Boston Public Schools denies they’re sharing any student information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement but the attorneys suing them say that’s not true and it’s already led to the deportation of one student.
The civil rights lawyers behind a lawsuit filed against Boston Public Schools claiming that immigration agents can access student information are calling on the district to shut down that communication.
Boston Public Schools denies the allegations, but the attorneys behind the lawsuit say the school district is putting students in jeopardy.
It’s all focused on what’s called a student incident report, which is basically a police report about something that has happened inside a school. The lawsuit claims that Boston Public Schools is giving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to those reports.
Specifically, it was a disagreement that started inside East Boston High School back in 2015 that attorney Janelle Dempsey said on Monday ended with an immigration student deported.
“We’re talking about kids who are trying to go to school and get an education,” she said.
It’s why Dempsey’s organization is suing the district over how they share information about its students.
Dempsey claims the incident report for the student who was deported and more than 130 others since 2014 were sent "to the BRIC" —the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, which is housed by Boston police and funded by Homeland Security. Critics argue it can then be accessed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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"Families feel scared and rightfully so because it is now known that BPS shares information with ICE,” Dempsey said.
But city leaders say it’s not true.
“We wouldn’t share any information on immigration status, it’s quite honestly no one’s business,” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Monday.
Mayor Walsh says the school district has never shared student information with federal authorities.
Boston police said in a statement, “BPD has never knowingly participated in an intentional procedure of sharing student information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement...an agreement for something like this does not and would not ever exist.”
But student advocates remain skeptical and say their lawsuit will continue.
“They’re saying that they haven’t engaged in an intentional sharing of information with ICE, however it’s happened,” Dempsey said.
ICE declined to comment when NBC10 Boston reached out Monday.
