A Chicago elementary school was thrown into fear and confusion Friday when district officials mistook Secret Service agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Chicago Public Schools initially released a public statement identifying two federal agents who went to Hamline Elementary School as officers of ICE, which earlier this week was given the green light to make arrests at schools, worship, hospitals and other “sensitive” locations in a reversal of a long-standing policy.
However, the agents were Secret Service personnel “investigating a threat to one of our protectors in reference to the recent Tiktok ban,” the agency said in a statement. The officers identified themselves to the school principal and left without incident, the agency said, adding that it does not “investigate or enforce immigration laws.”
The officers were unable to gain access to the school. CPS said officials “followed established protocols to ensure student safety” and contacted the Chicago Public Schools Legal Department and Office of Safety and Security.
“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 employees safe,” the school district said.
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The incident reflects the climate of fear pervading communities across the country as Trump frees up federal authorities to carry out his plans for mass deportations. Since Trump took office, ICE has begun announcing on social media the number of daily arrests it says it has made. The agency has also conducted immigration raids in several cities that have also reportedly ensnared American citizens.
More than 90% of Hamline Elementary’s students are Hispanic, according to public school data. The Washington Post interviewed a 10-year-old girl who recalled hiding in a classroom when the principal ordered a lockdown over the loudspeakers during the incident.
“Everyone was so scared,” the 10-year-old, who was granted anonymity to protect her safety, told the Post, “because we didn’t know if it was a shooter or immigration police.”
This article was originally published on msnbc.com