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In response to recent federal policy changes regarding immigration enforcement, Suffolk Public Schools (SPS) issued a letter on Tuesday, Feb. 4, to provide guidance and reassurance to its families. Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon III emphasized the district’s commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all students.

The letter addresses concerns stemming from one of the many executive orders signed on Jan. 20, 2025. This order reinterpreted the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship, and another rescinded a 2021 Department of Homeland Security policy that designated schools and other community institutions as “protected areas.”

In the letter, Gordon reassured families that federal agents must have a judicial warrant to conduct enforcement activities in schools. He affirmed the district’s dedication to ensuring that schools remain places of learning, not fear, and called for compassion, unity, and respect during this period of change.

Recently, the Richmond City School Board took it one step further in its decision to declare its schools as “safe zones” from immigration enforcement.

Previously, locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals were designated as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement was limited. The removal of these protections has led to increased anxiety among immigrant communities and prompted various responses from local governments and organizations.

The letter from SPS reads:

As educators, our highest responsibility is to ensure that every student in our schools feels safe, supported and welcomed. Recent federal actions have raised concerns about immigration policies and their potential impact on our students, families and communities.  

On January 20, 2025, as the new presidential administration took office, several executive orders were issued, including one that reinterprets the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship. Additionally, a new directive from the administration rescinds a 2021 policy by the Department of Homeland Security that designated schools and other community institutions as “protected areas” where immigration enforcement activities were discouraged, which has understandably caused heightened concern for many of our families. 

As these policies evolve, it is important for our families to know that, under the law, federal agents must have a judicial warrant to conduct enforcement activities in our schools. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of every student, and we take seriously our responsibility to ensure that our schools remain places of learning, not fear.  

Now more than ever, we must lead with compassion, unity, and respect. Our schools are places where every child belongs, and we will work together to maintain an environment of trust, inclusion, and safety for all.

Click here to read President Trump’s immigration policy.