Sejong Academy, a taxpayer-funded charter school in St. Paul, shifted to remote learning for January 14 and 15 citing safety concerns. The move coincided with advisories from Urban Village, which urged undocumented residents to stay home amid reported ICE activity affecting Minnesota’s Myanmar community. Urban Village said some community members were detained and allegedly pressured to waive legal rights; Sejong did not reference ICE or confirm coordination with the group.
St. Paul Charter School Moves Classes Online After Warnings of Reported ICE Activity Affecting Myanmar Community
Hundreds of students and allies gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol to protest the ongoing Immigration Enforcement Operations in Minnesota and to denounce the killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., January 14, 2026.
Sejong Academy, a publicly funded charter school in St. Paul, moved classroom instruction online for January 14 and 15, citing concerns for the "safety and well-being" of its school community, according to a notice posted on the school's website.
The announcement said students would attend classes remotely on Wednesday and Thursday and noted that Friday had been scheduled previously as a staff professional-development day. The school did not specify the exact nature of the safety concerns that prompted the shift to remote learning.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers question a man about his status on Lake Street near Karmel Mall in Minnesota on Dec. 10, 2025.
At the same time, Urban Village, a Minnesota-based community organization that advocates for immigrant communities, published a video and Instagram posts addressing what it described as immigration-enforcement activity in the area. In the video, a representative said the group was sharing urgent information "regarding ICE," and speakers urged people without green cards or proof of citizenship to stay home and avoid opening doors to unfamiliar visitors.
Urban Village: The organization said members of Minnesota's Myanmar diaspora had been detained by ICE and U.S. Border Patrol and transferred to detention centers outside the state. It alleged some detainees were pressured to sign documents waiving legal rights, citing information it said came from a public official.
Urban Village also said its guidance to noncitizens and people without green cards—advising them to remain home, avoid driving and limit contact—had immediate consequences: parents missing work, medical appointments being skipped and children missing school and activities.
Protesters rally on Portland Street in Minneapolis, Minn., following federal agents fatally shooting a woman on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
Sejong Academy's online statement did not mention immigration enforcement or ICE, and the school has not confirmed whether its decision was coordinated with Urban Village or influenced by the group's advisories.
Funding note: According to IRS filings reviewed by ProPublica and verified by Fox News Digital, Sejong Academy reported receiving more than $7 million in government grants, underscoring its status as a taxpayer-funded charter school.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sejong Academy and Urban Village for comment. Some claims reported by community organizations remain unverified in public records; reporting outlets have described certain allegations as alleged or based on statements from community sources.
Help us improve.
