In the heart of Kensington, a neighborhood with deep Latino roots, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over students and parents.
The Trump administration’s decision to strip schools of their status as “protected” locations from immigration enforcement has sparked widespread fear, even though no ICE arrests have been reported at local schools.
The unease stems not from confirmed incidents but from the chilling possibility that educational institutions—once considered sanctuaries—could become sites of immigration raids.
The School District of Philadelphia has made efforts to reassure the community, firmly denying rumors that ICE agents have been seen near schools, including one in Kensington.
However, reassurance alone hasn’t been enough to calm the anxieties of parents and students.
Kensington, where nearly 12% of residents are foreign-born and 72% identify as Latino, has been on high alert as families worry that children may be separated from their parents.
Discarding the fact that most Latinos in Kensington are Puerto Rican and, therefore, U.S. citizens, the broader climate of fear has unsettled the entire community.
Philadelphia’s status as a sanctuary city has long provided a degree of protection, with local law enforcement refusing to cooperate with ICE in detaining or sharing information about undocumented immigrants.
Even so, past incidents loom large in people’s minds. In 2020, ICE agents arrested a mother outside Eliza B. Kirkbride Elementary School in South Philadelphia.
While there have been no documented cases of ICE entering schools in Philadelphia under Trump’s presidency, students say they have received little to no guidance on how to respond if that were to change.
Aside from the district’s official policy on ICE encounters, which instructs staff to contact legal counsel and avoid providing any information about students or their families, concerns persist.
Superintendent Tony Watlington has emphasized a balanced approach—ensuring compliance with the law while also protecting immigrant students.
Reports of ICE raids elsewhere in the country, including a recent false alarm at a Chicago public school and the arrest of seven migrants at a car wash in nearby Juniata Park, have only heightened tensions in Kensington.
Residents and local officials have voiced their outrage over such actions, with Philadelphia leaders condemning the disruption caused by the Juniata Park raid.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, state Sen. Christine Tartaglione, and state Rep. Jose Giral issued a statement denouncing ICE’s operations in the area, calling them unnecessary and harmful to the community.
Their frustration highlights the broader concern that these enforcement actions are tearing families apart and instilling fear in neighborhoods where immigrants have lived and contributed for years.
Understanding the legal nuances of ICE’s authority has become increasingly crucial.
ICE operates under two main types of warrants: administrative warrants, which are issued by ICE officials and do not grant permission to enter private property, and judicial warrants, which require a judge’s signature and carry more legal weight.
According to district policy, school personnel cannot permit ICE agents into nonpublic areas or provide student information unless required by law.
Staff members are instructed to immediately send any warrants or subpoenas to district lawyers for review before taking further action.
The Philadelphia school district has implemented an immigrant and refugee toolkit and is offering professional development for school staff to better understand how to respond to ICE encounters.
However, many educators say they need more preparation. Past incidents, like a 2022 case where a school principal allegedly threatened to report a student’s family to ICE, have further fueled demands for better training and clearer protocols.
Parents and advocates in Kensington are calling for more than only legal protections—they want emotional and social support for children living under the weight of uncertainty.
Cheyenne Duffy, a parent at Webster Elementary, expressed frustration at the renewed focus on mass deportation, arguing that resources and pathways to legal status should be prioritized instead. “It’s hard enough to get over here the right way,” she said.
“Trying to get back into a country that doesn’t want you is even harder. If anything, we should be giving people help, not making them live in fear.”
With advocacy groups, local leaders, and school officials working to provide guidance and support, residents are determined to protect their families, students, and community from the uncertainty ahead.
Kensington politics continues to be shaped by these immigration concerns as residents push for policies that prioritize family unity and fair treatment.
