I.C. schools reviews its policy for law enforcement, ICE

Law enforcement officers not allowed inside school buildings without showing identification and a warrant

The sign for Iowa City Community School District’s administration office in Iowa City on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

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IOWA CITY — Law enforcement officers — including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — are not to be allowed inside Iowa City schools without presenting identification and a warrant.

School officials reviewed the district’s protocol regarding law enforcement with the Iowa City school board Tuesday.

Any law enforcement officer at an Iowa City school building will be met at the door by school staff. School principals are to communicate with district officials who can help them navigate the situation and get legal advice if needed, deputy superintendent Chace Ramey said.

If law enforcement officers do not provide a subpoena or warrant, school staff are not to abide by their request to enter a school, Ramey said.

“We have told (school staff) to ask for documentation and tell law enforcement ‘No, they cannot grant them access’ if they don’t present it,” Ramey said. At the same time, we want to keep our people safe and have told them if officers are adamant that they are going to conduct a search, we’re not going to tell them to put themselves in harms way.

School board member Charlie Eastham said the board is having the discussion because the federal government “stopped complying with the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

“That’s potentially harmful to students in this district,” Eastham said.

Spokeswoman Kristin Pedersen said the document referenced in the board meeting is “internal administrative guidance that has been provided to school administrators.” It is not adopted school board policy.

Eastham said it is likely impossible for the school board to consider adopting official policy because of the conflict of interest of some board members.

School board member Lisa Williams, an assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Iowa, recused herself from the discussion Tuesday.

The conversation at the Iowa City school board table comes a week after Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com

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