- President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration are causing a stir in our neighborhoods
- A school district posted on Facebook that 'schools should be sanctuaries' for undocumented students
- Video shows the superintendent explaining the district's stance and a look at immigration policies throughout the neighborhood
The Waverly Community School District is coming out in support of students who are undocumented in the wake of several executive orders impacting immigrants across the country.
The district published a post on Facebook on Monday to assure parents that the school district would shield undocumented students from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
PHOTO: FACEBOOK POST BY WAVERLY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SUPPORTING FAMILIES OF UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS

The post said that the district was working on protocols and procedures in the event that ICE agents show up to the door.
"Some of our families are feeling worried and fearful," Blake said. "We want to ensure that all of our kids feel comfortable and we know some of the executive orders make them feel uncomfortable."
One order President Donald Trump signed last week would allow ICE agents to detain immigrants at sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals.
Blake said the Facebook post is rooted in a 1982 Supreme Court decision, Plyler v Doe, a landmark decision that allowed undocumented children access to public education.
"Schools are a place for a kid to grow and learn and dream," Blake said.
Blake says the district has roughly 3,000 students. The school district doesn't keep track of a student's citizenship status so the number of undocumented students in the district is unknown according to Blake.
Shawn Lewis, the district's director of school culture, says the district is committed to creating a safe, caring, inclusive and equitable environment for all students.
VIDEO: NEIGHBORS REACT TO TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON IMMIGRATION, ELECTRIC VEHICLES
"We'd make the same commitment if it were just one [undocumented] student in the district," Lewis said. "Our job is to keep students safe."
In 2023 the City of East Lansing passed a resolution to become the state's first sanctuary city.
In 2017 the City of Lansing passed an executive order directing city police and employees not to assist immigration agents unless they have a criminal warrant.
Prior to the order, the city council voted to make Lansing a sanctuary city but reversed course days later after comments from then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Mayor Andy Schor provided a statement to Fox 47 News saying the city will continue to follow the executive order set by the previous administration:
“Lansing remains a diverse, welcoming city. Mayor Schor fully supports the Executive Order that is currently in place from the previous administration. The Lansing Police Department is a highly trained, professional local law enforcement agency. They will not, and should not, be expected to act as an immigration enforcement agency.”
In December 2024, Ingham County passed a resolution to make the county 'a welcoming community for immigrants.'
U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Michigan) responded to questions about what he thinks of the president's executive orders and what he says to educators who believe schools should be sanctuaries.
This was Barrett's response:
"The American people elected President Trump to secure our nation's borders. The president is sending a clear message that after four years of open borders, illegal immigration will no longer be tolerated in the United States of America. The congressman fully supports his actions to remove dangerous and violent criminals in our country illegal in order to make our communities safer. Congress Barrett also looks forward to working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to defeat the cartels, stop the scourge of Fentanyl affecting every community in America, and implement a merit based standard for those seeking to enter our country through the legal process. Congressman Barrett believes we can both secure our borders and treat people humanely while respecting their human dignity. These two are not mutually exclusive."
Lewis says the district is holding a virtual meeting next week with the district's families. The meeting is being held online so families can feel comfortable attending.
"It's not a meeting just for us to talk to them but to gather information to assess how we can be more supportive," Lewis said.
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