While immigration enforcement efforts continue across the country — including Operation Guardian in Oklahoma — Tulsa-area school districts confirm federal agents have steered clear of campuses so far this year.
But that hasn’t calmed fears that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could appear. In some cases, that concern has resulted in slower sales and empty stores at Tulsa businesses. In others, it has sparked community and student-led protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The Tulsa Flyer compiled federal, state and local practices for immigration enforcement and protest on public school grounds.
Federal and state policy
ICE agents are allowed to enter schools, a practice the Biden administration banned. While immigration operations in cities like Minneapolis have surrounded school sites, ICE agents have not brought operations into school buildings.
Under federal law, all children must have equal access to public education regardless of their immigration status. Oklahoma public schools do not collect records on the immigration status of students, despite efforts from previous State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
Oklahoma’s Department of Education has not issued formal policies or recommendations for school interactions with ICE officers or other federal agents.
School districts are expected to respond the same way they would to local law enforcement, according to Tara Thompson, spokeswoman for the state’s education department. Schools should ask for identification and relevant paperwork, alert parents, then adhere to state and federal laws, she said.
Local student protests against ICE enforcement in the United States have ramped up in 2026. A protest last week at Will Rogers High School ended in campus police using pepper spray on students. The district has opened an investigation into what happened.
While the First Amendment protects the rights of public school students to demonstrate on school grounds, school districts have varying policies on what form of protest is permitted.
Bixby Public Schools
Bixby Public Schools staff will verify the identity of an ICE or federal agent if they arrive on campus, then notify the site principal and district leadership. All agents would be referred to the district’s administration building.
Any agent would need a judicial warrant with specific details for a search at Bixby. Copies would be made of all agent IDs and paperwork, then reviewed by legal counsel before complying “when practicable.” If a student’s parent or guardian is detained, the district would reach out to emergency contacts and involve a counselor, the teacher and adults the student trusts.
Student protest policy:
Students participating in a walkout or leaving campus without permission will receive an unexcused absence. With parental permission, it is counted as a verified absence. On-campus protests are monitored by staff and administration will intervene if protests block facilities or compromise the safe learning environment.
Broken Arrow Public Schools
Broken Arrow Public Schools has no formal policy for ICE operations. If federal agents show up to a district site, staff will ask for identification and relevant paperwork, then cooperate according to state and federal law, said spokeswoman Christina Dixon.
Student protest policy:
BA students may protest peacefully on their free time “with no penalties,” Dixon said. If protest disrupts the school day or results in unexcused absences, the district will discipline students on a case-by-case basis based on student behavior and past disciplinary records, she said.
Jenks Public Schools
Jenks Public Schools has no formal policy for ICE operations. If federal agents show up to a district site, administrators and front office staff will contact campus police, ask for identification and inquire about the nature of their visit, according to spokesman Rob Loeber.
Any officer from an outside agency is not permitted into hallways, classrooms or student areas without a campus officer present, Loeber said.
Student protest policy:
Students may participate in a protest at Jenks before or after school or during the lunch period. Demonstrations must take place outside school buildings. District staff may not “authorize, permit or condone” a student leaving class to protest, Loeber said.
To leave campus during the day, students must be checked out by a guardian. Without permission, students missing class will be counted as truant.
Owasso Public Schools
The district would jointly respond with local law enforcement if an ICE operation occurs at an Owasso Public Schools site, according to spokesman Jordan Korphage.
School employees, school resource officers and director of Safety and Security Paul Croft would “address the situation in a discreet manner that protects the safety and privacy of everyone involved,” Korphage said.
Student protest policy:
Students participating in a walkout or a protest at Owasso will be marked absent. If the absence is not cleared by a guardian, it is considered truant. The district does not “condone any disruptions during the school day,” Korphage said, but recognizes the constitutional rights of students to peacefully assemble.
Tulsa Public Schools
Tulsa Public Schools requires all external law enforcement to contact campus police before entering a school site. The district shares guidance with staff regarding participation with external law enforcement but did not share specifics with the Flyer.
While the district has received reports of immigration enforcement activity around its property, nothing has been verified, according to the district.
Student protest policy:
TPS guidance for student walkouts affirms the rights of students to “peaceful self-expression and advocacy” and assigns “no consequences” for students who participate, including a marked absence from class.
According to TPS documents obtained by the Flyer, students must notify school administrators ahead of time to hold a walkout — triggering a set of mandates for school staff. Security officers, counselors, social workers, teachers on planning time and the principal are all assigned to predesignated walkout areas. Teachers are not permitted to encourage student protest.
Union Public Schools
Union Public Schools has no formal policy for participation with federal law enforcement agencies. Staff have been told to ask for identification, notify the central office and will not share student personal information without proper authorization, according to spokesman Chris Payne.
The district sent a letter to Union families in February 2025 detailing these policies.
Student protest policy:
Each student protest is handled differently based on the building or the age level of the students, Payne said. The district prioritizes student and staff safety, then the protection of First Amendment rights on campus, according to Payne.
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