Duluth Public Schools Joins Federal Lawsuit to Restore “Safe Zone” Protections for Students

DULUTH, MN — Duluth Public Schools (ISD 709) announced Wednesday, Feb. 4 that it has joined Education Minnesota and Fridley Public Schools in filing a federal lawsuit to block the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from conducting immigration enforcement on or near school property.

Note on Fiscal Responsibility: Duluth Public Schools is not spending any district funds or local taxpayer dollars on this litigation. Multiple law firms have agreed to work this case pro bono, and Education Minnesota is not utilizing any of its funds for this action; the cost of litigation is being handled entirely through pro bono work.

The lawsuit seeks to restore the long-standing “protected status” of schools, which previously ensured that classrooms, buses, and bus stops remained zones free from enforcement activity. This legal action challenges a 2025 policy change that removed these protections, a shift that plaintiffs argue has injected fear into the educational environment and undermined the trust essential to school communities.

Impact on the Duluth Learning Community

While Duluth has not yet experienced large-scale enforcement, Superintendent John Magas noted that the policy change has already caused profound distress locally.

“The removal of long-standing protections has had immediate and real consequences for our learning community,” Superintendent John Magas said. “We have over two dozen families who have expressed profound fear. We’ve seen students who were once excelling now failing, their mental health shattered by the weight of this anxiety. Some dedicated staff members of color even feel the need to carry passports at all times to avoid wrongful detention.”

Leadership and Solidarity

Duluth Public Schools is taking a lead role in this litigation alongside Education Minnesota and Fridley Public Schools to support districts that may be too vulnerable to speak out.

“Here in Minnesota, we stick up for our neighbors, whether it’s on the streets of Minneapolis or the playground in Fridley,” Superintendent Magas added. “That’s what we are doing by joining this lawsuit. We are sticking up for our neighbors across the state. While our district has not experienced large-scale enforcement, we have a moral and professional obligation to stand in solidarity with the districts facing these pressures directly.”

Legal Objectives

The lawsuit asks the court to declare the 2025 policy change unlawful and seeks a permanent injunction to prohibit enforcement operations on or within 1,000 feet of school property and school bus stops, unless agents possess a judicial warrant or there is an urgent safety issue.

The plaintiffs are represented pro bono by Zimmerman Reed LLP, Nilan Johnson Lewis PA, The Law Office of Kevin C. Riach, and Democracy Forward.

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About Duluth Public Schools:

ISD 709 serves the Duluth community with a mission to provide safe, welcoming, and secure learning environments for every child, ensuring that every student can focus on their education without fear.