Federal Judge OKs ICE Raids At Public Schools In Win For Trump

A federal judge has blocked Denver Public Schools’ effort to prevent immigration officials from conducting enforcement actions on school property, delivering a win for the Trump administration as it ramps up deportation operations.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, a Trump appointee, ruled that the school district did not provide sufficient evidence proving that a drop in student attendance was directly linked to the administration’s decision to rescind a 2021 Biden-era policy. That policy had shielded schools and other “sensitive locations” like churches from ICE enforcement.

According to Fox News, over 1.4 million individuals are currently listed on ICE’s final order of removal docket.

Denver Public Schools had taken legal action against the Department of Homeland Security and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, contending that the rollback of protections had “hindered its mission” by fostering fear among students, leading to reduced attendance.

The district sought a preliminary injunction to block federal arrests at sensitive sites—an effort that was unsuccessful. Judge Domenico also rejected a broader nationwide injunction that would have mandated immigration authorities to adhere to the 2021 guidelines, Fox reported.

Beyond declining attendance, the district claimed it had to redirect resources to alleviate fears within the student body and their families after the protections were lifted. School officials said they had invested significant time and effort into training students and staff on how to respond during immigration enforcement situations. For example, personnel were instructed not to allow ICE officers onto school grounds unless presented with a judicially signed warrant.

However, Domenico, who previously served as Colorado’s solicitor general, questioned whether the fear stemmed specifically from the policy change or from general concerns over increased immigration enforcement.

He also pointed out that no ICE raids had actually taken place at Denver Public Schools and that the head of ICE had implemented a directive requiring supervisory approval for arrests at sensitive locations.

Domenico observed that both the apprehension surrounding the policy shift and the belief that prior regulations had fully safeguarded schools seemed to be “overstated.”

Fox further noted that “the lawsuit was brought by the school district, not the city of Denver, which is a sanctuary city.” Court filings stated that Denver Public Schools had an enrollment of more than 90,000 students during the 2023-2024 academic year, approximately 4,000 of whom were immigrants.

Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Friday that officials have identified individuals allegedly responsible for leaking information about upcoming ICE operations.

“We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” Noem posted on X. “We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”

She emphasized that efforts to maintain national security would continue. “We’re going to do all that we can to keep America safe,” she added.

Noem did not disclose the names of the alleged leakers.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News that the suspects would face legal consequences.

“We are preparing to refer these perpetrators to the DOJ for felony prosecutions,” McLaughlin stated. “These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison. We will find and root out all leakers. They will face prison time, and we will get justice for the American people.”