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Educators Concerned for PA Immigrant Students
More than 62K children across state were born outside the U.S.
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service
The Tube City Almanac
February 06, 2025
Posted in: State & Region
Immigration policy changes under the Trump administration are instilling fear in Pennsylvania schools, as educators and advocates warn of their effects on students and families.
Over 62,000 children born outside of the U.S. are residents in the Keystone State.
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and chief executive officer of MomsRising, said children are living in fear of family separation and a terrified child in a classroom full of fearful children can’t learn or thrive.
“We’re hearing from people that many children are terrified that if they go to school, their parents won’t be there when they come home,” she said. “That’s no way to learn. We’re hearing from people that many students, indeed, whole classrooms, are terrified that their close friends who are students won’t be at their desks tomorrow. None of this is okay.”
Pittsburgh Public Schools’ website states that requests from the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement service to access student information or school grounds must be reviewed by the district’s Law Department and the superintendent’s office.
ICE officials cannot access students without prior legal approval and required documentation, according to PPS.
Nicholas Espiritu, deputy director of the National Immigration Law Center, advises immigrants to understand their rights before speaking with ICE, including the right to remain silent and to consult an attorney and not disclose their immigration status.
“Before you say anything, talk to a lawyer,” he said. “You might be made promises. You might be made threats. But don’t let this intimidation stop you from for requesting and enforcing your right to speak with a lawyer.”
He recommended immigrants with any form of documentation, such as a work permit or green card, always carry it with them, and added that doing so can reduce interactions with ICE officers.
Danielle M. Smith is a producer for Public News Service, where this story first appeared. An award-winning radio journalist/personality with more than a decade of experience in broadcast media, she is a former audio journalist with American Urban Radio Networks and Sheridan Broadcasting Networks who also hosts a weekly community affairs show “Good News” on WGBN (1360 AM/98.9 FM).
Originally published February 06, 2025.
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