Chelsea school board votes to restrict ICE access as accuracy of cited incident is questioned

Resolution requires judicial warrant as officials later dispute incident cited by board president

The Chelsea, Michigan School District school board has approved a resolution limiting access by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to district property, requiring a valid judicial warrant before agents may enter school buildings or nonpublic areas.

The resolution was approved during a recent school board meeting and is intended to reassure families that the district has procedures in place to protect students and maintain a safe learning environment, according to board leaders.

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School Board President Erin Hunt-Carter said the resolution requires ICE agents to present a valid judicial warrant that must be reviewed by district administration before they are permitted to enter, remain in, or conduct immigration enforcement activities within any district building or nonpublic area. Hunt-Carter said the resolution is not a change in district policy but a way to communicate existing procedures to the community.

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During the meeting, Hunt-Carter referenced an incident she said occurred in Ypsilanti in January, stating that ICE agents detained parents of public school students at a bus stop during student drop off. She said the incident highlighted the need for the district to proactively review its policies and reaffirm its commitment to student safety and a supportive learning environment for all students, regardless of immigration status.

However, subsequent reporting and statements from local law enforcement later clarified that ICE agents were not conducting immigration enforcement at school bus stops or on school grounds in Ypsilanti. Authorities issued a clarification after earlier reports circulated publicly.

Those clarifications contradict the incident described during the Chelsea school board meeting.

Questions have since been raised about why the Ypsilanti incident was cited after the clarification had been issued. It is unclear whether Hunt-Carter was aware of the updated information at the time of the meeting or whether the resolution was influenced by inaccurate reports.

The Chelsea school board resolution does not prohibit ICE agents from accessing district property if they have a valid judicial warrant, but it formalizes the district’s requirement that such warrants be reviewed by administrators before access is granted.

Similar resolutions have been adopted or discussed by school districts across Michigan amid heightened debate over immigration enforcement and student safety.