ICE agents are now allowed in public areas on school grounds including lobbies, waiting areas and parking lots without permission.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is training its principals and leadership team on how to respond if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up at local schools.
A new internal manual was distributed to all CMS principals and members of the superintendent’s cabinet outlining what steps administrators should take if immigration officials come to campus.
For years, public schools were considered protected areas largely off-limits to immigration enforcement. That changed when federal guidance designating schools as “sensitive locations” was rescinded.
According to the manual, ICE agents are now allowed in public areas on school grounds, including lobbies, waiting areas and parking lots without permission. However, to enter private areas such as classrooms or offices, or to make an arrest, agents must present a judicial warrant or subpoena signed by a magistrate judge.
If ICE officials arrive, school staff are directed to immediately contact the CMS Office of General Counsel to verify any documentation presented. If the document is signed only by an ICE officer or immigration judge - also known as an administrative warrant or subpoena - the school is not required to comply.
The district is also instructing staff to document all interactions with immigration agents, including the number of agents, their appearance, who they speak with, and any other notable behavior. If someone is detained, school staff should ask where that person is being taken to help the family locate them.
The manual also highlights that immigration enforcement can occur off-campus during school events or field trips. If that happens, the district encourages offering supportive measures, including counselor involvement and evaluating hardship caregiver affidavits.
This new reality is also raising concerns for some families.
“I don’t think there’s a need to come into the schools and do it,” said Jason Craft, a Charlotte parent. “After hours, behind the scenes, maybe not where the kids can see it. To me, it’s kind of scary.”
Hunter Grider, a south Charlotte resident, said enforcement on campus is disruptive.
“I think it is ridiculous, and it’s a distraction. It’s supposed to be a place of learning and safety,” Grider said. “Even people that wanted [immigration enforcement] didn’t want it to go like this.”
Another woman who works with children expressed concern about the trauma that witnessing enforcement actions could cause.
“It can be traumatic not just for the kids involved, but also for the kids seeing what is going on,” she said.
Despite the concerns, CMS says it is legally required to protect student education records and personal information. The district adds it remains committed to ensuring all children, regardless of immigration status, have access to a free and safe public education.
CMS Board Communications provided this statement to WCNC Charlotte around 6:40 p.m. Friday:
In January of this year, the current administration rescinded a 2021 guidance designating schools as “protected areas,” limiting immigration enforcement action in schools. Currently, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are encouraged to only conduct “common sense” enforcement.
Although immigration officials have not shown up on CMS property, the Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) presented on this topic at the Summer Leadership Conference to school leaders in June of 2025. The OGC also created a webinar as a resource for principals in the event immigration officers do appear, and what steps school staff should take.
As the webinar explains, immigration officials and law enforcement agents must present valid credentials and a properly executed warrant or subpoena to remain on school property (including public areas such as parking lots, lobbies, and waiting areas) to access any person or record.
Law enforcement agencies, including ICE, cannot indiscriminately wait to speak to a student, parent, or member of staff in public areas.
The webinar encourages principals to seek counsel from the OGC to determine the validity and scope of any documents presented by law enforcement, including ICE. Principals are not expected to have the expertise to interpret any legal document. Principals are not required to “give permission” or provide access, unless agents have a valid document. This is not a new process.