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The High Points:

• Chicago schools allow unlimited “excused” absences over fear of immigration enforcement.

• Parents don’t need proof, paperwork, or a time limit.

• Critics say CPS is weaponizing school policy into sanctuary activism.

Chicago Public Schools has officially decided that truancy is now a form of political protest. Under this policy, parents only have to claim they fear federal immigration authorities, and CPS will instantly excuse a student—no paperwork, no verification, no return date required. In other words, “I’m afraid of ICE” has become a permanent get-out-of-school free card. This is what happens when a school district stops educating children and starts moonlighting as an activist nonprofit.

Instead of teaching math, CPS now teaches that federal law enforcement is something to hide from—while simultaneously complaining that test scores are in the basement and attendance is collapsing. If a student misses three months of class, who cares? The school’s priority is signaling its political opposition to federal immigration law, not preparing kids for life.

This isn’t compassion. It’s sabotage—of rule of law, of education, and of every kid who actually wants to learn something other than ideology.

From Western Journal:

Chicago Public Schools allows students to receive excused absences if they or their family members are concerned about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.

The government school district has a document, entitled “Attendance Coding for Safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity,” that says parents can convey a fear of federal immigration authorities in order to mark their children “excused.”

The document was obtained by Defending Education, according to a report from Fox News.

“If a parent/guardian reports an absence and attributes it to fear of federal representative-related procedures, schools CAN excuse the absence under ‘concern for student health and safety,’” the policy reads, per the outlet.

“In the memo box, ‘concern for student health and safety’ should be written.”

The policy even says that “CPS policy does not provide a time limit” for the excused absences, meaning that students could indefinitely be excused from school over a purported fear of ICE raids.

Parents can also choose a guardian to inform the school of a needed excused absence if they are themselves “impacted by federal representative-related procedures.”

New docs obtained by @DefendingEd show Chicago Public Schools instructing staff to mark unlimited absences, tardies and early dismissals as “excused” when families say they fear ICE or “federal representative” activity, with no time limit and no paper trail. pic.twitter.com/OQYUT7L00j

— Kendall Tietz (@kendall_tietz) December 1, 2025

Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter at Defending Education, told Fox News that “Chicago Public Schools is effectively telling families that fear of federal law enforcement is a standing excuse to keep children out of class with no time limit and no paper trail.”

“CPS should not be turning attendance policy into a sanctuary immigration tool,” Tietz contended.

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