Are Your Schools Prepared for ICE Raids? (Ep. 46)
In this timely conversation, attorney Leo Tucker shares his expertise on preparing schools and communities for immigration enforcement actions that could separate children from their families. As executive director of Aid (Aiding Survivors of Trafficking and Child Abuse), Tucker has developed a comprehensive, free guide called "Preparing for ICE Raids" that helps schools create rapid response plans to protect vulnerable students.
Key highlights:
Legal distinctions between "undocumented" vs. "illegal" immigrants and why terminology matters
Real-world examples of Fourth Amendment violations during enforcement actions
Practical strategies for schools to respond when students' parents are detained
Constitutional protections and the landmark Plyler v. Doe Supreme Court case ensuring education access regardless of immigration status
Tucker emphasizes this isn't about politics—it's about protecting children from trauma and ensuring they have support systems when a crisis strikes. Whether from immigration enforcement, accidents, or other family emergencies, communities benefit from having response plans in place.
This conversation provides hope and practical solutions for educators and community leaders navigating these challenging times. Developing emergency response plans for youth, even in communities where the risk of trauma appears low, has the additional benefit of enabling educators, parents, and community members to collaborate on a matter of mutual concern.
Featured Guest:
Léo Tucker was born and raised in rural Arkansas where he learned to care actively for his whole human family. For that, he gives thanks to his parents, faith community, and neighbors from El Salvador and Laos.
Léo has worked abroad as a Fulbright Scholar and attended law school as a Gates Public Service Law Scholar. Abroad, Leo worked primarily in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Chaco, Argentina. Léo’s work brings about change through litigation, international human rights mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review, and strategic partnerships that are community-led and which use the rule of law as a community’s sword and shield. Abroad, Léo has served communities as diverse as Dalit organizers in Madurai, homeless children living in New Delhi’s railway station, Tibetan refugees living in exile throughout India, and prisoner organizers in Chaco.
Léo began volunteering in nonprofit legal services in 2004. In 2015, he founded a nonprofit law firm, Aiding Survivors of Trafficking and Child Abuse (AID). AID serves children and youth pro bono, while others pay on a sliding scale. Léo revels in creating music, poetry, and visual media as Léo Tucker & Their Lovers, and performs all across Northwest Arkansas.
Related Content:
Preparing for ICE Raids - A Guide for School & Community Partnerships (PDF version)
Preparing for ICE Raids - A Guide for School & Community Partnerships (PowerPoint version)
Trump Administration Reportedly Rescinds Protected Areas Designation for Schools, AASA - The School Superintendent’s Association, January 2025.
Quick Reference for School Officials. What to do if an immigration-enforcement officer comes to your school? What to do if an immigration-enforcement officer requests personal information about a student or his/her family members? California Department of Justice.
After nearly five years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that all children, regardless of immigration status, have a constitutional right to a free public education from kindergarten to 12th grade.