Federal officials have confirmed that Martir Garcia Lara, a nine-year-old fourth grader from Torrance Elementary School will be deported. On May 29, Martir attended an immigration hearing in downtown Los Angeles with his father, Martir Garcia-Banegas. Instead of receiving an update on their immigration status, both were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and separated. The following day, they were transferred to an immigration facility in Texas, with plans to deport them to Honduras.
According to KTLA, the boy and his father entered the U.S. illegally on July 10, 2021. An immigration judge ordered their removal to Honduras on September 1, 2022. Garcia-Banegas appealed the decision, but the appeal was dismissed on August 11, 2023. ICE stated, “They exhausted due process and have no legal remedies left to pursue.”
The detainment has sparked outrage among teachers and community members. Jasmin King, PTA president at Torrance Elementary, expressed concern, saying, “All we know is that Martir is just a fourth-grader who’s by himself, without his dad, without a parent, and just in a place that he probably doesn’t know.” The PTA and concerned residents have reached out to federal, state, and local leaders, urging them to intervene.
The Independent reports that the boy’s arrest is part of a broader wave of immigration enforcement actions nationwide. Advocacy groups and immigration attorneys have criticized these actions, labeling them a “dragnet” operation targeting immigrants complying with the law. The American Immigration Lawyers Association has called courthouse arrests a “flagrant betrayal of basic fairness and due process.”
The Torrance Unified School District has acknowledged the situation, stating their commitment to the safety and well-being of all students. They have encouraged community members to share their concerns with elected officials, including Congressional Representatives Maxine Waters and Ted Lieu, and U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.
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