Chicago Teachers Fight To Keep ICE Out Of Schools

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Chicago Teachers Fight To Keep ICE Out Of Schools

Podcast: What A Day (Crooked Media)
Host: Jane Coaston
Date: September 10, 2025
Guest: Stacy Davis Gates, President of the Chicago Teachers Union
Episode Focus:
This episode explores how Chicago teachers and their union are responding to stepped-up federal immigration enforcement, particularly ICE activity near schools, and the broader challenges facing educators and students as the school year begins. The conversation highlights the real impacts on undocumented families, the efforts to maintain safe and inclusive educational spaces, and calls for solidarity and meaningful support.

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Main Theme & Purpose

The episode centers on the heightened fears and challenges facing Chicago’s public schools due to increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, and how educators are working to protect all students—especially those from undocumented families. Host Jane Coaston interviews Stacy Davis Gates about the responses and needs of teachers, schools’ preparedness, and broader implications for education and community safety.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalated Immigration Enforcement Near Schools

• ICE Presence:
  Davis Gates describes “chaos, uncertainty, a lot of fear and intimidation” as ICE and other federal agencies (referred to as “Alphabet Boys”) were present outside major Chicago schools just before classes resumed.

  “The Sunday before school starts on Monday, the Alphabet Boys are across the street from one of the largest high schools in our city.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 02:17

• Effects on Families:
  Fear of enforcement leads to decreased school attendance and anxiety among students and parents, even within sanctuary city protections.

2. The Role (and Burden) of Teachers

• Beyond the Classroom:
  “The job of an educator isn’t just about teaching math, science... It’s about acting as a coach, a therapist, and a caring friend... even if they or their parents are undocumented.”
  —Jane Coaston, 01:22

• Expanding Protections:
  The Chicago Teachers Union has renegotiated contracts to enshrine sanctuary protections and prioritize teaching accurate, inclusive history and supporting vulnerable students, including Black and LGBTQ+ youth.

  “We took the mantle this time and said, let’s try to improve our school district... create community... provide avenues and options... create training modules and policies that respond to the contract...”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 05:23

3. Community and Official Response

• Unity with City Government:
  Compared to prior years, there’s a stronger alliance between teachers, city officials, and the mayor, cultivating a “united front” to protect students.

  “If I’m honest with you, I haven’t seen Chicago united in this way in quite a long time.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 06:29

• Practical Support Efforts:
  Regular town halls, sharing “know your rights” materials, and partnering with legal organizations to support directly affected staff and families.

4. What Schools and Teachers Still Lack

• Resource Gaps:
  Despite a sense of solidarity, basic resources remain insufficient.

  “No, we don’t, actually. And that’s why we are so offended, quite frankly, by this overly surveilled moment in Chicago history.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 07:58

• Federal Cuts:
  Davis Gates calls for restoration of federal funding for rebuilding school libraries, Medicaid reimbursements (which fund social workers and nurses), and transportation support for sports teams and safe passage programs for students.

  “Federal funding would help with that... school districts get reimbursements, and those reimbursements fund social workers... valuable supports and resources...”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 08:23

5. How the Broader Public Can Help

• Support Requests:
  Davis Gates urges listeners to:

  • Join local marches and school walk-ins,
  • Be present and supportive for students,
  • Be informed, share knowledge, and foster safe spaces.

  “When there is a march, join us... Join us in walking children to school every morning. Join us in making sure that they make it home safely. Make sure that you check on the kids... and be a safe space for them.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 10:24

• Message to Fellow Educators:
  Calls for solidarity, emphasizing collective commitment and protection.

  “Solidarity is the anecdote to white supremacy, to patriarchy, to terrorism. Because what it does is that it gives you an opportunity to work hand in glove with someone from a different generation, someone from a different gender, someone of a different race.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 11:18

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The only anecdote to this moment is our solidarity, and so we are putting that on steroids.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 07:37

• “In truth, our government is supposed to care for children, not terrorize children. And make sure we’re drawing lines in the sand on that.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 10:54

• “We keep each other safe. I would encourage a collective commitment to safety and to humanity.”
  —Stacy Davis Gates, 11:50

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Important Timestamps

• 00:58: Trump’s statement on Chicago, violence, and federal “law and order” narrative
• 02:06: Stacy Davis Gates joins, begins discussing ICE presence near schools
• 03:37: Teachers’ multifaceted role under stress and trauma
• 06:15: Building unity with the city government and community response initiatives
• 07:58: Reality check on resource gaps for Chicago schools
• 08:23: Specific requests for restored federal funding and policy support
• 10:24: How listeners and the public can support teachers and students
• 11:18 - 12:15: Call for solidarity and final words of encouragement to educators nationwide

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a ground-level look at the pressures facing Chicago’s educators and students in the face of aggressive immigration enforcement. It highlights the resourcefulness and resilience of teachers and communities, while underscoring the inadequacy of current resources and the need for systemic support and collective action. The discussion closes with a passionate call to solidarity and resistance, not just in Chicago but for educators and allies nationwide.

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Transcript

[Jane Coastin]

It's Wednesday, September 10th. I'm Jane Coastin, and this is what a Day. The show contemplating why everyone who wrote convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein A 50th birthday message seemed to write something like, happy birthday to my favorite sex offender. I hope you enjoy all the sex offending you'll get to do in the future. Weird, isn't it? On today's show, US Response to Israel's strike on Hamas's political leadership in Qatar and revised jobs numbers show a weaker labor market than initially thought. But let's start with schools. Millions of kids have started school over the past few weeks. That includes students in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and now Chicago, all cities targeted by the Trump administration for immigration enforcement and, of course, crime. Here's President Donald Trump speaking on Tuesday morning.

[Donald Trump]

Fifty people were murdered in Chicago in recent weeks, with hundreds being shot. And it's time to stop this madness. The people of our country need to insist on protection, safety, law and order.

[Jane Coastin]

It's worth saying that like in other cities that have been mentioned by Trump as evil dens of criminal miscreants, violent crime has gone down in the city of Chicago over the last year. But something tells me that the president, who posted an Apocalypse now inspired meme over the weekend, implying he wants to go to, quote, war with Chicago, doesn't care much about facts and figures. But teachers do. Because the job of an educator isn't just about teaching math, science, and how Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton differed on the notion of federal power. It's about acting as a coach, a therapist, and a caring friend, and about making sure kids are getting to school and home safe, even if they or their parents are undocumented. So to talk more about how teachers in Chicago are handling a new school year and the potential for more federal incursions on the city, I spoke to Stacy Davis Gates. She's the president of the Chicago Teachers Union. Stacey Davis Gates, welcome to what a Day.

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Thank you for having me. How are you today?

[Jane Coastin]

I'm doing well. I understand that immigration enforcement stepped up in Chicago starting on Sunday. What are you seeing on the ground?

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Chaos, uncertainty, a lot of fear and intimidation. You know, the Sunday before school starts on Monday, the Alphabet Boys are across the street from one of the largest high schools in our city.

[Jane Coastin]

And by Alphabet Boys, you mean ice?

[Stacey Davis Gates]

I mean any number of them. Actually. We've seen any configuration of dhs, ice. The list goes on. So, you know, I'm always clear to say that because they come in all forms and in all letters. And so what that means the next Day families are going to have some trepidation in terms of how they show up in those neighborhoods, and that's problematic. We are also on high alert from all of the lessons we are learning from D.C. right now. So we want to make sure that, as educators, we are both providing the historical and the cultural context of now, but also making sure that we're connected with the families we serve and the students we serve to remind them of both their constitutional and sanctuary rights in this city.

[Jane Coastin]

I think that that goes to my next question. You mentioned educators. How are they feeling? How are teachers feeling? What are their biggest concerns as they start a new school year in all of this?

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Well, I think it's manifold. I think one of the things that we are focusing on is getting young people inside the building. In order for school to work, we have to be in a position where students are in front of us in some way, shape or form. We know in LA that they've had to expand their virtual learning options because there are families who won't come. We know that in D.C. that some schools are, and some teachers and some community coalitions are picking students up and taking them to school because of the reticence that families have there as well. So our members in this moment are troubleshooting, they're problem solving, they're worried about the social, emotional toll that this type of terrorism brings to young people, how to help them hold that. Back in 2019, we used the lessons from Trump's first term to basically say, we're going to negotiate a contract that enshrines the sanctuary protections of our state, our county, and our city into our contract. We did that. However, in 2025, we've had to double down on sanctuary and expand it. So we had to enshrine black history to make sure that we are teaching a complete and dimensional history of our country. We've had to work hard to reopen school libraries to meet the moment in the age of disinformation and bad media. So we are doing a lot of things to help secure the education of young people, our queer students, our transgender students. We've had to double down protections and enshrine them in our contract. We took the mantle this time and said, let's try to improve our school district. So far, what it has helped us do is create community with the school district, create community with all the workers in the school building, provide avenues and options in how we communicate with the families we serve, and it also helps the district create training modules and policies that respond to the contract, which means that all of the stakeholders in the school community have some sort of awareness and they have a role to play. Those things give people some sort of comfort and support because it's solidarity. Right? These are history lessons that I used to teach as a high school history teacher. These were not lessons that we were going to learn as human beings in 2025, but here we are.

[Jane Coastin]

I wanted to ask, are you working with elected officials and other community members right now on all of this?

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Well, unlike years past, we have a better working relationship with the mayor of the city, and that has helped to unify all parts of the school community as well as different parts of our city. If I'm honest with you, I haven't seen Chicago united in this way in quite a long time. It feels good to know that every member of our school community is presenting a united front and seeking to protect our young people. We are creating opportunities now for more dimensional and fruitful engagements with our families on a regular basis. Hosting town halls, hosting webinars, hosting trainings, making sure we are visible both before and after school, handing out know your rights information so folks have a basis for which to understand the chaos. Connecting with other community and legal organizations to make sure that people have the best information. It's been reported that one of our members, a teacher's assistant that serves immigrant families that her husband was detained. So we are working to support that member and connecting them with resources that should be able to help. But, like, the only anecdote to this moment is our solidarity, and so we are putting that on steroids.

[Jane Coastin]

A lot is asked of teachers right now, work that goes well beyond teaching math and English and history, and that's even before all of this happening. But it sounds like Chicago's teachers have the resources they need in this moment.

[Stacey Davis Gates]

No, we don't, actually. And that's why we are so offended, quite frankly, by this overly surveilled moment in Chicago history.

[Jane Coastin]

Right. I mean, I want to know, like, what do your school communities, what do your teachers need? What do students need that isn't sending in the National Guard to walk around the Loop and not do anything.

[Stacey Davis Gates]

We need everything and then some. Look, this mayor has done a lot, Mayor Brandon Johnson has done a lot to help renew our faith in government in Chicago. And that costs money. We are rebuilding school libraries. We would like to rebuild all of them at the same time. So federal funding would help with that. Right now, the Department of Education has stopped offering grants to school districts that are rebuilding their school libraries. We want that restored. We want the Medicaid cuts restored as well. Because what many people don't know is that school districts get reimbursements, and those reimbursements fund social workers. They fund school nurses. They fund valuable supports and resources for our special education students in the system. We want all those things restored and expanded because those are the things that help us meet the needs of the young people that are in our care. Monday through Friday. We have sports teams in the city right now who have a difficult time obtaining transportation. We could use support for that. Safe passage and crossing guards. There are many things that federal support can help to undergird in the city. And the National Guard and any number of the Alphabet boys are not a part of that algorithm. In fact, I fear that it's going to set us back.

[Jane Coastin]

I have two final questions for you because you talked about the support that you need. And you know, I have a lot of listeners who care about education, care about Chicago, care about teachers. How can we support you? But then I also want to ask you now are in a space in which you can speak to other educators out there who might be looking at seeing increased immigration enforcement or the National Guard on their streets. Teachers in New Orleans, teachers in Baltimore. So first, what support can we offer you? And second, do you have any final words of inspiration or wisdom that you want to share with other educators who are worried about this happening on their streets?

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Well, what Americans, people who care about human beings, can do is that we can resist. In every area in which we are activated, we get to say no to this. For the past couple of weekends, Chicago has showed up and shown out and demonstrating and showing our resistance to this type of terror and chaos. So when there is a march, join us in that march. Join us in walking children to school every morning. Join us in making sure that they make it home safely. Make sure that you check on the kids, make sure you see them out in the different cities in which they reside and be a safe space for them. In truth, our government is supposed to care for children, not terrorize children. And make sure we're drawing lines in the sand on that encouraging words is that I have had the unenviable leadership task of helping carry our union through a pandemic, and now we are facing down federal occupation. What I would say in both of these situations, the only thing that helps to keep us going and to get to the other side of these calamities is solidarity. Solidarity is the anecdote to white supremacy, to patriarchy, to terrorism. Because what it does is that it gives you an opportunity to work hand in glove with someone from a different generation, someone from a different gender, someone of a different race. And in this moment I am saying that we keep each other safe. I would encourage a collective commitment to safety and to humanity.

[Jane Coastin]

Stacey Davis Gates, thank you so much for joining me.

[Stacey Davis Gates]

Thank you for doing this because this too is the sign of resistance that we need and so I would encourage you to maintain this work as well. So thank you for allowing your platform to encourage our constitutional democracy and our solidarity.

[Jane Coastin]

That was my conversation with Stacey Davis Gates, President of the Chicago Teachers Union. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads.

[Stacey Davis Gates]

What.

[Jane Coastin]

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[Jane Coastin]

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[Jane Coastin]

Here'S what else we're following today. Head of Lines.

[Caroline Levitt]

Turns out this revision proves two things. Number one, the president was right, and this is why we need new leadership at the Fed. And this makes it very clear that President Trump inherited a much worse economy by the Biden administration than ever reported.

[Jane Coastin]

That's White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt's reaction to new numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which show that the US added nearly a million fewer jobs between April 2024 and March 2025 than previously believed. It's the largest preliminary revision to jobs data on record, and it's less than half the amount of jobs the agency had initially indicated had been added. And now all eyes are on the Federal Reserve, which could cut interest rates next week as a response to the weakening labor market. Most of the data covers the labor market under former President Joe Biden, but Trump isn't happy with BLS either. The new numbers come just weeks after he fired the BLS commissioner over previous jobs numbers he didn't like, saying they were, quote, rigged against him. So if you think your job prospects are bleak, it's not in your head, and neither is that hole in your pocket. The U.S. census Bureau said Tuesday that inflation wiped out household income gains in 2024, but the richest 10% of households got lucky, seeing their incomes rise. Not as lucky, women and black people who lost ground. Oh, that's me. Israel launched a strike on the capital of Qatar, Doha, on Tuesday, targeting Hamas leadership. Six people died, according to the militant group, including five of its members. But Hamas said no high ranking officials were killed. The strike dealt a major blow to talks aimed at a ceasefire and Trump's attempts to bring the war between Israel and Hamas to an end. Qatar has so far played a crucial role as a mediator in the U S backed peace efforts. But after the attack, the country suspended its role in those talks. Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the attack is a, quote, flagrant violation of all international laws and norms. The extraordinary strikes prompted the White House to issue a rare rebuke of Israel, press Secretary Levitt told reporters.

[Caroline Levitt]

Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America's goals.

[Jane Coastin]

Levitt added that Trump was not aware of plans for the attack and said he promised Qatar's leaders that it will not happen again because we can always count on the Israel Defense Forces to not do something.

[Linda McMahon]

When I look at these scores and I've made literacy my number one priority during my term as Secretary of Education because I do believe that if our students cannot read, they're not going to be successful anywhere. And I think the underlying reason that math scores and science scores are down so far is because first and foremost reading scores are so low.

[Jane Coastin]

Education Secretary Linda McMahon addressed the historically low scores for the country's high school students in core subjects on Fox News Tuesday. According to the nation's report card, a decade long slide in high schoolers reading and math performance persisted during the pandemic and 12th graders scores dropped to their lowest level in more than 20 years.

[Linda McMahon]

And that's just an incredibly devastating trend to look at in our country.

[Jane Coastin]

In reading, the average score in 2024 was the lowest score in the history of the assessment, which began in 1992. And in math, the average score in 2024 was the lowest since 2005 when the assessment framework changed significantly. Why is this happening? Experts say aside from COVID 19 lockdowns, school closures and related issues such as heightened absences, potential underlying factors include children's increased screen time, shortened attention spans and a decline in reading longer form writing. So what do we do about it? I'm sure the woman actively trying to dismantle the Education Department has great ideas on how to solve low literacy rates among our youth.

[Linda McMahon]

I think the money's not being spent where it needs to be spent, and that's at the states. And that's why the President and I are certainly on a path and a mission to return education to the states.

[Jane Coastin]

I give our country an F on its midterm report card.

[Linda McMahon]

Do you think that any of this is a psyop by the US Government?

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[Jane Coastin]

I mean, they our government and other.

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[Jane Coastin]

An actual exchange between South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace and a witness during a congressional hearing Tuesday on a topic that impacts us all, unidentified flying objects. Conspiracy theories abound about UFOs. But a house Oversight Committee task force called the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets because sure heard from five witnesses, including military veterans, who said they've seen UFOs.

[Donald Trump]

Chaos ensued over the radio as the object approached rapidly. I heard my friends screaming, it's coming right at us. It's coming right for us. And now it's right here.

[Jane Coastin]

The committee also played a never before seen video that appears to show a missile hitting a flying object off the coast of Yemen. And while the hearing didn't provide answers, it did lead to a bipartisan conclusion. Something is out there. Here's Florida Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz. I don't really know what is true. I don't know on this subject. But I do know when we're being lied to. And we are definitely being lied to. There's just no doubt about that. Fantastic. And that's the news before we go. Apparently the Department of Defense was too confusing for Trump, so now it's just the Department of War. Subtle. On this week's Pod Save the world, Ben and Tommy break down the department's rebrand. Plus the latest on Israel and Gaza, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's trial, protests in Indonesia and political drama in France. Then former United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice joins to talk about the biggest global challenges facing democracy right now. Head to podsavetheworld's feed wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review, Beware of Chagas or the kissing bug disease. Then tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how Chagas, which is spread by an insect that often bites people's faces, can cause serious damage and even death and is now being reported in eight US States and spreading like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Coaston and Universe. A second Trump term, the rise of AI and the perils of climate change. And now you've got face Fighting insects that could kill me. Really? Whataday is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We have production help today from Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Megan Larson Gina Pollack and Jonah Eatman. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America. Eas.

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