Seattle schools have students shelter in place after reports of ICE activity

SEATTLE — Six South Seattle public schools enacted shelter-in-place protocols Tuesday after receiving unconfirmed reports of possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in nearby neighborhoods, district officials confirmed. Seattle Public Schools said the precautionary measures were put in place earlier in the day following community reports of law and/or immigration enforcement activity around multiple campuses. SEE ALSO | Washington lawmakers, AG introduce bill aimed at protecting immigrants at work from ICE District safety and security staff were on site throughout the day and did not observe any ICE presence, according to a statement from the district. When school let out, one 18-year-old student explained his anxiety amid the uncertainty of what was happening. "I was pretty scared for my classmates, you know, because what if some of them got taken away?" Cleveland STEM High School Student Evan Truong explained. "I got scared. I got worried. It’s very concerning," Cleveland STEM High School Student Christopher Romero added. One group outside the campus handed out whistles for people to use in case they see an ICE agent. "They were just scared, and the information that was passed around was kind of inconsistent," Malaya Movement Seattle Chairperson Meesh Vergara said. "There's a lot of uncertainty. We just want consistent communication from Seattle Public Schools." Beacon Hill neighbors were seen outside Aki Kurose Middle School on Tuesday afternoon with signs reading "ICE Out." "We’re here just in case ICE comes out to show our community we’re behind them," Natalya McConnell told KOMO News. "I think a lot of these students are very scared. They’re hearing from their parents that they are at risk or maybe they themselves are at risk, and they need to know their community is behind them." SEE ALSO | Parent of South Whidbey student arrested by ICE, district vows to protect school community Aki Kurose Middle School lifted its shelter-in-place at noon, while Cleveland STEM High School ended the protocol after lunch. The remaining schools lifted shelter-in-place measures at regular dismissal, the district said. Seattle Public Schools said staff remained on alert, as a precaution. School leaders have been communicating directly with families, and the district plans to follow up with a districtwide message. District officials emphasized that no ICE activity was confirmed at any school sites. Seattle police, in an email. clarified it has no role in federal civil immigration enforcement, adding that while SPD has no authority over federal agents, the agency will document all incidents when notified and protect the rights of all people in the city. Officers encourage people to call 911 whenever they see suspicious activity. King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis, in a statement, said she's deeply concerned about ongoing impacts of this kind of activity, especially in marginalized communities. She plans to work with local and state leaders to make sure kids get to and from school "safely and securely." A shelter-in-place is a standard safety procedure used when law enforcement activity is reported nearby. During the protocol, students remain inside school buildings but continue their regular class schedules. Schools affected included Mercer International Middle School, Aki Kurose Middle School, Cleveland STEM High School, Maple Elementary School, Dearborn Park International School, and Beacon Hill International School.

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A photo of Seattle Police outside of Aki Kurose Middle School in Seattle on Jan. 20, 2026.