More than a dozen California Congressional representatives are demanding explanations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after federal agents visited two Los Angeles schools last week. According to Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, DHS agents entered Russell Elementary and Lillian Street Elementary in South Los Angeles on April 7 and requested to speak with five students. The school principals denied entry as the agents did not have a warrant. A DHS spokesperson confirmed the visit, stating it was to check on the health and welfare of students who arrived unaccompanied at the border.
A letter, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, was sent to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, asking her to justify the agents’ actions and desist from immigration enforcement targeting children who pose no public safety threat. The letter, signed by 18 House Democrats, including Rep. Luz M. Rivas, highlights discrepancies between accounts from LAUSD and DHS regarding agent identification and guardian permission. Rivas expressed her horror at the unannounced visit and thanked LAUSD officials for protecting the children.
Rep. Robert Garcia and other House Democrats are also seeking a briefing on the operation. Garcia noted that the schools serve low-income families in neighborhoods with high immigrant and Latino populations, raising concerns about targeting vulnerable communities. According to the Los Angeles Times, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated the agents were checking on the well-being of children to ensure they were not being exploited or trafficked. However, LAUSD staff informed lawmakers that the students targeted were not unaccompanied minors.
This incident has left educators nationwide on edge about protecting immigrant students. The operation comes amid concerns that similar actions may occur in the future, as federal immigration agents have been allowed to make arrests in previously sensitive locations since a policy change early in President Trump’s administration.
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