Clackamas Education Service District won’t provide information or assistance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Published 3:52 pm Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Referencing Oregon’s 38-year-old sanctuary law, the Clackamas Education Service District stated that it will not collaborate with or assist federal immigration enforcement agents, as federal authorities escalate deportation efforts nationwide.

In a message on Thursday, Jan. 3, Clackamas ESD said it will not “inquire about, collect or maintain records related to student immigration or citizenship status” or “provide information or assistance to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for purposes of federal civil immigration law enforcement unless ICE provides a court order.”

The message is in response to Executive Orders 14159 and 14160, signed by President Donald Trump during his first day in office, that establish harsher and stricter immigration policies at the federal level.

CESD reiterated that under the Oregon Student Information Protection Act, no student educational records can be used for immigration action.

Access to free public education is also guaranteed to undocumented students under the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment and the 1982 Supreme Court case “Plyler v. Doe.”

CESD also said by email that none of the district’s Head Start to Success program funding would have been impacted by the federal funding freeze President Trump initiated by executive order. CESD said that funding for its Head Start programs comes from the Oregon Department of Education and not the federal government. It is unclear whether possible funding freezes for ODE could impact Oregon Head Start in the future.

The order was temporarily blocked by a federal judge on Tuesday, Jan. 28, and later rescinded. However, on Feb. 4 the Associated Press reported that some Head Start programs across the country remained locked out of their federal grant funding.