Chatham Offers Insight into Shifting Immigration Enforcement Policies on Arizona Horizon

02.10.2025

Stinson LLP Partner Elizabeth Chatham was featured in an Arizona Horizon news segment, "Shifts in immigrant arrest policies." Arizona Horizon is a public affairs program that airs on Arizona PBS.

In January, Trump administration officials rescinded a long-standing policy that discouraged immigration enforcement in sensitive locations like schools, hospital, churches and other places where social services are offered. As Chatham explains, Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents will now be allowed to enter these spaces to enforce immigration laws.

"Going all the way back to 2011, schools, places of worship, churches, domestic violence shelters and hospitals were considered sensitive areas that were protected from immigration enforcement action. The previous guidance wouldn't even allow ICE or law enforcement to go near these sensitive areas. The reason was to look at the actual activity that these locations and to protect the larger community so there was not going to be a chilling effect or fear," Chatham said.

Chatham advises that staff at formerly protected locations should be trained on what to do if immigration enforcement officials visit the site. She recommends designating a point of contact, such as a principal or an administrator, and putting a communication plan in place. She adds that in Arizona, students are entitled to a K-12 education, regardless of immigration status.

Chatham assists companies and educational institutions navigate U.S. immigration law and compliance. She provides tailored corporate immigration and compliance programs and works with clients to obtain temporary and permanent immigration options. Chatham also helps clients with individual consular processing and naturalization.

Watch the full interview.