On Oct. 21, 2025, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested and detained merchants of West African origin on Canal Street, eight blocks away from Pace.
Three of the individuals were released nearly four months later, but the scenes from the day left New Yorkers appalled and frightened.
Communities across New York City have become increasingly aware of the growing threats posed by the immigration enforcement agency, especially with surges in ICE raids in NYC and across the country.
Pacer spoke with school leaders about how the administration is preparing for potential ICE activity in the future.
Mr. Glatz Reassures Safety importance for Pace Students
Mr. Glatz said that there’s no immediate access to anywhere within the school building for any outside organizations other than the NYPD. He explained the lengthy process in which an outside organization such as ICE would need to go through to have authorized entry into the building.
“One, they have to show their identification, but two, there also has to be proper legal documentation,” Mr. Glatz said.
Because there is not a lawyer in the school building, Mr. Glatz said an outside organization would have to present their proper legal documentation to the principals, who would then send it to the New York City Legal Council for review.
“I think that the immigration officers know that, and that’s why you’re not really seeing a lot of interaction at schools,” Mr. Glatz said.
Mr. Glatz said that students have been notifying administration if they suspect that there could be immigration officers in the neighborhood. The administration also checks in with teachers and faculty regarding potential ICE activity during weekly staff meetings.
“We get concerned about outside if we see that there’s suspicious vehicles and everybody just raises awareness, and then we try to do our best to confirm if anything like that is possible,” Mr. Glatz said. “Luckily, we have not had any of those issues.”
Teachers Prepare with Safety Readiness
On March 27, teachers of Pace and Emma Lazarus attended workshops that instructed staff on how to deal with protecting immigrant students. The workshop was led by Katherine Kurjakovic of the United Federation of Teachers.
Sessions like these have been occurring across the city. In these sessions, some topics include general overviews of city protocols and safeguards, how to connect immigrant families to outside organizations that can meet their legal needs, and crisis planning in the event of rampant ICE activity near the school or on a field trip.
“I think that helped provide a common understanding about some of those regulations I spoke about earlier — needing legal documentation to enter a building and what we’re going to do if we have any reason to believe that there’s outside officers around,” Mr. Glatz said.
Ms. Barcia Welcomes With Open Arms
Ms. Barcia, the school’s social worker, has been a key figure in the school community during this time, providing a safe space for students to center themselves. She has been responsible for distributing know-your-rights documents to students and families.
“A lot of students have expressed worries about the current administration and just a political climate that even if it’s not impacting them, they definitely see a lot that’s happening on social media that can cause a lot of stress,” Ms. Barcia said.
Mr. Glatz has cited Ms. Barcia as a huge help in spreading awareness on the topic.
“She is the point person that’s been making sure that there are resources that students and families have access to,” Mr. Glatz said.
Ms. Barcia and Ms. Kurjakovic have both identified Project Open Arms as a valuable resource for immigrants seeking asylum in the city. The initiative provides temporary housing, transportation services and more.
