By james art 
The Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded Biden-era guidelines that barred ICE from schools, places of worship and health care facilities.
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The Florida Department of Education says it will comply with a new federal directive to allow immigration enforcement in schools.
The Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded a rule that created “safe zones” from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Biden-era guidelines that blocked ICE from schools, places of worship and health care facilities.
“Florida schools will cooperate with all law enforcement agencies working to enforce the nation’s illegal immigration laws and to keep our schools safe,” Sidney Booker, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Education, told the USA TODAY Network – Florida in Thursday.
She did not directly respond to a question asking if that meant allowing immigration agents onto public school grounds, including for ICE raids.
In a statement, the acting secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security said the move was “essential to ending the invasion” and securing the US’s southern border.
“This action empowers the brave men and women of CBP (US Customs and Border Protection) and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and apprehend criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have entered our country illegally,” he said. e. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement agencies and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
In Florida, over one-fifth of Floridians are foreign-born, and immigrants make up a quarter of the state’s workforce.
There are about 1 million people in Florida in families with mixed immigration status, said Thomas Kennedy, a spokesman for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. About 130,000 immigrants who entered the country illegally are married to Floridians who are U.S. citizens, and nearly half of the state’s farmworkers are also in the U.S. illegally.
There are currently approximately 2.86 million students enrolled in Florida public schools, according to state data.
The move has left some families wondering if it is safe to send their children to school. In other parts of the country, districts are bracing for declining attendance.
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In Miami-Dade County, however, there was no noticeable drop in attendance Thursday. Attendance was 93 percent, comparable to the rest of the week, Assistant Superintendent Jaquelyn C. Diaz said in an email.
The homeland security directive came one day after President Trump signed sweeping executive orders overhauling the nation’s immigration policies on Day 1 of his presidency.
Since Trump took office, he has signed executive orders ending birthright citizenship guaranteed by a 127-year-old Supreme Court ruling on the 14th Amendment and declared a national emergency at the border.
On Wednesday, the White House announced that the Pentagon is sending up to 1,500 additional active-duty forces to the border.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has vowed to support the federal government’s immigration mandates, including urging state lawmakers to call a special session starting Monday to come up with state funding and legislation to implement Trump’s orders.
DeSantis also threatened local officials with removal from office if they “neglect their duty” and fail to comply with and enforce the federal government’s immigration laws: “President Trump has a mandate and the state of Florida will be there every step of the way,” the governor said.
Ana Gonilessan, USA TODAY Network State Watchdog Reporter – Florida, can be reached at [email protected].