Police Back In Tucson Schools, But Can't Ask Students About Immigration Status

By Kate Sheehy
January 05, 2015

Police officers haven’t been stationed at public schools in Tucson since the economic downturn in 2008. Starting Tuesday they’ll be back, but officers will follow a new policy regarding immigration enforcement on school grounds.

A state grant has enabled the return of School Resource Officers at two school districts in Tucson. This sparked a debate over how officers should handle immigration enforcement on campus.

The Tucson Police Department had agreed to only question a student’s status in the presence of a parent or guardian. Officers were also restricted to inquiries that were relevant to an investigation.

Tucson City Councilwoman Regina Romero argued a student’s status should not be questioned under any circumstance.  

“No child should be discouraged from going to school. Every child has the right to an equal education,” Romero said.

She said two landmark Supreme Court cases, Plyler v. Doe and Brown v. The Board of Education, protect students from being questioned about their immigration status and feeling threatened at school.

Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor said under the state’s immigration law, SB1070, he was required to have his officers inquire about a person’s status if there was reasonable suspicion that an individual was in the country illegally.

He said the new guidelines for deportation priorities under President Barack Obama’s Executive Action have made it easier for him to scale back immigration enforcement in the city.

Villasenor said he wants officers to have a good relationship with young people.

“So that juveniles look at them as a resource and a role model and not someone they’d be afraid to talk to,” he said. 

Before Christmas an agreement was reached that police officers are prohibited from asking students about their status, period.

A spokesperson from Tucson Unified School District said eight School Resource Officers are working at high schools and middle schools. The grant lasts for another two and half years.