Chicago Public Schools officials said in a press conference Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were present at the city's elementary schools, but were denied entry. But later Friday, the Secret Service said it visited the school, not the ice.
The principal at Hamline Elementary School said multiple ice agents came to the school Friday morning but were not authorized by administrators. ICE and local police officers did not provide details about the incident.
“This was not an encounter between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” an ICE spokesperson said.
The Chicago Police Department said it “did not receive a call for service at that location.”
The Secret Service on Friday evening said its agents visited the school regarding threats to protected individuals related to the recent TikTok ban.
“The Secret Service investigates all threats made against those we protect and does not investigate or enforce immigration laws,” the agency said in a statement.
The agent introduced himself to the school's principal, provided his business card, and left without an “incident.”
School officials said they followed protocols that did not allow ice agents inside the building unless a warrant existed. Natasha Ortega, principal at Hamline Elementary, said training on this issue “will ensure the safety of our school and all of our students.”
“We don't open the door for ice. We're here to protect our kids,” Ortega said.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacey Davis Gates said the agents' arrival was “unprecedented,” but officials stressed that all students and staff are safe.
President Trump lifted a directive that previously kept ice agents away from schools and places of worship, among other sweeping immigration actions in his first week in office.
Asked about the Chicago incident on Fox News, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump's immigration crackdown, said, “There is no sanctuary for criminal aliens in this country.” said.
“Ice Officers will take the actions necessary to protect the lives and safety of children and identify individuals involved in child smuggling and human trafficking,” Miller said.
School districts across the country are preparing for potential immigration enforcement actions. For example, Denver Public Schools I spoke to the administrator If ICE agents show up using “an intercom to communicate” to set up a “secure perimeter” and “not allow entry to the building.”
Updated at 7:18 EST
Sophia Vento and Filip Timotija contributed to this report.
