Columbia Heights schools reflect on Minnesota ICE surge: ‘It was tumultuous’
Columbia Heights schools reflect on Minnesota ICE surge: ‘It was tumultuous’
As a small school district north of Minneapolis closes the book on a "tumultuous" school year amid Operation Metro Surge, district officials in Columbia Heights fear students and families will continue to be negatively impacted.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As a small school district north of Minneapolis closes the book on a "tumultuous" school year amid Operation Metro Surge, district officials in Columbia Heights fear students and families will continue to be negatively impacted.
Seven students detained by immigration authorities
What we know:
At least seven students in Columbia Heights Public Schools were detained as part of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation earlier this year.
District officials reflected on their nationally recognized response during Operation Metro Surge and their efforts to help students move forward despite ongoing concerns that some of those students may not return next year.
"Columbia Heights in general was disproportionately affected, and I think because of the large Hispanic population that we serve and that we have," said Valley View Elementary School Principal Jason Kuhlman.
At the height of Operation Metro Surge, the school faced an influx of immigration agents in the neighborhood and on several occasions witnessed agents staging on school grounds.
Videos provided by school officials reveal sightings of immigration agents through school windows. One video shows an agent arguing with school staff that the loading dock was a public parking lot.
Warning whistles were often heard around the elementary, middle and high schools, which are located just north of Minneapolis.
"There was fear when we whistle at recess, we stopped doing that because the whistles triggered some of our kids," Kuhlman said.
A blue bunny hat and a 5-year-old detained
The backstory:
In January, a photo of 5-year-old Liam Ramos being detained in his blue bunny hat alongside his father gained national attention.
"No child and no student of mine should ever be surrounded by a group of masked, armed agents on their way to or from school," said Columbia Heights Superintendent Zena Stenvik during a town hall in April.
‘That’s against my morals’
Why you should care:
Kuhlman said the surge included "one of the worst days" of his career when he had to drive two young students to the federal Whipple Building after their mother was unexpectedly detained.
The mother, who was seeking asylum, was detained while conducting her court-ordered check-in.
"She had all the paperwork, it didn’t matter," Kuhlman said, adding that the mother asked him to bring her children to the facility.
"It was horrible," Kuhman said. "I get emotional about it just because that’s not what we signed up to do. That’s against my morals and my values to bring kids down where they’re going to be detained."
The family was sent to a detention center in Texas before ultimately returning to Minneapolis.
Next school year
What's next:
Stenvik and district staff organized food shelves and transportation to help families when they returned and those still afraid to leave their homes.
Months after the intensity of the surge, Stenvik said those efforts will continue into the summer and the coming school year.
"We still have a community rapid response team, we’re still communicating, we’re being vigilant," Stenvik said.
But Kuhlman fears the fallout from the immigration surge will continue to affect families.
"I know three to four [families] for sure either were deported or chose to self-deport, and again, there’s the unknown of will they be here next fall? We don’t know," Kuhlman said. "I just wish others would see that they’re not the worst of the worst, they’re not hardened criminals, they are good people that just want a better life for their children."
Columbia Heights schools highlighted at JFK Awards
Local perspective:
Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent was among several people in Boston last month to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. The People of the Twin Cities were honored for risking their lives to protect their immigrant neighbors.