Six public schools in South Seattle were placed under shelter-in-place orders on Tuesday due to unconfirmed reports of possible ICE activity nearby. No ICE presence was confirmed at or near the schools. Seattle Public Schools said students continued their regular classes indoors, and the shelter-in-place was lifted the same day, according to KOMO News.
Students and community members expressed concern after reports of possible ICE activity near Seattle schools. An 18-year-old Cleveland STEM High School student said, “I was pretty scared for my classmates, you know, because what if some of them got taken away?” Locals gathered outside with signs reading “ICE Out” and distributed whistles to alert others if an ICE agent was seen, as reported by ABC 3340.
Seattle Public Schools followed district guidance to protect students and staff while keeping schools open. Teachers told students that learning would continue indoors under a "tightened version of everyday safety practice," not a lockdown. Staff are trained to meet visitors at the door, check credentials, and deny entry until a legal review is done. Matt Adams from the Northwest Immigration Rights Project said, "They don't have the right to just enter a school or enter a classroom without being granted permission by school authorities," as stated by KOMO News.
The Seattle Police Department said they do not take part in federal immigration enforcement and encouraged reporting suspicious activity. SPS has contacted families, will send a districtwide message, and is connecting families with resources like the City of Seattle’s Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Rapid Response line.
