Upper Darby School Board calls on Congress to restrict ICE

On Feb. 5, several hundred students walked out of Upper Darby High School to protest increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

Five days later, the Upper Darby School Board unanimously passed a resolution calling on Congress to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would require ICE to get a judicial warrant to operate near schools. 

The resolution states in part, “the physical presence of federal immigration enforcement agents on or near school grounds creates a climate of anxiety and fear among the entire school community that significantly disrupts the educational process, causing absenteeism and interfering with the District’s ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate; and whereas, for over a decade, the Department of Homeland Security operated under a ‘Sensitive Locations’ memorandum that generally prohibited enforcement actions at schools, bus stops, and educational activities; and whereas, the rescission of this memorandum in January 2025 has created operational uncertainty for our district and dangerous confusion for our families, evidenced by recent disruptive enforcement incidents near schools in Minnesota and Michigan in January 2026 as well as within Upper Darby.”

Board Member Ryan Bohl sponsored the resolution.

“The point of the resolution is to get Congress to carve out a legal way for us to remove the fear that had provoked such disruption in our schools and allow us to move on to the importance of teaching and learning rather than focusing on national policy or anything else that’s outside this board’s control,” said Bohl before the vote.

During public comment at the Feb. 10 meeting, resident James Burrows said the student walk out had jeopardized the safety of students, faculty and staff. 

He believes the safety of the general public was also at risk because police closed Lansdowne Avenue during the protest, which is a major artery and the route to two area hospitals. 

He also said that an outside organization had encouraged the students to walk out. 

“I’d like the board to ask for a criminal investigation of this organization. Were any staff involved? They need to be suspended as per Title 42,” said Burrows. 

“We as a community need to protect our children.  Ask (police) Chief Bernhardt to investigate.

I want assurance that the school did not support this and organize it. Because that’s a different conversation, right?  If you guys supported this, you encouraged this, that is a Department of Education complaint. This is absolutely illegal to put the residents and community at risk. 

These kids have to know this is illegal.”

A parent expressed a different view.

“I’m a proud mom of a student who walked out last week in protest,” said Cintia Isles. “I’m here first to tell the students I’m proud of them.”

She thanked the school and police officials for helping the students protest safely.

 “What we witnessed was not disorder. It was civic engagement,” Isles said.

“Thank you for prioritizing student safety, dignity, and care. You showed our children that adults can respond to difficult moments with wisdom instead of fear. 

“What these students did took courage. They walked out not because they were reckless, but because they’re paying attention. They spoke because too many adults remained silent. Young people are watching the country and the world. They’re watching families be torn apart. They’re watching neighbors live in fear. They’re watching how our institutions respond. 

What concerns me deeply, and one of the reasons why I fear, is the backlash that followed. The rhetoric from some of the community has been just disgraceful, dishonest, hostile, dehumanizing, and frankly racist.”

The students were exercising their First Amendment rights, she said.

“Upper Darby is the world in one place. That’s not just a slogan

Immigrant children and families should feel safe.” 

Upper Darby School District Superintendent Daniel McGarry, Ed.D., said he disagrees with Burrows.

“There’s not going to be a witch hunt,” McGarry said. “There’s no evidence that any students were paid. The students I met with were genuine in their conversation…They shared real, raw emotional things, like students that were born in this country and their mom self-deporting and their brother left, and they’re here by themselves and they’re American citizens. 

“We are going to keep our children safe in our schools,” McGarry added. “I’m not looking to have a conversation with Chief Bernhardt about investigating anything. Chief Bernhardt was there with us in conversations with students.  We’re here to support our kids. Quite frankly, they have a better head on their shoulders than some of the adults in the world we have today.”

Earlier in the meeting, McGarry said the students who walked out to protest would not be punished, although those who threw ice would face consequences.

Board President Desiree’ Murphy Morrissey said, “I really appreciate the administration going above and beyond with the children.”  They didn’t “give them advice, just a recommendation, because they already had their minds made up.”