East Lansing Board of Education Reaffirms Support for Undocumented Students Prior to Trump Inauguration
At its first meeting of the new year, the East Lansing Board of Education reaffirmed its support for undocumented students, faculty and staff with a new, stronger resolution opposing immigration enforcement through or in the district’s schools.
The resolution reaffirms the board’s “Commitment to a safe and supporting school environment for all students, regardless of immigration status.” The resolution was not originally scheduled for a vote on Monday but trustees including Kath Edsall, who introduced the resolution, and board President Chris Martin expressed desire to have it in place before the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The resolution states the East Lansing Public School District “works to foster welcoming and safe school environments for all students and staff, including those who may be undocumented or have undocumented family members or may have received temporary legal status including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.”
The resolution also states that “The 2024 Presidential Election may have caused fear, concern, confusion, sadness, anger or anxiety for ELPS staff, students and their families…” due to the incoming administration’s intent to overturn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy preventing enforcement activities in schools.

In response, ELPS promises “to not aid the ICE agency in the enforcement of federal civil immigration law. Therefore, ICE will not be permitted access to ELPS facilities, students, or personnel except in the rare instances in which ELPS is provided with a criminal warrant.”
These are not new policies, Edsall said, but follows a 2017 resolution that has since been put into policy. Edsall said she spoke with Trustee Estrella Torrez about ways to strengthen the resolution and “reaffirm our commitment to anyone who is undocumented.”
The resolution was passed unanimously.
In other action, the board approved two new policies to address suicide prevention and threat assessment and response. Superintendent Dori Leyko said the district has been implementing both strategies for about a year and a half and the vote is simply to codify the formal policy.
The board also officially swore in new trustee Abbie Tykocki, a theater business manager who was elected to a two-year partial term in November. Returning trustees Chris Martin, Estrella Torrez and Elizabeth Lyons were elected to four-year terms and re-sworn in on Monday.
Martin was also returned to his position as board president with a unanimous vote. Lyons was elected vice president, Edsall as treasurer and Trustee Tali Faris-Hylen is returning as secretary.
In her superintendent’s report, Leyko updated the board on plans to construct a new district central administration building on Towar Avenue and a new secure entrance at the high school. Bids to construct the central administration building will go out Jan. 21 while the high school construction bids will go out April 15. Both projects were approved in the $23.5 million Safety, Security and Access Bond that passed in a May 2024 election.
The central administration building construction is expected to start as soon as the ground thaws, Leyko said, with completion expected in October or November.