such an encounter. Stress might hamper their ability to communicate, she said.

    “We have held a number of community conversations and brainstormed, asking, ‘What could we do? What are people doing?’” she said. “But the truth of the matter is we are in uncharted territory. There is no guidebook, no best practices for when your city is under siege.”

    A mother of two boys with autism who lives in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis and who asked not to be named to protect her family’s safety, said her children, ages 8 and 5, are just now learning about the concept of police. 

    They cannot at all understand the complexity of immigration enforcement — or the harsh tactics that have come with it — so she’s keeping them mostly at home.

    “There is only so much I can do when I am not with them,” she said.

    Hodan, the mother of an 18-year-old college student who has autism, said her son has always had high anxiety. But now, she said, it’s worse. She’s given him a list of a dozen phone numbers to call in an emergency that he keeps in his jeans and in his shoes. 

    “He has his citizenship card in his pocket and when we drive, I make him put it on the center console,” said his mom, who asked that her last name not to be used to protect her family.

    Along with school and therapy sessions, also gone from families’ routines are winter afternoons at indoor play spaces, trips to the gym for their teenagers and other child-friendly destinations. 

    Siyad, a mother of three who lives 18 miles south of Minneapolis, close to St. Paul, said they recently took the 26-minute drive to the Minnesota Children’s Museum and had to turn around when they were three minutes away after witnessing an ICE encounter on the road. 

    “That fear is daily,” she said. “I am a naturalized citizen but I was not carrying my passport at the time. We had to turn around immediately.”

    The painful irony, she said, is that her children, like all of the others in this story, their parents said, are U.S. citizens. 

    “Our kids are as American as apple pie,” she said. “This is their home.”


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  • Fear, arrests and know-your-rights: How one school district is grappling with ICE coming to town

    Fear, arrests and know-your-rights: How one school district is grappling with ICE coming to town

    by Alexandra Villarreal, The Hechinger Report
    January 23, 2026

    NEW HAVEN, Conn. — “They took her, they took her, they took her.”  

    Those were some of the words Assistant Principal Cora Muñoz could discern while on the phone with the guardian of one of her students. As the caller sobbed and struggled to speak, Muñoz realized that immigration enforcement agents had detained a kid from Wilbur Cross, the high school she helps lead. 

    Again.

    There was a reason why Muñoz was a go-to contact for the student and her guardian: She — and New Haven public schools more broadly — have worked hard to earn the trust of immigrant families in their diverse district, even as the second Trump administration has made it easier for immigration officers to enter schools and launched a mass deportation campaign.

    The district’s teachers and administrators have nurtured deep relationships with immigrant-serving organizations and helped kids access resources — attorneys, social workers, food — when needed. They’ve hosted sessions to inform students about their rights, and sent home cards with legal information in case of an encounter with immigration officers. And when the worst has happened — when someone’s child or parent has been detained, which has occurred over and over in recent months — they have taken immediate action, writing letters in support of the family member’s freedom and raising money alongside a larger coalition of advocates trying to bring that person home. 

    “In these moments where it’s hard, you show up,” said Muñoz, “and you do what you can.”

    Yet nothing has been able to entirely snuff out the fear of deportation inside the city’s schools, say students and educators. That may have contributed to a decline this October in the number of English language learner students enrolling; their numbers dropped by more than 2,000, or nearly 3.8 percent, across Connecticut between fall 2024 and fall 2025, and by hundreds — or 7.3 percent — in New Haven, with many immigrant families who were expected to return to school simply disappearing. 

    Chronic absenteeism rates fell in New Haven during the 2024-25 academic year. But after President Donald Trump took office, students said their families told them to skip extracurriculars or early college courses at a university campus in case immigration enforcement was around. For some, a college degree has started to feel more out of reach, as they adjust their dreams to fit within a new anti-immigrant reality. Teachers have seen kids stop participating in class after friends have been detained and they wonder if they could be next. 

    “I live with fear,” said Darwin, an 18-year-old student from Guatemala who has lived in New Haven for two years. His last name, like those of others in this story, is being withheld for safety reasons. “Sometimes I don’t even want to attend school because it makes me afraid to go out of the house.”

    In many school districts around the country, immigrant enrollment is down, as far fewer asylum seekers are able to reach the United States and some immigrants have chosen to self-deport to avoid the specter of detention. That said, the consequences of Trump’s mass deportation campaign on immigrants’ education vary greatly depending on the community, its demographics and the level of enforcement activity there, said Julie Sugarman, associate director for K-12 education research at the D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy. 

    In the Minneapolis area, for instance, where a federal officer shot and killed Renee Good after she dropped off her 6-year-old child at school, districts are offering a virtual learning option for the many kids who are staying home in fear.  

    “We are definitely hearing anecdotally that there are kids not going to school,” Sugarman said. “Obviously, losing a whole year of education or however long they’re not in school, they are missing out on opportunities to develop their content knowledge, to learn literacy, to develop English, and also to develop academic skills in their native language.” 

    Related: Become a lifelong learner. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter featuring the most important stories in education. 

    With seven institutions of higher learning in the area, New Haven is known as a college town. But it is also a city of immigrants: More than one in six New Haven residents are foreign-born, a statistic that underscores a point of pride for many who welcome the city’s diversity. Families in the public school system speak more than 70 languages. 

    At the Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy, a K-8 school with around 430 students, notices go home in English, Spanish, Pashto and Arabic. The school’s front doors have welcome signs posted in multiple languages. And on a bright red poster in the hallway, photos of beaming children surround a message: “We all smile in the same language.”  

    When Trump, who has argued that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” nixed guidance in January that had generally restricted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from going into schools to arrest people, New Haven Public Schools Superintendent Madeline Negrón was prepared. Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, her team reviewed how the district had protected students during his first term and in what ways they could fortify their response. They developed a district-wide policy on how to act if ICE officers sought to enter their buildings. It involves a series of steps — including legal counsel’s verification of a valid warrant — before immigration agents would ever be allowed in. 

    “Without that, nobody, no one, is going to walk through my doors. Because my obligation is to keep every single one of my children safe,” said Negrón, who also shared the policy in a letter to parents. 

    Negrón led an effort to train all administrators in the protocol, and then those staff helped to train all 2,900 district employees — including custodians, cafeteria workers, teachers, security guards and secretaries.

    Some schools went even further, holding know-your-rights presentations for students and their families. “Things like a judicial versus administrative warrant — you know, I wish that no kid in New Haven needed to know that,” said Ben Scudder, a social studies teacher at High School in the Community. “But we live in a world where they do, and their families do, and so we’re gonna make sure that they get the training they need to do that.” 

    Related: Immigration enforcement is driving away early childhood educators 

    So far, ICE hasn’t tried to enter New Haven’s public schools. But outside of the classroom, arrests and family separations abound.

    In June, a mother and her two children — an 8-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, both U.S. citizens — were in their car going to school when vehicles on the street surrounded them and men in ski masks approached. The kids watched, crying, as the immigration agents handcuffed their mom and led her away. 

    Staff members at the Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy, which the kids attend, fundraised for gift cards to grocery stores and delivery services to help their two students. They wrote support letters for the mother’s immigration case, asking for her release. But around a month later, she was deported to Mexico. 

    Now, whenever the younger sibling sees someone in uniform at school — a security guard, a police officer — he asks them why they took his mom, said Adela Jorge, Clemente’s principal. 

    “He’s not able to understand what happened,” Jorge said. “All he knows is that his mother was taken.”

    Soon after that, two Wilbur Cross students were nabbed one after the other. First was an 18-year-old named Esdras, arrested at his summer job, shuffled to detention facilities around the country, and almost put on a removal flight to Guatemala. 

    After more than a month — with the help of advocacy groups, his attorney, the teachers union, government officials and school employees who came together during summer break — Esdras was released. When he returned to Wilbur Cross, he told staff members all he wanted was to be normal, a request they have tried to honor by quietly reintegrating him into classes.

    Then, shortly after the start of the new academic year, another student — the one whose guardian had called Muñoz in a panic — was detained.

    “At first I thought she was mad at me or something,” said 17-year-old Melany, recalling when her friend suddenly stopped responding to phone messages. “But when she didn’t come to school, it really scared me. And I asked the teachers, but they couldn’t tell me anything.”

    Her friend was eventually freed, too. But teachers and administrators say they’re fed up that their students keep being targeted and treated so poorly.  

    “They’re our kids, and they’re being detained in these cages. And the day before, they were eating pizza in our cafeteria,” said Matt Brown, the Wilbur Cross principal. 

    Rumors and fears at times disrupt learning. One day in mid-October, around 10:20 a.m., immigration agents in tactical gear were seemingly staging in a park near a New Haven area college, setting off concerns that students were their targets. But about twenty minutes later, the agents instead hit a car wash in Hamden, Connecticut, arresting its workers. 

    “I don’t know what rights they had in those moments. It didn’t seem like they had any. There were no rights there,” said Laurie Sweet, a state representative whose district includes Hamden. “I think the intention is to cause chaos and make people feel destabilized, and that definitely is what happened.”

    ICE took eight people into custody that day, some of them parents of school-aged children. Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, said her organization searched school records for the kids, trying to ensure they were okay. But no one could find them.

    “We just hope and pray to God that they were able to have someone to pick them up from school,” Sookdeo said. 

    Related: What’s happened since Texas killed in-state tuition for undocumented students

    Teachers say all of this has made immigrant students quieter, more reserved, more observant — and more hopeless. Kids who used to exchange greetings with their teachers in the halls now trudge around like the walking dead, or ask for passes to leave the classroom more often. 

    “I’ve seen a lot more sadness, and I’ve seen a lot more students who are good students skipping classes. And it’s for no reason except that they just, you know, they have too much going on emotionally to make them go to their classes,” said Fatima Nouchkioui, a teacher of English as a second language at Wilbur Cross’ International Academy. 

    Sookdeo has noticed a drop in students at her organization’s college access program, as they question why they would try to get a college degree when they don’t know whether they’ll be in the U.S. tomorrow.

    “You’re sitting next to them,” she said of the high schoolers she works with. “And they’re literally shaking.”

    Many of the kids already have a pile of pressures to navigate. In some cases, they are living in the country by themselves, balancing school with jobs that allow them to send money home to parents and siblings. Darwin, for example, came to the U.S., leaving behind his mom and three younger siblings, and lives in New Haven alone — all to give his family members who remain abroad a better life. 

    And then there’s always the next arrest, constantly looming. 

    “Do we anticipate having kids detained again?” said Brown. “I haven’t seen anything that would make me think we shouldn’t.” 

    Contact editor Caroline Preston at 212-870-8965, via Signal at CarolineP.83 or on email at [email protected].

    This story about fear of deportation was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.

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  • ICE Fears Keeping Minneapolis Kids Home From School

    ICE Fears Keeping Minneapolis Kids Home From School

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  • 20+ Ultimate Ice Breakers for College Students

    20+ Ultimate Ice Breakers for College Students

    This guide is designed for college professors and educators seeking effective ways to help students connect and participate. It covers 20+ practical icebreakers for college students and provides a free downloadable list with additional activities, ensuring you have the tools to foster a welcoming classroom environment. Even better, these icebreaker activities can easily be assigned in the Top Hat app. Icebreakers for college students encourage new students to have conversations, get to know you and each other and build a sense of community and trust. Icebreaker activities help students relax and connect with one another during orientation, creating a sense of community and trust in a classroom setting. Used early on, icebreakers can help students feel comfortable in your classroom or team meeting. They’re ideal for the first day of school, but can be used throughout the semester and serve as a precursor for teamwork and collaborative learning. Virtual icebreakers—facilitated via social media, discussion boards or in virtual team meetings—have also gained new meaning in helping group members warm up to one another.

    A classroom icebreaker for college students can be as simple as asking learners to introduce themselves to the class or to the students sitting next to them, but games and activities offer a chance to interact with a greater number of classmates and build camaraderie. According to a guide1 from Nottingham Trent University, for classroom icebreaker games “there ought to be a fun aspect to the activities in order to provide participants with some shared history that they can discuss later and, where possible, a relevance to the taught course/university experience.”

    It’s no doubt that icebreaker activities like scavenger hunts or Pictionary are overdone. Campus-based icebreakers, such as orientation activities or exploring campus landmarks, can also help students get familiar with their new environment. Keep in mind that some classroom icebreakers for college students could be awkward or uncomfortable, such as publicly sharing personal information. The key is to get students talking to each other, having conversations and making connections—without social risk. This could mean facilitating small group activities versus requiring students to share personal information in front of the whole class. As an educator, help your students get to know one another in a safe and effective way. Recognizing the importance of icebreakers in fostering inclusion and community can set a positive tone for the semester. Icebreakers encourage people to participate, help students find commonalities with their peers, and build rapport within the group.

    Download The Ultimate List of Icebreakers for the College Classroom and begin assigning to your students using Top Hat (get the list here).

    Introduction to classroom icebreakers

    Classroom icebreakers are a powerful way for college professors to set a positive tone at the beginning of a course. These activities help college students introduce themselves, share fun facts, and discover what they have in common with fellow students. Whether you’re teaching a small group or a larger group, icebreakers can be tailored to fit your classroom’s unique needs and the goals of your course material. By encouraging students to interact and get to know one another, icebreakers help build a sense of community and belonging right from the start. When students feel comfortable and connected, they’re more likely to participate, collaborate, and engage with the material and each other throughout the semester. Incorporating icebreakers into your teaching toolkit is a simple yet effective way to foster a welcoming classroom environment where everyone feels included.

    Benefits of icebreakers

    Encouraging participation

    Fun icebreakers offer a range of benefits for both students and teachers, especially for first year students who may be new to the college experience. Icebreaker activities help students feel more at ease in the classroom, making it easier for them to participate in class discussions and share their ideas. Icebreakers can create a relaxed atmosphere that encourages participation among students.

    Supporting academic success

    Icebreakers can also introduce students to key course concepts in a fun and engaging way, setting a positive tone for the rest of the semester. When students feel supported and included, they’re more likely to take academic risks, ask questions, and explore new ideas. Ultimately, using icebreakers helps create a classroom environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and ready to learn.

    With these benefits in mind, let’s explore how to plan and implement effective icebreakers in your classroom.

    Planning icebreakers

    Setting goals

    When planning icebreakers for your class, it’s important to start with your goals in mind. Think about what you want your students to gain from the activity—whether it’s helping students get to know each other, encouraging participation, or introducing a new topic.

    Considering group size

    Consider the size of your class: some icebreakers work best in small groups, while others are ideal for larger groups. Choose activities that are interactive and fun, such as “Two Truths and a Lie” (a fun way to help students get to know each other), “Human Bingo” (students find classmates who match traits on a bingo card), or “The Human Knot” (a physical activity where participants untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands, fostering non-verbal teamwork). These classic icebreakers can be easily adapted to fit your group size and learning objectives.

    Selecting activities

    The key is to encourage students to share, connect, and engage with one another in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. By selecting the right icebreakers, you’ll set the stage for a lively and inclusive classroom experience.

    Best practices for icebreaker design

    Inclusivity and comfort

    Designing effective icebreakers means keeping your students’ needs and comfort in mind. Start by choosing activities that are inclusive and respectful, ensuring that every student feels welcome to participate. Avoid icebreakers that might make some students uncomfortable or single anyone out.

    Clear instructions

    Make sure your instructions are clear and the activity is easy to follow, so students know exactly what to expect. As the teacher, be ready to guide the activity, answer questions, and offer support as needed.

    Building community

    The goal is to create a sense of community and belonging in your class, helping students feel connected to each other and to the course material. By following these best practices, you’ll design icebreakers that not only break the ice but also lay the foundation for a positive and collaborative classroom environment.

    Now that you know how to plan and design effective icebreakers, let’s dive into a variety of activities you can use in your classroom.

    7 group games for college students (with fun icebreaker questions)

    This list features a variety of effective icebreakers for college students, including fun, low-pressure activities like Two Truths and a Lie, Human Bingo, interactive games like the Marshmallow Challenge, and simple question prompts. These activities are designed to help students relax, connect, and build community, whether you’re teaching in-person or online.

    1. Concentric circles

    This is a great team-building icebreaker for an in-person learning environment. Arrange students in two circles, one inside the other, with students facing each other in pairs. Ask a fun icebreaker question, such as “what’s your favorite thing about college and why?” Pairs discuss the answer, then rotate the circle to form new pairs for the next question—exposing students to the different perspectives of their peers. The trick is to provide open-ended questions rather than those with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to get students to talk and engage in meaningful conversation.

    2. Find someone who…

    Alternative: Human Bingo: students find classmates who match traits on a bingo card.

    • Students are given bingo cards with a grid of squares. Each square contains an item, such as ‘traveled to another continent’ or ‘has a younger sister.’
    • During the activity, students can pass their bingo cards to others to verify matches or to keep the game moving.
    • Students are given a time limit to find classmates who fit the description.
    • Whoever gets ‘Bingo’ first wins. You can even award a prize of your choice, such as a bonus point or two on an upcoming assignment.

    Human Bingo is considered an effective, low-pressure icebreaker for college students and is a good classroom activity to help your students warm up to one another at the start of the school year—especially those who are meeting one another for the first time.

    3. Name game

    Enables participants to informally interact with their teammates.

    This classic party game can also be applied in the classroom—you can even tweak it to reflect the curriculum. Write down names of famous people (or names related to course material) on sticky notes. Students place a sticky note on their forehead and interact with their classmates, asking fun icebreaker questions to understand which person they are embodying. For example, a student might ask, “Am I a historical figure?” and another might respond, “Yes, you are,” helping the student narrow down their guess. This team icebreaker helps students loosen up and informally interact with their classmates. It also helps them learn about a figure who may have previously been unknown to them.

    4. Poker hand

    This classroom icebreaker for college students is ideal for large groups (a maximum of 50). Shuffle a deck of cards and hand out a card to each student.

    • Give students a set amount of time to find four classmates and form a hand of poker.
    • The best hand ‘wins’ when their time is up—consider offering a couple of bonus points on an assignment.
    • To encourage connections among students with similar academic interests, you can adapt the activity by having students form groups based on their major, or by assigning card suits to different majors.
    • Keep in mind that not everyone knows how to play poker, so display the rules of the game on a whiteboard or a slide at the front of the classroom.

    This activity may help students develop their analytical skills.

    5. Three of a kind

    Helps students find commonalities with each other.

    • Set a time limit and instruct students to find commonalities by seeking out three other students they share something in common with—though not anything obvious or visible, such as hair color.
    • The idea is to help them make connections that may not be immediately apparent.

    For more strategies to help your students get to know their classmates, download our free list of college icebreakers.

    6. Find your pair

    In advance of class, prepare word pairs—such as salt and pepper, or ketchup and mustard—on separate pieces of paper.

    • Have students select a piece of paper from the pile, ensuring they don’t share their word with anyone else.
    • Run the activity as a quick round, giving students a limited time to walk around the room and ask yes or no questions to their peers to try and figure out what word they have (and helping them get to know more people in your class).
    • Once students have figured out what word they have, they then must find their pair (if they haven’t already) by continuing to ask fun icebreaker questions.

    7. Act and react

    Ask students to write down an event or scenario on a piece of paper. These may range from “I just got fired from my job” to “I just got stung by a bee.” For a more meaningful experience, you can choose scenarios that encourage students to connect on a personal level, helping them share relatable or significant moments.

    • Fold the pieces of paper up and put them in a bag or hat.
    • Have students randomly draw a slip of paper and react to the experience using their facial features, gestures or words.
    • The remaining students can guess what just happened.

    This activity will help lighten the mood in your class and allow for student-student interaction.

    → Download Now: 20+ Free Icebreakers for College Courses

    7 first day icebreakers for college students

    8. Two truths and a lie

    A fun way to help students get to know each other.

    Divide the class into small groups. Each group sits in a circle, and each participant tells their group three statements; two are true and one is a lie. The other students in the group must guess which is the lie. This interactive icebreaker could be used during the first day of class to make introductions and reduce first-day jitters, with each student sharing a fun fact about themselves as part of the activity.

    9. This or that

    Prompts students to choose between two options, revealing preferences through movement or gestures.

    Present students with a choice between ‘this or that.’ Topics should be relatively light, such as whether they prefer dogs or cats (though you could also tie this back to course material). For example, ask students whether they would rather visit the mountains or the beach.

    • Students move to the side of the room that reflects their choice.
    • After a few minutes, encourage one or two members in each group to defend their position amongst a new group of students.
    • Ask students to repeat this process for several rounds to help familiarize themselves with a variety of standpoints.

    Similar to would you rather, this or that is ideal for small or large groups and spurs conversations and makes connections.

    10. Longest line

    Instruct students to form one continuous line based on certain criteria, such as alphabetically by first name or from shortest to tallest. For large classes, you could ask students to gather in groups based on some commonality (such as by birthday month). Another engaging option is to have students line up according to the part of the world they are from or a country in the world they would most like to visit. The goal is for students to line up as fast as possible—a result of clear and open communication in medium-sized groups. This classroom icebreaker for college students is a great team-building activity and can help create a sense of community should it be used as a first day icebreaker or at the beginning of the year.

    11. Three Ps

    Divide students into small groups, and have them share three facts about themselves to help them connect on a personal level: something personal, something professional, and something peculiar, such as an interesting hobby or habit. This icebreaker idea can easily be used in virtual meetings. It should be noted, the personal fact shouldn’t be anything too personal—it could be something as simple as a country they’ve always wanted to travel to. Use this great icebreaker when students go back to school from the summer, helping them warm up to their peers.

    Start assigning fun icebreakers for college students directly in Top Hat. Access the guide now!

    12. Beach ball

    Like the name suggests, this activity requires an inflatable plastic beach ball. Ahead of class, write different get-to-know you questions on each segment of a beach ball using a Sharpie. Arrange students in a circle. For larger classes, you may want to divide the class into smaller groups. The fun icebreaker questions could be “what was one of your highlights from the summer?” or “who is your celebrity idol and why?”

    • Toss the ball. Whoever catches it asks the question closest to their left thumb, answers it and then tosses the ball to another student.

    In a virtual or hybrid setting, students could post their answers to the beach ball questions on a discussion board or class social media page to encourage interaction and connection.

    13. Syllabus questionnaire

    Before sharing your syllabus with students, place them into groups of five and have them fill in a Google Doc or worksheet with questions they have about your course.

    • Structure the first five minutes as a brainstorming session.
    • After each group has prepared their list of questions, distribute the syllabus and have students find answers to their questions using this document.
    • Re-convene as a group and give students an opportunity to ask any further questions that couldn’t be answered from the syllabus.

    For remote teams, this activity can be easily adapted by using virtual breakout rooms and collaborative online documents to ensure all participants are engaged, regardless of location. You may also wish to facilitate this activity using individual lesson plans throughout the semester.

    14. String a story

    Arrive to class with a big roll of yarn or string and cut various pieces ranging from five to 20 inches in length. Bunch the pieces of string together and place them to the side.

    • Have each student draw a piece of string from the pile and slowly wind it around their index finger.
    • As they are winding the string around their finger, students must introduce themselves and give a first-person account of their life—in whatever capacity they wish—until the string is completely wound up.

    For example, a student might share a story about moving to a new city for college, describing how they felt nervous at first but made friends by joining a campus club.

    6 course- or assignment-specific icebreakers for college students

    15. Blind contour

    This activity is a fun way to get your visual arts students talking in a small group of people.

    • Split students into groups of five and have each student choose an object to sketch—without looking at their paper.
    • Give students five minutes to complete their sketch, then have them share it with their team members and ask the remaining students to guess what they drew.
    • Repeat the process with another item or object, until time runs out.

    This game helps hone students’ observational skills, while making sure students are mentally present.

    16. It was the best of classes, it was the worst of classes

    This classroom icebreaker not only helps students relate to each other, it can help inform your teaching practices throughout the term.

    • On one side, write “the best class I ever had” and on the other side, write “the worst class I ever had.”
    • Without referring to specific professors or courses, ask students to share what they liked and disliked about their previous courses.
    • For example, a student might say their best class experience involved interactive group projects and clear feedback, while their worst class experience was a lecture-heavy course with little student engagement.
    • Make a list of these items to potentially implement—or avoid—in your own course this semester.

    Additionally, consider using an anonymous discussion board or a group worksheet in your virtual classroom to encourage participation.

    17. The living Likert scale

    This icebreaker question for college students lets learners see where they—and their peers—stand on a variety of topics related to your discipline.

    • Before class, write numbers ‘1′ through ‘7′ on pieces of paper and place them across the room. The sheet with ‘1′ on it could refer to ‘strongly disagree’ while ‘7′ might refer to ‘strongly agree.’
    • Acting as a facilitator, pose a series of statements related to your discipline—such as “I think television can make children act aggressive” in a social psychology class—and have students move to the side of the wall according to their stance.
    • Students who are comfortable sharing their opinions pertaining to the topic may do so.

    18. Why am I here?

    Have students draw a picture that represents why they enrolled in your course.

    • Encourage them to include their major in the drawing or explanation, and to think beyond the fact that they may need your course credit to graduate, or that their high school guidance counselor recommended your course.
    • They could think about wanting to learn more about your field, how their major connects to the course, or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, too.
    • After five minutes, have students share their picture with the larger group if they’re comfortable—helping students feel like part of one interconnected community.

    Want to assign these icebreakers and more using your Top Hat account? Get started by downloading our classroom icebreaker resource now!

    19. Class in one word

    Have students share their perceptions of your discipline in one word, such as ‘complicated,’ ‘analytical,’ or ‘enjoyable.’

    • Students can go around in a circle—or the order they appear in your Zoom tile view—and describe their past experiences in your field using a single word.
    • In an asynchronous course, set up an anonymous discussion question in Top Hat and have students respond on their own time.

    This activity offers a humanizing view of who else is in the same boat.

    20. Philosophical chairs

    A statement that has two possible responses—agree or disagree—is read out loud.

    • Depending on whether they agree or disagree with this statement, students move to one side of the room or the other.
    • After everyone has chosen a side, ask one or two students on each side to take turns defending their positions.

    This allows students to visualize where their peers’ opinions come from, relative to their own.

    Classroom icebreakers aren’t just a ‘feel good’ exercise. The best icebreakers can help students create connections and build a sense of camaraderie in your classroom. It can also help educators get to know their students and build better relationships. Whether you’re in a physical classroom or in a remote team setting, the above icebreakers will surely create a light-hearted environment for your students to thrive in.

    As Jennifer Gonzalez explains on her website, Cult of Pedagogy, “building solid relationships with your students is arguably the most important thing you can do to be an effective teacher. It helps you build trust so students take academic risks, allows you to better differentiate for individual needs, and prevents the kinds of power struggles often found in poorly managed classrooms.”2

    5 good icebreaker questions to engage college students in your classroom

    21. Dream dinner party

    Ask students: If you could invite any three people, living or dead, to a dinner party, who would they be and why? This question allows students to share their interests, values, and the historical or influential figures they admire. It can spark interesting conversations and provide insights into each student’s personality.

    22. Bucket list sharing

    Ask students to share one item from their bucket list. This can range from travel destinations to personal goals. It helps students discover shared interests and aspirations, fostering connections based on common goals.

    23. Memory lane

    Ask each student to share a significant or memorable experience from their past, such as a favorite childhood memory, a significant achievement, or an interesting travel story. This allows students to open up about their lives in a positive way.

    24. Favorites icebreaker

    Ask students to share their favorites, such as their favorite book, movie, food, or vacation spot. This simple icebreaker can reveal common interests among students and provides an easy topic for conversation.

    25. Superpower scenario

    Ask students, if they could have any superpower, what would it be and why? This question adds a creative and imaginative element to the discussion, and students can explain the reasoning behind their choice, providing insights into their personalities.

    Download The Ultimate List of Icebreakers for College Students, packed with 20+ easy-to-implement activities that you can assign directly in Top Hat. Get the full list of fun icebreakers.

    Related stories

    References

  • Creating a welcoming digital community: Teaching online with personality, compassion and with real interaction. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.ntu.ac.uk/media/documents/adq/flexible-learning-documentation/creating-a-welcoming-digital-community.pdf
  • Gonzalez, J. (2017, July 23). A 4-Part System for Getting to Know Your Students. Retrieved from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/relationship-building/

    • Frequently asked questions

    1. What are the most effective icebreakers for college students on the first day of class?

    Effective first-day icebreakers for college students are activities that help students feel comfortable, reduce anxiety, and encourage early participation. Popular options include Two Truths and a Lie, Human Bingo, and This or That, all of which allow learners to connect quickly without feeling put on the spot. These activities work well for both small and large classes and set a positive tone for discussion and collaboration throughout the semester.

    2. How do icebreakers help build community in the college classroom?

    Icebreakers for college students support community-building by breaking down social barriers, encouraging conversation, and helping classmates discover shared interests or experiences. When students feel more connected to one another, they are more likely to participate, collaborate on group work, and engage with course material. This sense of belonging is especially important for first-year students who may be adjusting to a new environment.

    3. What types of icebreakers work best for large college classes or lecture halls?

    For large groups, the best icebreakers for college students are high-movement or fast-interaction activities. Examples include Longest Line, Poker Hand, and Concentric Circles, which encourage students to meet many peers in a short period of time. These scalable activities help foster connection in spaces where traditional discussion-based icebreakers may be less practical.

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  • ICE Detains Ferris State Prof., DHS Calls Him “Sex Offender”

    ICE Detains Ferris State Prof., DHS Calls Him “Sex Offender”

    DHS said ICE arrested Sumith Gunasekera on Nov. 12.

    Lawrey/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained a Ferris State University professor, according to a Department of Homeland Security news release that calls him “a criminal illegal alien sex offender from Sri Lanka.”

    ICE arrested Sumith Gunasekera in Detroit on Nov. 12, DHS announced in its Nov. 25 release. That’s the date Ferris State “became aware of accusations regarding” Gunasekera, university spokesperson David Murray said in an emailed statement. Murray didn’t answer further questions from Inside Higher Ed Monday, including whether the university performed a background check on Gunasekera before hiring him.

    “He has been placed on administrative leave while the university gathers more information,” Murray wrote. “This is a personnel issue and it would be inappropriate for the university to further discuss the matter.”

    The university’s website lists Gunasekera as director of its Data Analytics Consulting and Research Center. A Sumi Gunasekera is also listed as an assistant professor of marketing.

    As of last week’s news release, DHS said Gunasekera “remains in ICE custody pending further immigration proceedings.” DHS spokespeople didn’t respond to Inside Higher Ed’s questions Monday about whether he’s still being held and where.

    The DHS release says that, in 1998, “a criminal court in Brampton, Ontario convicted Gunasekera for utter threat to cause death or bodily harm and sexual interference and sentenced him to 1 month of incarceration and 1 year of probation.” Anita Sharma, group leader at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, told Inside Higher Ed the case has been archived, so she couldn’t provide further details Monday.

    DHS’s release says “the convictions in Canada” rendered Gunasekera “ineligible for legal status in the United States.” Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, said in the release that “it’s sickening that a sex offender was working as a professor on an American college campus and was given access to vulnerable students to potentially victimize them. Thanks to the brave ICE law enforcement officers, this sicko is behind bars and no longer able to prey on Americans.”

    Inside Higher Ed was unable to reach Gunasekera for comment.

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  • ICE Detains Oklahoma Professor With H-1B Visa

    ICE Detains Oklahoma Professor With H-1B Visa

    Abedini’s detention makes real the fears of many foreign and American academics who are rethinking or boycotting travel to academic conferences in the U.S.

    Peter Zay/AFP/Getty Images

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained a University of Oklahoma professor Saturday while he was on his way to a conference.

    Vahid Abedini, a professor of Iranian Studies, was stopped and detained while he was boarding his flight to attend the Middle East Studies Association conference in Washington, D.C. He was released Monday night, according to a LinkedIn post.

    “I’m relieved to share that I was released from custody tonight. It was a deeply distressing experience, especially seeing those without the support I had,” Abedini wrote on LinkedIn early Tuesday morning. “My sincere thanks to my friends and colleagues at the University of Oklahoma, the Middle East Studies Association, and the wider Iran studies and political science community for helping resolve this.”

    Abedini did not respond to Inside Higher Ed’s request for comment. According to Joshua Landis, Abedini’s colleague and co-director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, Abedini has an H-1B visa.

    “ICE arrested our beloved professor Vahid Abedini,” Landis wrote on X Monday. “He has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa—a non-immigrant work visa granted to individuals in ‘specialty occupations,’ including higher education faculty. We are praying for his swift release.”

    Reached for comment, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Inside Higher Ed: “This Iranian national was detained for standard questioning. He’s been released.”

    Abedini’s detention makes real the fears of many foreign and American academics who are rethinking or boycotting travel to academic conferences in the U.S. due to concerns about wrongful arrests by immigration enforcement.

    In a statement, the MESA Board of Directors said they were “disturbed” to learn of Abedini’s detention and “deeply concerned” about the circumstances. The University of Oklahoma declined to comment on the situation.

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  • Nearby ICE Raids Stoke Fear on North Carolina Campuses

    Nearby ICE Raids Stoke Fear on North Carolina Campuses

    North Carolina campus leaders are urging international students and staff to take precautions and promising to protect student privacy amid a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte areas. But some students and employees fear campuses aren’t doing enough to protect them after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security boasted upwards of 250 arrests in and around Charlotte on Wednesday.

    North Carolina State University’s executive vice chancellor and provost, Warwick Arden, sent a memo to deans and department heads on Tuesday, offering guidance on how to handle any brushes with federal and state agents in Raleigh.

    He stressed that the university follows all federal laws—including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, so administrators shouldn’t release information about students or staff without consulting the Office of General Counsel. He also advised all international students, faculty and staff to “carry evidence of their immigration status with them at all times,” including their passports if they leave the Raleigh area.

    “I want to assure you that we are closely monitoring developments that may impact our community,” Arden wrote in the memo.

    Duke University administrators sent a similar message to students and staff on Wednesday, recommending that international students and employees carry travel documents “at all times” and promising to safeguard student privacy in accordance with federal law. They also told employees to call Duke police if federal agents requested information or sought to enter nonpublic areas.

    Sharon L. Gaber, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, released a memo on Monday, which was updated Thursday, reminding students and employees of the university’s protocols if they encounter anyone who identifies themselves as federal law enforcement. She urged them to call campus police, who “will work with the Office of Legal Affairs to review and verify any subpoenas or warrants that may be presented.”

    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s interim executive vice chancellor and provost, James W. Dean Jr., also put out a message to students and staff on Tuesday, acknowledging “anxiety” caused by the presence of ICE officials and encouraging students and employees “to learn more about their rights and available resources.”

    Dean emphasized that the university “complies with all federal and state laws and guidance”; ICE has the right to approach individuals in public spaces, he said, but they need a warrant to access classrooms, offices or dorms.

    He also said that while FERPA prevents the university from sharing a student’s class schedule and immigration status, their name, address and phone number are public information unless a student previously told the registrar not to share such details. He directed concerned students to the dean of students for “individual supports and services.”

    Fears and Concerns

    Nearby raids have heightened fear and anxiety among students.

    Rumors have been swirling on social media about U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and vehicles sighted near North Carolina State and UNC Charlotte, with students and nearby residents alerting each other about unrecognized cars near campus. Ojo Obrero, an ICE activity tracker created by the Latino and immigrant advocacy organization Siembra NC, showed several sightings of CBP agents and vehicles reported within two miles of UNC Charlotte.

    “The University has been monitoring available information since Customs and Border Protection arrived in Charlotte and had no confirmed reports of CBP on campus; however, they have been in the area,” Christy Jackson, deputy chief communications officer at UNC Charlotte, said in a statement to Inside Higher Ed.

    North Carolina State Police have likewise found “no credible sightings of federal agents on campus” at North Carolina State, Mick Kulikowski, the university’s director of strategic communications and media relations, wrote to Inside Higher Ed.

    Despite memos and reassurances, students and staff expressed frustration that campus leaders’ statements didn’t make a stronger commitment to resisting federal immigration enforcement efforts.

    A joint statement from the American Association of University Professors chapter at UNC Chapel Hill, UE Local 150 and the student organization transparUNCy slammed their administration’s response as “tepid” and “inadequate to meet the moment of fear and uncertainty.” The groups called on university leaders to “do all in their power to deny CBP access to our community,” because “example after example has shown that CBP is acting above the law.”

    Administrators have “instead taken the cowardly approach of saying they’re just going to follow the law,” said Michael Palm, president of the UNC Chapel Hill AAUP chapter. “Everyone that I know who works or studies at UNC understands that we have to protect ourselves, because no one in the administration will help with that.”

    Palm said he and other faculty members are allowing fearful students to attend class remotely after some of his colleagues found them “afraid to come to class, afraid to leave home, if they’re on campus, afraid to leave their dorms.”

    “There has been a real network effort of mutual care to make sure that those students are not just not punished for missing class or excluded from class but also to make sure that they’re getting food, medicine and other supplies,” he said, “and human contact and support so they don’t feel even more isolated and afraid than they already, understandably, do.”

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  • Indiana AG sues Indianapolis Public Schools for hindering ICE efforts

    Indiana AG sues Indianapolis Public Schools for hindering ICE efforts

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    Dive Brief:

    • Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita alleges Indianapolis Public Schools has multiple policies that violate state laws by prohibiting local government entities from limiting or restricting federal immigration enforcement.
    • In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Rokita claims the 30,000-student district has policies barring federal immigration officers from accessing nonpublic areas on school property without a judicial warrant, and that these policies are illegal under Indiana law and pose “grave risks to public safety.”
    • Rokita’s lawsuit also cited an incident on Jan. 8, 2025, in which IPS’ policies “directly contributed to the failure” of federal immigration officers attempting to deport an undocumented Honduran man.

    Dive Insight:

    The IPS Board of School Commissioners said in a Thursday statement that Rokita’s lawsuit is a “heavy burden” and “silly litigation and political posturing” that impacts students, families and taxpayers. 

    “Every dollar spent on defensive legal posture is a dollar not spent on instructional support, teacher development, student services, or enrichment,” the board said. “In this case, Mr. Rokita prefers those dollars go to fight gratuitous political battles, as has too often been the case.”

    The board emphasized that it has always upheld the law and will continue to do so while ensuring “safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environments for all students.”

    Beyond denying access to immigration enforcement officers to school property without a judicial warrant, IPS also requires its employees to not assist immigration efforts unless legally required and authorized by the superintendent, according to Rokita’s lawsuit. The other IPS policy challenged in the complaint is that district staff are prohibited from collecting, maintaining or sharing information about the immigration status of a student, their parents or a school employee.  

    The IPS Board of School Commissioners said it has been “actively collaborating” with Rokita’s office to go over relevant policies of concern. The board said, however, that Rokita only gave the district five business days to review and respond to his opinion on the policies.

    “Yet, these important issues deserve thoughtful, deliberative weighing of important legal rights — not impulsive, superficial efforts for political gain,” the board said.

    The IPS policies being challenged, however, are a common practice in other school districts looking to protect students affected by the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration enforcement in communities nationwide this year.

    In fact, immigration lawyers have advised districts across the country to train their principals and teachers to know that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers cannot enter school property without a warrant signed by a judge.

    Immigration advocates have also pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1982 decision in Plyler v. Doe, which ruled that states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education based on their immigration status. Additionally, other state and local guidance has reminded school administrators this year that districts must maintain the confidentiality of all personally identifiable information in education records related to students under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

    As ICE efforts go on near school communities, some district leaders — most recently at Chicago Public Schools — are calling for virtual schooling for students and families living in fear of federal immigration enforcement presence. Educators, advocates and child psychology experts are continuing to sound the alarm on the traumatic impacts immigration enforcement has on students, including school avoidance and stress.

    But in Indiana, Attorney General Rokita said in a Thursday statement that sanctuary policies like those in place at IPS “are bad in any context, but they are especially troubling in our schools.” He added that, “schools across the country are vulnerable to infiltration by criminal illegal aliens — it’s happened in many other states — and it is essential that ICE be able to take action when that occurs to help keep our kids safe.”

    Rokita’s lawsuit also alleged that in January, ICE’s efforts to deport an undocumented Honduran man living in Indiana were thwarted because IPS did not let the man’s son, who is an IPS student, reunite and leave the U.S. on a flight with his father, who volunteered to board. 

    “IPS took the position that it would not release the child to an ICE officer unless the officer had a judicial warrant or other court order,” the lawsuit said. “ICE responded that it simply was asking that the son be released to the father so that they could depart the country as the father had agreed to do and that such action did not require a court order.”

    Because the father was unable to get custody of his son to board the flight with him, the father missed his flight, and the voluntary departure order expired, according to the complaint. As a result, the lawsuit said that “an illegal alien who should have departed the United States — who had voluntarily agreed to depart the United States — therefore remained in the United States because of IPS’s actions.”

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