23 states weigh new rules on ICE in K-12 schools

State legislatures are moving to set the rules for when federal immigration agents can enter public schools. At least 23 states considered new legislative proposals this year regarding the interaction between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and K-12 campuses. Most of these bills sought to limit officer access to school grounds and students.

An analysis of state legislative activity found 40 distinct proposals. Thirty-five of these bills aimed to restrict federal officers' entry or actions within schools. Only one proposal, introduced in Mississippi, sought to mandate that school districts cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The remaining four bills did not explicitly limit or expand access or cooperation. By the start of the current school year, 11 of the 40 proposals had become law.

The federal government rescinded a policy at the beginning of President Trump's second term that had protected schools and other sensitive locations from routine enforcement. A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said the administration would not tie the hands of law enforcement. This federal change prompted many states to create their own legal frameworks. Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said states are acting to provide additional legal protections for schools.

Minnesota, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, and Nebraska considered bills to restrict ICE access. Several of these proposals required officers to present a warrant before entering. Other bills focused on the role of school resource officers and campus police. Some states also considered requiring school boards to adopt written policies for responding to immigration authorities on school property. At least eight states already had existing laws governing these interactions at the start of 2026.

West Virginia, Hawaii, and Kansas attempted to designate school campuses as sensitive locations to restrict access. None of these three proposals passed. Missouri considered a bill to limit school cooperation with enforcement, despite existing state laws that generally require cooperation. Tennessee examined multiple measures, including one to track student legal status and another to require schools to notify parents and staff if officers were on campus.

Tennessee Representative Jason Zachary, a Republican from Knoxville, supported a measure to report undocumented students. He stated that legislators need data to make informed decisions about attendance. Tennessee Representative Gabby Salinas, a Democrat from Memphis, sponsored a bill to prevent schools from being used as staging areas for enforcement. She said it is difficult to teach when students worry about being taken. Both Tennessee proposals failed to pass.

In Minnesota, lawmakers considered at least five different proposals after an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis earlier this year. None of these bills reached a final vote. School leaders are now waiting for state legislation to provide clear guidance. Principal Kenny Newby at Justice Alan Page Elementary School in Maplewood relies on his district's internal policies. He said staff must welcome officers, ask for paperwork, and notify administrators, but officers with a warrant would be directed to the district office to avoid direct contact with students.

Rob Reetz, principal of Mounds View High School in Arden Hills, noted that a state law would simplify interactions between different districts. He cited confusion over which protocols to follow when his students play away games. Reetz referenced a January incident at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis where armed officers entered the property during dismissal. He said such events contribute to uncertainty about how interactions with immigration enforcement would proceed on his campus.