With a change in U.S. president days away, members of law enforcement and the judicial system in Deschutes County spoke last week about how they will handle immigration issues.

President Trump has clearly stated that he was for mass deportations of people lacking legal status. Immigration came up at a meeting of Deschutes County’s Local Public Safety Coordinating Council. What would happen if a federal agent requested immigration information of a school or appeared at a school? What is the protocol for local law enforcement on immigration?

They are important questions. We know some answers, not all the answers.

The Bend-La Pine School Board is scheduled to discuss the issue on Tuesday and vote on a proposed policy.

Under Oregon law, education records are protected from use for immigration action. The policy proposal largely follows from that.

The district would not disclose any student information, including immigration status, without parent or guardian consent, unless there was an appropriate request. Any legal requests for information or access to property or staff would be directed to the superintendent’s office. The policy would authorize the superintendent or legal counsel to ask for credentials, the purpose of any request and ask about the legal validity of any request. Staff would provide training and guidance to school staff and the district will provide information and support to possibly impacted families. Assistance or information would only be provided to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the enforcement of immigration law — and only if required.

You can read the proposed policy here: tinyurl.com/Bendimmigration.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said his department’s policy has already been clearly spelled out. In short:: “The immigration status of people is not a matter for police action. The Bend Police Department does not participate in immigration investigation or enforcement activities.”

The department’s Policy 413 emphasizes that Bend officers are not trained nor instructed to ask about immigration status. And it says to immigrant communities that “there is no need to fear contact with the Bend Police Department as to a person’s immigration or legal residency status” because “it does not impact our service to a community member.” Furthermore, no member of the department is to use any “facilities, money, property, money, equipment, technology or personnel” to enforce federal immigration laws.

If a person is arrested, though, the police can inquire to verify a person’s immigration status or to request criminal investigation information.

The policy continues for seven pages. You can read it here: tinyurl.com/Policy413.

The issue of immigration does not need loud and angry exchanges. There are legitimate claims for asylum. There are legitimate economic benefits to immigration, just ask U.S. businesses.

We don’t want to see families ripped apart. We don’t want to see school officials or local law enforcement facing off against armed federal agents. Too much could go wrong.

The policies that the Bend school district may put in place seem reasonable enough. But if it comes to having to use them, it would be another signal of the failure of Congress on immigration policy.

Can we at least agree that we don’t need to yank and send back children who were brought here by their parents without any say and are making lives for themselves in school or at work? Some call them Dreamers.

Trump has talked about letting Dreamers stay. Was that just talk?