Secret Service agents, not immigration officials, attempted to enter Hamline Elementary School in Chicago

Chicago Public School officials say federal immigration agents came to a school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side Friday.

However, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, denied it was the agency.

"This was not an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter," David L. Yost said in an email.

CPS officials say the agents identified themselves as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE is part of Homeland Security. They said the agents did not have a warrant and were turned away from Hamline Elementary School, according to the officials.

School district leaders, along with union and community organization leaders, were on site to support the school. They said the incident shows school district protocols worked to keep children safe.

The Chicago Police Department was unaware of ICE’s presence and didn’t respond to the school, a CPD spokesperson said.

Gov. JB Pritzker weighed in Friday afternoon with a message on X, saying, "After a week of Republicans sowing fear and chaos, the first reports of raids in Chicago are at an elementary school. Targeting children and separating families is cruel and un-American."

Hamline Principal Natasha Ortega said that at about 11:15 a.m. agents came to the school building. They were met by the security guards and clerk who called her.

She said the school followed protocols. Chicago Public Schools officials said they only allow immigration agents in with a signed criminal warrant. Because the agents at Hamline did not have one, they were told they would not be allowed in, CPS officials said. They would not say how many agents were at the door or whether they were looking for a specific child or adult.

“I am very grateful to all of our Hamline staff here for upholding all of our protocols and ensuring the safety of our students,” Ortega said. “We will not open our doors for ICE, and we are here to protect our children and make sure they have access to an excellent education. We stand in solidarity with our families and the back of the yards community.”

This is the first report of immigration agents at schools since President Donald Trump took office on Monday. Trump has promised mass deportation of people without legal status and his administration indicated that Chicago would be a target.

Trump also reversed long-standing policy that prevented immigration agents from targeting schools for enforcement actions. But Chicago Public Schools prevents agents from entering schools, except in the rare situations where they have signed criminal warrants.

CPS has been holding training sessions with principals, clerks and security guards so they know exactly what to do if immigration agents show up at schools. The school district also has designated three lawyers on call to review documents that immigration agents might present.

Increase the Peace and the Resurrection Project, two community groups that work in Back of the Yards, also were at the school, which is 92% Latino, with 69% of students learning English. They have been going door to door making sure parents know they are supported and know their rights.

“We have a constitution, right?” said Berto Aguayo, president of Increase the Peace.

He said the main message he wants parents to know is their children are not in danger at school.

“Everybody in the community should expect to continue to send their kids safely to school,” he said. “This is proof of that.

CPS leaders and Chicago Teachers Union leaders, who were meeting when this incident happened, rushed to the school. The head of Chicago’s principals association also came.

CTU President Stacy Davis Gates called the incident unprecedented and said that she was there to support her members, who are teachers and other staff. She expressed gratitude for the security staff who she said are on the front line protecting children. She said she wants the families to know that teachers and others have “their back.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Elvia Malagón and Tom Schuba contributed reporting.