In a wealthy Maryland school district, parents are receiving instruction on how to navigate potential encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A recent virtual training session, hosted by a local councilwoman and PTA officials, focused on preparing families for ICE activity and organizing a community response.
The session, titled “ICE Response & Organizing Tools for PTAs, Parents & Guardians,” wasn’t a theoretical discussion. It provided concrete guidance on assisting students whose parents may be undocumented, monitoring ICE presence during school hours, and offering support to families facing arrest or deportation.
Councilwoman Kristin Mink, who led the training, has previously conducted similar sessions aimed at equipping schools with strategies to protect their communities. Her presentation included a detailed “rapid response” guide, publicly released just days before the PTA meeting.
A particularly striking element of the guidance addressed the role of allies, specifically those who are White. The presentation cautioned against using whistles as a form of protest during ICE encounters.
The reasoning behind this advice was nuanced. The slides argued that whistles, while intended to disrupt, can inadvertently reinforce dynamics of authority and control, potentially causing stress within communities already disproportionately affected by systemic noise pollution and historical inequities.
The presentation delved into how various social characteristics – including race, gender, and education – intersect with power dynamics. It emphasized the importance of centering the voices and needs of those directly impacted, rather than imposing external solutions.
This guidance reflects a growing debate within the anti-ICE movement itself. Some immigrant-led organizations have voiced concerns that tactics like whistle-blowing can be counterproductive, creating panic and escalating tensions.
These groups argue that such actions can be perceived as a “White Savior” approach, overshadowing the leadership and agency of those most affected by immigration enforcement. The focus, they believe, should be on community-led strategies.
The Department of Homeland Security recently issued a statement clarifying that ICE does not conduct enforcement operations *at* schools, addressing what they termed “fearmongering” by some political advocates. However, concerns about the impact of ICE activity on students and families remain.
The PTA session has drawn criticism from some who believe parent-teacher organizations should concentrate solely on academic matters. Concerns have been raised about the introduction of potentially divisive political rhetoric into school communities.
The training was widely promoted through the Montgomery County Council of PTAs and numerous individual school PTAs, with support from various education associations, labor unions, and immigration advocacy groups.
