What would Bridget Ziegler ICE resolution mean for Sarasota students?
Herald-Tribune | By Melissa Pérez-Carrillo | January 15, 2026
Sarasota School Board chair Bridget Ziegler is pushing a resolution for the school district and its police to pledge support for ICE officers.
Sarasota School Board member and chair Bridget Ziegler has put forth a resolution for the school district and its police to pledge their support for officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ziegler shared the resolution on her Facebook page, slamming fellow school board member Tom Edwards for attending a Jan. 10 protest against ICE violence in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by a federal agent in Minneapolis, an incident that has sparked thousands of protests and widespread outrage and debate over federal law enforcement tactics.
Edwards spoke to nearly 500 protesters on Saturday, sharing that ICE agents must obtain a warrant before entering a school after consulting with Sarasota County School Superintendent Terry Connor and the school board’s legal counsel on the district’s rights regarding ICE agents.
Ziegler said in a Facebook post that Edwards delivered “wild claims that have confused and angered many” community members.
“Following this political charade, it’s time to set the record straight – clearly and unequivocally: Our school district will always cooperate and collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE, to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and entire community,” Ziegler shared on her Facebook.
What would Bridget Ziegler’s ICE resolution mean for Sarasota students?
Bridget Ziegler’s resolution would not change Sarasota County Schools’ current ICE policy but would penalize employees or board members who interfere with ICE actions. Under the school district’s existing policy, ICE must present a warrant, which the district’s legal counsel would have to verify before they can enter a Sarasota County school campus. The district also doesn’t track immigration status in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
The resolution states that the district will not create policies or barriers that hinder lawful law enforcement activity on school campuses and prohibits school board members, employees, contractors or volunteers from interfering with such actions.
Violations of Ziegler’s proposed resolution could result in disciplinary action, including termination and possible criminal referral. The resolution also emphasizes that school campuses are not to be used as a “safe harbor for criminals” and should be dedicated to education.
The resolution is a redirection for Ziegler, who, in a Feb. 2025 workshop regarding ICE at schools, said the potential spread of ICE activity shouldn’t foster panic.
“We really don’t have time for the unnecessary fear-mongering,” Ziegler said about fears from students and parents about ICE detainment while at school. “There are real consequences to breaking the law, but that is not our purview. Our purview is ensuring our children and staff are safe while they’re on school grounds.”
