Last month, officials from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in one of America’s most affluent school districts took an unexpected stand. They organized a training session aimed at preparing families for potential encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This initiative took place in Montgomery County, Maryland, and was spearheaded by Councilwoman Kristin Mink.

The virtual event, which happened on January 20, was aptly titled “ICE Response & Organizing Tools for PTAs, Parents & Guardians.” This session was part of Mink’s ongoing effort to arm schools with strategies to effectively counter ICE activities and protect vulnerable community members.

Reports from the National Review reveal that Mink has been actively engaging in these educational efforts, having led several previous sessions. Her training emphasizes equipping parents with strategies to safely escort students whose parents may be undocumented and encourages community vigilance during school drop-offs and pickups. Additionally, the program highlights ways to offer support to families impacted by ICE operations.

During the training, Mink shared an extensive set of “rapid response” guidelines, which she had publicly posted a few days before the session. Her presentation included advice for “White allies” on how they can effectively support the community. Notably, she advised against the use of whistles as a means of counteracting what she termed “ICE violence,” viewing it as a tool that inadvertently upholds authority linked to Whiteness.

Kristin Mink, who has been active in broader social justice movements, was notably seen addressing a protest against President Donald Trump outside the White House on August 6, 2018. Her continued advocacy highlights her commitment to community protection and resistance against unjust immigration enforcement practices.

Kristin Mink addresses a protest against President Donald Trump in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 2018.  (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

“Especially for White allies, whistles can represent a subconscious desire for authority, protection, or control in moments of crisis,” the slide said. 

“But rapid response is not about assuming authority. . . . When we question decisions made by those impacted, we risk centering our own comfort instead of impacted people.”

She added that “What feels ‘activating’ or empowering to some can cause stress to others,” noting that “Black and Brown communities are already overexposed to chronic noise pollution due to racist zoning, redlining, and disinvestment.”

She further addressed, in the slide, how certain characteristics — such as gender, sexuality, and education — align with positions of power or marginalization.

Cars park outside Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, on June 12, 2025.  (Robb Hill/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Last September, the Department of Homeland Security clarified that, contrary to what it described as “fearmongering” by sanctuary politicians, “ICE is not conducting enforcement operations at, or ‘raiding,’ schools.”

Mink’s presentation aligns with a recent wave within the anti-ICE movement, where immigrant-led organizations clashed with predominantly White “rapid response” activists over the use of whistles during immigration raids. Groups like the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) and Maryland-based coalitions argue that blowing whistles is a “White Savior” tactic that creates unnecessary panic and escalates tension.

The Jan. 20 meeting sparked further controversy, with critics arguing that parent-teacher organizations should prioritize academic success rather than engaging in political activism.

“It goes without saying, PTAs should focus on their original intent: students — not injecting inflammatory and divisive political rhetoric into the community,” Kendall Tietz, investigative reporter at Defending Education, told the National Review.

Kristin Mink at the Montgomery County Council Office Building in Rockville, Maryland on January 14, 2025. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The online presentation was promoted by, and advertised on, the Montgomery County Council of PTAs’ social media. According to the online sign-up sheet, several agencies supported the information session, including education associations, labor unions and immigration advocacy organizations. 

Many local PTAs also promoted the session on their official platforms, including those at Gaithersburg Middle School, Laytonsville Elementary School and Stedwick Elementary School.