Law enforcement tried to enter a Chicago elementary school but was denied permission, Chicago Public Schools officials said

Law enforcement officers tried to enter a Chicago elementary school Friday morning, but were not allowed inside or allowed to speak with anyone inside, Chicago Public Schools officials said.

Around 11:15 in the morning, agents tried to enter Hamline Elementary School, said Chicago Public Schools’ Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova. School officials said the agents were from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which ICE denied.

“School staff followed the policies established by CPS,” Chkoumbova said at a news conference Friday. “They kept ICE agents outside the school and contacted the CPS legal department and the CPS Office of Safety and Security for guidance. ICE agents were not allowed to enter the school and were not allowed to speak with any students or staff. “

Chkoumbova emphasized that basic principles were followed, ensuring the safety of students and staff, and reiterated the district’s commitment to protecting students and families in accordance with the Illinois Trust Act and Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance. The district does not request or share a family’s immigration status with ICE, she said.

The district will only allow ICE agents into schools with a criminal warrant signed by a federal judge, and access will not be granted based on administrative or arrest warrants, Chkoumbova said.

When reached by CNN for comment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials denied that their agents were involved.

“This was not a meeting of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said a spokesperson for the agency in a statement sent to CNN on Friday afternoon.

The Chicago Police Department also told CNN that it was not called to the school.

Staff followed policies, ensured student safety and respected their right to an education, Hamline Principal Natasha Ortega said at a press conference.

“I am very grateful to all of our Hamline staff who are here for upholding all of our policies and ensuring the safety of our students,” Ortega said. “We’re not going to open the doors to ICE, and we’re here to protect our kids and make sure they get a quality education.”

Earlier this week, acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman announced that immigration authorities would be allowed to detain people and conduct enforcement actions in areas near churches and schools, marking a departure from a longstanding policy of avoiding so-called sensitive cases. locations.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in American schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave lawmakers, and instead trusts them to use common sense,” the statement said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement instituted a policy in 2011 that prohibits agents from making arrests in sensitive areas. The Biden administration issued similar guidance. Immigration advocates have shared concerns about taking away that policy, saying doing so would create fear in immigrant communities and prevent children from going to school or people from seeking hospital care.

“There is no sanctuary for criminals in this country, and there is no sanctuary for child trafficking, child trafficking or child endangerment,” homeland security adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News on Friday in response to reports that ICE visited a Chicago elementary school. .

“ICE officers will take the necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of our children and identify people involved in the trafficking and trafficking of our children to conduct this investigation, to protect the safety and security of all children. Across America, law enforcement has unrestricted access to conduct basic investigations,” said Miller.

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, Whiney Wild and Bill Kirkos contributed to this report.

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