The chief’s comments came after Alice ISD sent a letter to parents Wednesday warning students may be detained and possibly deported if they can’t prove they’re in the country legally. The letter was later removed from the district’s website.

The letter stated Border Patrol could board buses to or from the Rio Grande Valley and question students about their citizenship.

President Donald Trump has pledged mass deportations and launched a crackdown on illegal immigration shortly after taking office. His administration rolled back Biden-era guidance that limited federal immigration arrests near sensitive locations, including schools, hospitals and churches.