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Virginia Schools Given Guidelines on Undocumented Students

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.

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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.