DPS Holds Webinar for Families That Were Told  To “Self-Deport”

On Tuesday, Denver Public Schools (DPS) held a family legal webinar to answer any questions and offer support from immigration lawyers after families received notification to “self-deport” from the newly launched Customs and Border Protection (CBP) home app. 

“We sent out a message on Friday night, which is typically not what we do. There were enough people that were concerned, and of course, we want to support them,” said Scott Pribble, director of external communications of DPS. “We reacted quickly and were able to send that out. We’re a conduit to provide access to professionals who deal with this. The biggest concerns was, ‘is this real?’”  

Pribble and DPS acknowledge the concerns from parents of students and that’s what led to DPS hosting a webinar to offer legal support on what families can do after receiving this scary notification. Pribble did mention that he doesn’t know how many families came forward and expressed their concerns but it was enough for DPS to react right away. 

“I was scared when I got a message saying that I had seven days to leave, and I have my asylum already presented since 2023,” said an anonymous commenter in Spanish. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a press release last month from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that stated the new app will feature a self-deportation option, giving anyone who is illegal in the country the chance to submit their intent to depart from the country. 

“Self-deportation is the safest option for illegal aliens, while preserving law enforcement resources,” stated the DHS press release. “Not only is it safer, but it also saves U.S. taxpayer dollars and valuable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources to focus on dangerous criminal aliens.”

Noem criticized the Biden Administration, arguing they “exploited” the CBP One app, which allowed more than one million illegal immigrants to enter the United States. Noem said that the new CBP Home app will restore “integrity” to the immigration system. 

What does this mean for mixed-status DPS families? 

“These notices went out to some people that do apply to [them], some people who do not apply, some of those notices were sent to attorneys and not to clients or not to people who have parole,” said immigration and criminal lawyer Hanas Meyer. “So, it’s a little hard to know [why] you got a notice and if you are part of the population of the people that need to be worried about this.”

Meyer does add that the majority of the people who were granted parole are currently in the immigration courts, have applied for asylum or have applied for and received Temporary Protected Status (TPS). So, those people shouldn’t worry about the notification, even if it’s unsettling. 

“However, the important thing is, even if you came in with parole and even if that parole is technically going to be over because of what the Trump Administration says, many people do not need to necessarily pay attention to that notice,” Meyer said. “If you have TPS, if you have applied for asylum, if you are in the [process] of immigration court, you don’t need to leave. You don’t need to follow that notice because you have an application in process. You have a right to fight that application, to appeal that application [and] to win that application.” 

Nonetheless, he acknowledges that, by law, this notice applies to some DPS students and their families.  

“The flip side to that is if you are not in the [process] of immigration court, you have not filed an application for asylum and you don’t plan to do so and you don’t have TPS or never applied for it, then unless the court blocks the ending of that parole, then you would be considered to be out of status,” Meyer said. “If you don’t have any of those in process or don’t have a case in immigration court or have any of those pending, then you would be subject to that notice.” 

Meyer’s professional opinion is that if people are unsure or decide to self-deport or leave the country on their own behalf, they should first consult with an immigration attorney to get specific advice on their particular case. He states that everybody’s case is different, and they will only know what will be best once they receive more details from an attorney. 

He also advises people to bring as many immigration-related documents as possible to help the attorney understand and build their case. However, given the current political climate, it may be difficult to find an available immigration attorney. 

“You advised seeking a lawyer before making a decision,” commented David Lawson, a webinar attendee. “There are no available immigration lawyers in Denver. They are all overloaded.”

Meyer’s response did little to calm those present. While Meyer acknowledged that the attendees’ questions were valid, he did not provide any additional tangible assistance to those he advised to seek legal counsel. 

“David, I agree. The reality is we are in the darkest time in 20 years for the practice of our area law,” Meyer said. “I don’t have a solution for you.” 

DPS did provide some more straightforward responses about how families can stay safe. Meyer and other speakers on the webinar urged attendees to make copies of important documents, keep work permits and green cards on hand at all times, make plans for their children, have a plan in place for any unexpected situations. He also suggested saving money for legal fees and professional services. 

DPS officials reaffirmed on the webinar that the meeting did not reflect the district’s views or legal positioning. The DPS and immigration attorneys hosted a webinar to offer and demonstrate support to the DPS community, as well as legal support. 

“I am representing a large majority of the Latino, Mexicano and Chicano community who are right now being deeply affected by immigration law changes that are happening,” said Xochitl Gaytán, DPS School Board Member for District Two. “We are very concerned [because of the CBP one notification] and we stand with you on this issue.” 

DPS District Five School Board Member Marlene De La Rosa also agrees with Gaytán and states that they are acting on their personal behalf and not speaking for the DPS board.

As of now, DPS has not had any incidents like this in the past from either DHS or ICE. According to Pribble, there hasn’t been any sighting of DHS and/or ICE on school property and they, DHS and ICE, have not partnered with the school district.

“The district shall do everything in its lawful power to protect our students’ confidential information and ensure that our students’ learning environments are not disrupted by immigration actions,” states the “Safe and Welcoming “tab on the DPS website.

According to Pribble, DPS currently has no plans to address the situation with additional webinars or resources. However, the administrators insist that DPS will act strategically if necessary. 

“You know, being the trusted government agency [in the community], if you will, they are reaching out to us and we are aware of [the concerns of the notification],” Pribble said. “We are the conduit to help these people get some information. We’re trying to help as much as we can.”

For more information for DPS families, they can visit the Denver Public Schools website for more resources. Watch the full webinar here.