ASPEN, Colo. — Aspen School District (ASD) has rolled out a detailed protocol that bars Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents from stepping onto any district property without a signed judicial warrant. The directive, shared with families this winter, reinforces a simple idea: learning spaces are off-limits for immigration sweeps.
“Schools are places of learning, not immigration checkpoints,” Superintendent Tharyn Mulberry wrote in February, underscoring that all staff must route any ICE inquiry straight to the district office.
How the Policy Works
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Judicial warrant required: No warrant, no access — to students, staff, or records.
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Single point of contact: All questions go to the superintendent’s team; teachers and coaches never decide alone.
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Off-campus events covered: The rule follows athletic teams and field trips just as strictly as it applies inside classrooms.
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Information lockdown: Student data is protected under FERPA; it will not be shared unless a court order compels it.
Board of Education President Christa Giezsl says Aspen’s rural setting and “collaborative history with local law-enforcement agencies” make an unannounced ICE raid highly unlikely, but a written policy leaves no gray area.
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Community Support Network
ASD works with Aspen Family Connections, a district-run nonprofit that links families to an immigration attorney for “know-your-rights” workshops and individual counsel. Spanish teacher Jasson Alonso Rodriguez notes that parents “finally have a roadmap for what to do if an agent knocks.”
Ripple Effects Beyond Aspen
Even isolated ICE arrests elsewhere in the Roaring Fork Valley send shockwaves through Aspen classrooms, Mulberry said: “Rumors travel fast, and fear can keep kids home.” For students whose caregivers might be detained, ASD coordinates with local charities to arrange emergency guardianship or temporary housing — plans are tailor-made by each family in advance.
Something Interesting: Colorado’s “Sensitive Locations” Shield
Last summer, Colorado enacted one of the nation’s strongest “sensitive locations” laws. It not only reaffirms that schools and hospitals are off-limits without a warrant, but also bans civil immigration arrests at bus stops and COVID-19 testing sites. Legal analysts say Aspen’s internal rules dovetail neatly with the statewide statute, creating a rare double layer of protection for students.
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With its new guidelines, Aspen joins a growing list of districts nationwide that are turning policy into practice, ensuring that whether a child is conjugating verbs in Spanish class or welding in shop, the only unexpected visitors are substitute teachers, not federal agents.
