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A major teachers’ union representing Washington, D.C., educators has joined a high-profile federal lawsuit that accuses immigration authorities of engaging in racially motivated mass arrests during workplace and neighborhood raids. The Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) says the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have extended beyond immigration enforcement, disrupting school communities and instilling fear among students and families across the District. Newsweek contacted the DOJ, ICE, and DHS for comment via email outside of normal office hours on Wednesday. Why It Matters At the heart of the case is a clash between federal immigration enforcement and community safety in the nation’s capital. The Washington Teachers’ Union’s decision to join a lawsuit accusing U.S. immigration agents of racial profiling underscores how workplace raids and warrantless arrests have spilled beyond immigration policy and into public education. The union argues that these actions have traumatized students, driven families into hiding, and created an “attendance crisis” in D.C. schools—raising broader questions about whether aggressive federal enforcement can coexist with constitutional protections, equal access to education, and public trust in law enforcement. What To Know Teachers’ Union Enters Immigration Lawsuit The Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU), a local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers—the nation’s third-largest union by membership—filed an amicus curiae brief in Escobar Molina et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security et al. on October 27, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The WTU, joined by the D.C. Alliance for Charter Teachers and Staff Local 1927 and individual educators, argues that ICE agents have carried out “mass, arbitrary immigration arrests, frequently based on little more than the color of their skin.” According to the brief, “Numerous residents have been detained in dragnet-style arrests on their way to work, outside metro stations, at restaurants, at construction sites, and—critically to amici—at or near schools.” The filing supports the plaintiffs—District residents represented by the ACLU of the District of Columbia and other legal groups—who are seeking a preliminary injunction to halt what they describe as unconstitutional, warrantless arrests by immigration officers. In a minute order dated October 28, Judge Beryl A. Howell granted the motion allowing the WTU and allied groups to file their brief. The court noted that plaintiffs consented to the filing and that the government “does not take a position” on the motion. Educators Warn of an Attendance Crisis The union’s brief raises four main arguments, contending that the enforcement operations have harmed D.C. school communities and “created an attendance crisis.” It asserts that: Federal agents’ actions have traumatized children who witnessed arrests or were separated from detained family members. Fear of leaving home has led to a rise in absenteeism, with educators reporting “a sudden spike” in missed classes across schools. Schools have become less safe as educators and students grow reluctant to contact law enforcement. Teachers and schools have been forced to divert time and resources to ensure students—particularly Latino students—can attend classes safely. The brief cites teacher accounts describing arrests near schools and metro stations, sometimes during dismissal periods, and says educators are now organizing carpools and “walking buses” so students can travel without their parents leaving home. It also references D.C. Council Member Robert White, who publicly reported “a pattern” of children witnessing arrests near schools and residents being met “with hostility” when attempting to intervene. According to the filing, educators have documented a surge in student absences since August, when the raids allegedly began. One teacher reported that “ten out of 31 students” in a multilingual classroom had developed “significant attendance issues,” while others said families had kept children home after hearing of enforcement activity in their neighborhoods. The WTU argues that these trends echo national research on immigration enforcement and school attendance. The brief cites a 2025 Stanford University working paper that found that immigration raids in California led to a 22 percent increase in daily student absences. The union contends that similar patterns in Washington, D.C., threaten students’ long-term academic progress. Trust In Police Erodes Amid Federal Raids The amicus filing also cites public safety concerns, describing a breakdown in trust between school communities and law enforcement. In one incident, according to the brief, a Metropolitan Police Department officer told residents, “If you have such a problem with us, don’t call 911 next time.” Teachers, it said, are increasingly hesitant to seek help from police out of fear that it could lead to further immigration arrests. While the Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not commented publicly on the allegations, the agencies have previously defended workplace enforcement actions as lawful and necessary for public safety. Government Stands By ICE Operations As Lawful And Necessary Federal officials, meanwhile, have defended the operations as legitimate law-enforcement actions. In recent statements, the Department of Homeland Security said ICE is targeting “the worst of the worst,” including individuals convicted of violent crimes, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. An August 7, 2025, DHS release said agents had arrested “multiple criminal illegal aliens” and that such operations are “essential to public safety and the integrity of U.S. immigration law.” The WTU’s attorneys, Alice C. Hwang and Daniel M. Rosenthal of James & Hoffman, P.C., wrote that the “mass, warrantless arrests” have caused “irreparable harm to students, families, and educators.” They urged the court to grant a preliminary injunction halting the practice, arguing that “the public’s interest in enforcing the criminal and immigration laws of this country would be unaffected” by doing so. The case, filed earlier this year, remains pending before Judge Howell. No date has been set for a ruling on the plaintiffs’ request for injunctive relief. What People Are Saying National Education Association (NEA) webpage on immigration justice says: “All students should have the opportunity to learn without the fear and distress that results from harsh immigration enforcement.” Ben Williams, high-school social-studies teacher and member of the District of Columbia State Board of Education, said, speaking about D.C. schools amid immigration enforcement activity, September 19, 2025: “In my community, the impact has been immense fear and terror that is threatening student safety getting to and from school every day.” What Happens Next The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will file their response to the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction by October 31, after which Judge Beryl Howell will decide whether to temporarily halt the disputed immigration raids in Washington, D.C. The court could rule based on the written filings or hold a hearing to examine evidence of alleged warrantless and racially biased arrests. Even if an injunction is granted, the broader lawsuit will continue through discovery and potential trial, with appeals to the D.C. Circuit likely. The outcome could determine not only the scope of ICE’s authority in the District but also set a precedent for how far federal immigration enforcement can reach into local communities and public institutions such as schools.
