Puerto Rico’s Senate approved a bill meant to set protections for students with unresolved immigration status or ongoing immigration cases, but amendments added to it have drawn questions. Until now, the government’s position had been to keep federal agents from carrying out actions in sensitive spaces such as schools. The new version provides that federal authorities may enter school grounds with a court order.
Attorney Ángel Robles said the changes weaken the protections originally sought and could leave the door open for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to act with greater freedom in schools. The bill was authored by Senator Nitza Morán and sought legal protections in the school setting for these students. The amendments that raised concern: accompaniment by a student’s mother, father or legal guardian would no longer be mandatory; consultation with the Justice Department and the Education Department’s legal division would become discretionary; and the legislation could not impose additional conditions on federal government powers.
Although a court order would be required for school interventions, the Education Department already has a protocol for these situations, and the original intent was to turn its provisions into law. The amendments were added in the Senate Government Committee, chaired by Senator Ángel Toledo, who insisted the measure keeps protections for students. The bill says parents or guardians must be notified, which also raises concern because one of them could be the person federal authorities are seeking, exposing them when they go to the school. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.