A group of students wrote an open letter to city leaders expressing fear in the wake of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in South Nashville.
More than 80 students signed on, asking that ICE agents be banned from entering schools, community centers, libraries and any other places that children gather.
The letter is addressed to Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Adrienne Battle. It questions if Nashville will protect its immigrant community.
‘It could be anyone now’
One 17-year-old who signed onto the letter told WPLN News that increased immigration enforcement has struck fear in her community as many wonder if their loved ones will be detained next.
“This could be my best friend. I could lose them tomorrow,” M said. “It could be my brother, my sister. It could be an aunt, an uncle. It could be anyone now.” (WPLN is identifying the student by her first initial because she fears being targeted for speaking out.)
On May 3, ICE agents detained numerous drivers in South Nashville –including Uber drivers and mothers with young children, according to eyewitness reports. ICE agents have detained nearly 100 Nashvillians in the last week.
M is the president of her school’s Latino Students Association and she regularly participates in protests at the statehouse regarding legislation that she deems unjust. She said the ICE raids and changing immigration policies are disrupting the lives of her peers. Many are afraid to go to school or go about daily tasks, like picking up groceries or attending church. Some Nashville teachers have told WPLN News that there has been a rise in absenteeism among their immigrant students.
“We’re just hoping that the mayor and Dr. Battle will really be on our side with this and see our struggles and how unfair it is to us,” she said.
Battle responded to the letter, offering support. She also highlighted The Belonging Fund, a partnership between Nashville and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee that provides financial assistance to families directly impacted by immigration enforcement.
Battle also noted that no ICE agents have attempted to enter any schools. MNPS policy provides that ICE agents must have legal authorization to speak to students on school property or access student records.
There was a federal policy preventing ICE agents from entering schools, hospitals churches to arrest people without permanent legal status. But the Trump administration ended that policy in January.
M said she and the other students are speaking out now because they are terrified about what their futures will look like amid changing immigration policies, both federally and locally.
“If we don’t act now, things are going to get so much worse,” she said. “And they’re already really bad.”
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