ICE Agents Detain Adult as Students Dropped Off at School, Acero Charter Network Says
Unprecedented Incident Sparks Fear and Concern Among Parents and Advocates
A charter school network on the Southwest Side of Chicago informed parents that an adult was detained by federal immigration officials outside a school building on Wednesday morning when dropping children off for class. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials did not immediately confirm the action.
Fear and Concern Among Parents and Advocates
Advocates for immigrants said this may be the first time since President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown started in January that ICE has detained an individual as children were arriving or leaving a Chicago school. The Trump administration last month said it would allow agents to make arrests at schools, churches, and hospitals, ending a policy in effect since 2011. Chicago school leaders have pledged not to allow ICE agents inside schools except when they have a proper criminal arrest warrant.
Arrests near schools are something parents have feared, even as they have been assured their children would be safe once they are in school, said Andrea Ortiz, director of organizing for the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council. “It is really terrifying for families and traumatizing for students,” she said.
Acero Schools Response
Acero Schools, the charter school network that informed parents about the situation, said it is providing support for those directly affected. “We understand how stressful and upsetting this is to our school communities,” network officials wrote in a message to parents on Wednesday. Staff from the school escorted two students from the car into school, and no one was hurt, according to the communication to parents.
Concerns and Fears Among Parents
The incident has sparked concerns and fears among parents, with some worrying that this is just the beginning of a new wave of ICE activity near schools. “It is comforting to see that school administrators have acted fast and have moved to connect families to resources and secure the safety of their families,” Ortiz said. However, she worries that this incident will “refuel those fears” and believes that the community can be “more powerful than ICE.”
Conclusion
The detention of an adult outside a school building has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of students and their families. As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential for schools and communities to remain vigilant and provide support to those affected. The incident highlights the need for a more comprehensive and humane approach to immigration enforcement, one that prioritizes the safety and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
FAQs
* What happened?
+ An adult was detained by ICE agents outside a school building on the Southwest Side of Chicago while students were being dropped off for class.
* Was the incident confirmed by ICE?
+ ICE officials did not immediately confirm the action.
* How did the school respond?
+ Acero Schools provided support to those directly affected and assured parents that it would continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety of all students.
* What are the concerns among parents and advocates?
+ Many are worried that this is just the beginning of a new wave of ICE activity near schools and that it will lead to increased fear and trauma among students and their families.
