Seattle Schools Implement Shelter-in-Place Protocols in Response to ICE Activity
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) alerted Aki Kurose Middle School and Cleveland STEM High School about nearby U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, prompting both schools to implement a shelter-in-place protocol. The middle school was informed that ICE agents might target families warned of the activity who were coming to pick up their children, leading to a lockdown that lasted until the end of the day. Students were restricted from leaving unless a family member arrived to collect them, with heightened security measures in place to ensure safety.
Similarly, Cleveland STEM High School also enacted a shelter-in-place order due to credible reports of ICE activity in the community, although the activity was not directly observed at the school. The principal, Jeff Lam, communicated via email that all doors were secured, and students were required to remain on campus during lunch. Staff monitored the premises and facilitated student movement between periods, allowing students to leave only if their parents arrived for pick-up.
While Aki Kurose Middle School and Cleveland STEM High School took precautionary measures in response to the ICE presence, other schools in the area, such as Franklin High School, Dunlap Elementary School, Mercer Island International Middle School, Mercer Island High School and Middle School, and Alki Elementary School, reported no shelter-in-place orders and were unaware of ongoing ICE activity in the vicinity. The safety protocols implemented by the affected schools aimed to ensure the well-being of students and staff during the potential threat.