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Virginia Schools Given Guidelines on Undocumented Students

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - State officials are distributing legal guidance to local school districts on immigration-related issues in response to President Donald Trump's recent executive actions.

Virginia's Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven Staples sent a memo Wednesday to local superintendents with the advice.

The memo emphasizes that districts must provide a high-quality education for every student, regardless of immigration status. It also says school divisions cannot inquire into a prospective student's citizenship status.

The memo advises districts to develop or review policies for students who cannot go home in case a parent or guardian is detained by immigration officials.

The guidance is being issued after Trump issued a travel ban targeting seven predominantly Muslim countries. The president has also promised a stepped-up campaign deport criminal immigrants and others living in the U.S. illegally.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.