Despite earlier reports that ICE agents tried to enter a Chicago elementary school Friday, the agency says it wasn’t them. So what exactly happened?
The U.S. Secret Service said the encounter was actually agents conducting a “protective intelligence investigation.”
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said the agency “was investigating a threat to one of our protectees in reference to the recent TikTok ban.”
“On Friday special agents from the United States Secret Service Chicago Field Office were investigating a threat made against a government official we protect,” Anthony Guglielmi told NBC Chicago. “In the course of their investigation, agents first visited a residence in a local neighborhood and then made a visit to Hamline Elementary School. Agents identified themselves to the school principal and provided business cards with their contact information. The agents left without incident.”
How it started
The encounter was first reported Friday afternoon, when Chicago Public Schools’ chief education officer said ICE agents appeared at Hamline Elementary School in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. The agents did not enter the school and left a short a time later, she said.
“Earlier today, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showed up at Hamline Elementary School,” Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova said during a press conference at the school. “School staff followed CPS established protocols. They kept ICE agents outside of the school and contacted CPS law department and CPS Office of Safety and Security for further guidance. The ICE agents were not allowed into the school and were not permitted to speak to any students or staff members. Here is the bottom line, our students and staff are safe. Our protocols were followed.”
The school’s principal said the school would not open its doors for ICE unnecessarily.
“I am very grateful to all of our Hamline staff here for upholding all of our protocols and ensuring the safety of our students. We will not open our doors for ICE, and we are here to protect our children and make sure they have access to an excellent education. We stand in solidarity with our families and the Back of the Yards community,” Natasha Ortega said.
A spokesperson for ICE later said “this was not an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter.”
Chicago police also said they “did not receive any calls for service at that location.” The Cook County Sheriff’s office also denied any involvement.
Chicago Public Schools officials say ICE agents were seen at Hamline Elementary School, but not allowed inside.
CPS CEO says agents showed credentials
In an interview with MSNBC shortly after the encounter, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said the agents “presented credentials and shared that they were from ICE.”
“They showed credentials to my staff,” Martinez said again after being informed of the ICE spokesperson’s response.
CPS later provided an updated statement, explaining the situation, on Friday afternoon:
“Earlier today, Chicago Public School leaders shared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents showed up this morning (Friday) at Hamline Elementary School.
After our District officials shared public statements, we learned that the agents who visited the school were from the U.S. Secret Service. Our original communication was a result of a misunderstanding, reflective of the fear and concerns in the community amid the new administration’s focus on undocumented immigrants.
Here’s what happened: Two individuals showed up at the school door and presented identification that includes the name Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency that oversees ICE. School officials proceeded to respond to the agents with the understanding that they were from ICE, amid rumors and reports that the agency was in the community.
Regardless of which branch of Homeland Security visited this school, officials followed the established protocols to ensure student safety. The agents were not allowed into the school or permitted to speak with staff or students. Hamline administrators also worked with CPS’ Law Department and CPS’ Office of Safety and Security. The situation was handled with the federal agents leaving the campus without entry.
While this was a misunderstanding in terms of the specific branch of DHS, the school’s response demonstrates that our system, in partnership with community organizations, is prepared and ready to keep our students and staff safe.”
What does the Secret Service do?
According to the Department of Homeland Security, “USSS safeguards the nation’s financial infrastructure and payment systems to preserve the integrity of the economy, and protects national leaders, visiting heads of state and government, designated sites, and National Special Security Events.”
Guglielmi said the “Secret Service does not investigate or enforce immigration matters.”
“Only investigations of a threat,” he said.
Schools on alert
The incident comes amid heightened concerns in immigrant communities across Chicago, though there has so far been no confirmation of raids.
Schools across the Chicago area have released guidance about potential situations after the Trump Administration revoked previous guidance prohibiting immigration arrests at schools, churches and hospitals.
Trump came into office promising to undertake deportation operations and other crackdowns on immigration.
Tom Homan, who is expected to be named Trump’s border czar, has promised to “knock down” roadblocks put up by state law enforcement, and said he intends to undertake deportation operations within Chicago and Illinois.
Reports first surfaced over the weekend ahead of Trump’s inauguration, stating ICE officials were planning a major enforcement operation that would target immigrants for several days, according to a document reviewed by NBC News and a person familiar with the planning. The person, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation, said multiple locations across Chicago will be targeted.
Though Chicago Public Schools did not immediately confirm the Hamlin School presence, the district did put out a message to families earlier this week saying it planned to “maintain its current policies and procedures to actively protect students, staff, and their families.”
“As CPS continues to receive more information about federal policy changes, CPS will continue to review our own protocols and we will continue to provide the appropriate school-based staff guidance on how best to protect our students, staff, families, and school communities,” the district said in a statement while sharing its policies and guidelines.
Trump official says ICE arrests were made earlier in Chicago
A Trump administration official confirmed to NBC News that ICE arrests took place across the U.S., including in Illinois, Utah, California, Minnesota, New York, Florida and Maryland. Chicago was among the specific cities noted by the official as having confirmed arrests.
According to this official, ICE made 538 arrests — 373 criminal arrests and 165 non-criminal arrests —throughout the U.S. on Thursday.
NBC Chicago has not independently confirmed if any arrests took place in Chicago and, if so, where.
The Secret Service agents were reportedly at the school for a separate matter, not related to immigration enforcement. Despite the initial confusion, it is important to clarify that ICE was not involved in this incident.
It is crucial to fact-check information before spreading rumors, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like immigration enforcement. In this case, it was a different federal agency that was present at the school.
Stay informed and verify information before jumping to conclusions. Let’s strive to share accurate and reliable news to prevent misinformation from spreading.
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