By Josh Verges

St. Paul Pioneer Press

ST. PAUL —The St. Paul school board wants students and their families to know that they’re welcome in the schools, no matter their immigration status or country of origin.

Board members Tuesday discussed following the lead of Minneapolis Public Schools, which last month passed a unanimous resolution stating the district will not assist in immigration enforcement unless specifically required to by law.

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to deport at least 2 million criminals who are in the country illegally. He has also suggested temporarily barring Muslims from entering the country and keeping closer tabs on those already here.

Many cities and school districts have responded to his election by promising that their employees will not be acting as immigration enforcement agents.

On Tuesday, St. Paul school board member John Brodrick questioned the need for such a resolution, saying that when he was teaching, he never asked for a student’s documentation.

“Are we trying to solve a problem we don’t have?” he said.

Board chair Jon Schumacher said it’s more about saying, “Here’s where we stand on this.”

Interim superintendent John Thein said he’s heard from the teachers union that students are nervous and afraid of what might happen to them, their families and friends.

“There’s a huge change that’s going to happen in this country and nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen. We need to give them, from my point of view, a little security,” he said.