FCPS unveils ‘Trust Policy’ to prevent information sharing with ICE

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A public school district in northern Virginia is finalizing a sanctuary city-like policy to prevent staff from disclosing immigration or citizenship status unless the law dictates it or there is a court order.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) announced that the so-called “Trust Policy” will create a safe and inclusive environment for all students. The policy will limit information sharing between Fairfax County school personnel and federal immigration officials.

But the school system was not acting alone; it was following the lead of the county’s Board of Supervisors that had passed similar prohibitions on information sharing with federal immigration authorities in January 2021.

FCPS Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement executive director Kathleen Walts said, “The primary goal of the Trust Policy is to serve as a written commitment that our students and their families will be able to access services and benefits without being asked for immigration status or have information reported.” FCPS employees, school resource officers and volunteers will be trained on the Trust Policy, Walts noted.

The policy claimed that immigration enforcement activities by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency would instill fear among students. One cited example was that one student was unable to prevent an assignment which asked students to discuss their family and background because of that student’s fear of being deported.

Yet there are some policy exceptions, such as when the individual or guardian allows information sharing, when the information sharing is a part of the process for a student to obtain benefits, or the collection of demographic data. The policy will be implemented in time for the 2022-2023 school year.

The school board chair, Stella Pekarsky, said it is a relief that the Trust Policy is getting off the ground. “This impacts nothing, but for those that really need this, it’s a life-changer.”

Sanctuary cities, where liberal cities prevent coordination between federal immigration agencies and law enforcement, is a way for the Left to disregard federal immigration policies and the enforcement of said policies. For a public school system to codify their defiance of federal immigration laws, it is a stark example of how public education has become political, partisan, and increasingly Leftist.