Senator Amy Klobuchar and local educators speak on school ICE impacts

DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and local educators, held a press conference on Friday, addressing ICE’s impact on school districts.

Klobuchar’s visit comes days after the Duluth Public School District, joined the Fridley Public School District, and Education Minnesota in a lawsuit, to keep ICE agents off school grounds.

The Duluth School District has reported decreased attendance, due to the ICE operations in Minnesota.

Klobuchar said schools should be safe spaces, and students shouldn’t fear going to class.

“Here in Duluth, we know that school attendance is down, and staff resources, instead of being used on teaching kids how to learn and grow and maybe embracing, which we can still do, the excitement of the Duluthians in the Olympics and other fun things that. You want to build community pride instead are being used the school resources for emergency planning,” Klobuchar said.

Duluth Schools Superintendent, John Magas, said while the lawsuit could bring unwanted attention to Duluth, it’s important that students feel safe.

“When we’re thinking about who are the school yard yard bullies, we weren’t expecting them to be federal agents, and so that is our concern. We’re all about law enforcement and safe schools. We have great partnerships with our police department, we have great sheriff department partnerships, and that is important to us. But when it comes to law enforcement, it needs to make sure that it’s it’s done the right way, and it’s done legally,” Magas said.

Klobuchar said it’s important for people to stand up and say “ICE Out,” not just in the metro area, or in Duluth, but across the state.