The Pinellas County School Board is clarifying that district police will not be joining a program that aids federal immigration after it was reported that an application was submitted.
During a board workshop on Tuesday, Pinellas County Schools Police Chief Luke Williams explained that he believed he was simply following a state mandate when he applied for the 287(g) program.
The program gives local law enforcement the power to aid federal immigration agents in limited capacities.
A state mandate passed recently in a special legislative session applied to local law enforcement agencies that operate county jails. All 67 of Florida's county sheriff's offices have complied.
While some city police forces have applied for the 287(g) program as well — including St. Petersburg and Clearwater Police Departments — they are not required to do so.
Williams explained that, after a meeting with Pinellas County Police Chief Bob Gualtieri, he thought otherwise.
"In that conversation, it was determined that there was a need to identify individuals who may be considered ... to learn about the database from the Department of Homeland Security," Williams said, referring to a system used to flag individuals who may have violated immigration law.
"It appeared to me that there was no other alternative, other than to comply," said Williams.
The chief then explained that he had informed his direct supervisor, Assistant Superintendent Clint Herbic, and school district lawyer David Koperski about the application.
"In hindsight, would I have stopped the superintendent when he was passing me, as I was talking to Mr. Koperski about this? I should have, and I didn't."
News that Pinellas would be the first school police agency in the country to join the program was first reported last week by the Florida Phoenix.
The application was for the newly-revived task force model, which expands trained officers' ability to enforce immigration outside of county jails.
Hours later, school district officials told the Tampa Bay Times that the application was no longer being considered.
According to the Times, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied the application that Williams submitted.
Audio of the full board workshop can be found here.
The blunder came at a time when community members are already on high alert since the Trump Administration removed schools as a "protected area," where most immigration enforcement is prohibited, saying that "criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest."
Pinellas County schools, along with other Florida districts, have since released or re-issued their policies on navigating law enforcement presence on campuses.
Many policies state that immigration agents will need a valid warrant to access school property, and point to privacy laws that protect students.
"The purpose of our agency is to protect our students and staff, including implementing school safety laws, and our officers do not engage in street level enforcement," said Superintendent Kevin Hendrick.
Hendrick said the district's policy represents their official stance on immigration enforcement. Like other districts, the policy states that principals should contact their legal counsel and notify police and parents about requests from immigration agents.
However, advocates have called on the Florida Department of Education to provide more uniform guidance and to bar immigration enforcement on school grounds, unless they receive approval from district legal counsel.
The FLDOE has not clarified what immigration enforcement should look like, only saying that "Florida schools will cooperate with all law enforcement working to enforce the nation’s laws on illegal immigration and keep our schools safe."
