Editor’s Note: The story has been updated to clarify that the message was sent to staff only, not to parents.
UPDATE: The following message was issued by Manchester School District on Jan. 22:
As of 9 a.m. there have been no substantiated sightings of ICE in or near our schools and district leadership are continuing to monitor the situation. Our staff have been refreshed on MSD Community Policy 111 Visitors to Schools, which states ALL visitors must sign in at the office and receive permission to be on school grounds. If any legal documents are presented, they are given to the district legal team for verification. MSD complies with all legal orders.
Student and staff safety is and always will be our number one priority. – Manchester School District
MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Wednesday night, Manchester School District Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel sent a message to staff regarding reports of heightened U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the city earlier in the day as well as potentially on Thursday.
In the message, Chmiel told staff that the Manchester School District has practices in place should there be ICE-related activity at a school, asking them to be attentive to any students who express worry or anxiety and stay in contact with administrators of their child’s school.
Manchester Ink Link has received unverified information from several sources that there are possible ICE actions planned on Thursday, January 22 targetingL Bakersville Elementary School, Parker Varney Elementary School, Webster Elementary School, Smyth Road Elementary School, Gossler Park Elementary School, Hillside Middle School and Manchester West High School.
Attempts to find out from city officials and the police department whether they were aware of any planned ICE actions were unsuccessful Wednesday night.
More information on what to do if confronted by an ICE agent can be found on the American Civil Liberties Union website and other sources on the internet.