School officials across Minnesota have filed a lawsuit seeking to bar federal immigration agents from operating on or near public school property.
The coalition, which includes teachers and administrators, says recent enforcement actions have created fear among students and disrupted learning.
According to the lawsuit, attendance in some districts reportedly fell by nearly one-third in January, when Operation Metro Surge began, with some schools seeing fewer than half of students attend, reports Kare 11.
The legal action names former and current Border Patrol commanders Greg Bovino and Rodney Scott, along with border officials Tom Homan, as defendants. It follows multiple reports of students being detained or questioned by immigration agents near schools.
“Students can’t learn, and educators can’t teach, when there are armed, masked federal agents stationed within view of classroom windows, sometimes for days on end,” said Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota.
“ICE and Border Patrol need to stay away from our schools so students can go there safely each day to learn without fear,” he added.
The lawsuit calls for a permanent restriction on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol activities on school property and along school transport routes.
Officials say the Department of Homeland Security failed to properly weigh the educational and community impact when it lifted previous guidance limiting enforcement in sensitive locations.
The coalition plans to address the Minnesota Capitol on Wednesday to highlight their concerns.