Democrats Demand Answers After Immigration Agents Visit L.A. Schools
Introduction to the Incident
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) and other House Democrats are demanding that Department of Homeland Security officials justify their attempts last week to speak with students at two Los Angeles elementary schools. Garcia and 17 other Democrats signed a letter sent Friday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, requesting a briefing about the operation.
Details of the Operation
Federal agents showed up last Monday unannounced and without a judicial warrant at Russell Elementary and at Lillian Street Elementary in the Florence-Graham neighborhood of South Los Angeles. They asked to speak with five students collectively, ranging from first-graders to sixth-graders. But school principals denied access. According to L.A. Unified Supt. Alberto Carvalho, the agents said they were there to perform wellness checks and falsely claimed the students’ families had given permission for the contact.
Response from Homeland Security
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, told The Times that the agents were checking on the well-being of children who arrived unaccompanied at the border. “DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked,” she said.
Concerns Raised by the Incident
But according to Garcia’s letter, L.A. Unified School District staff informed lawmakers that the four students targeted at Russell Elementary “were not, in fact, unaccompanied minors.” “This raises serious questions about the truthfulness of your Department, and the safety of our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote. “The United States Supreme Court has ruled that all students have a right to a public education, no matter their immigration status. If parents and children cannot access schools without fear of deportation or harassment, you deny that right.”
Background and Implications
President Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly claimed that more than 300,000 migrant children are “missing, dead, sex slaves or slaves.” The claim appears to be based on a report by the DHS Office of Inspector General stating that 323,000 children either had not been served notices to appear in immigration court as of last May or had failed to appear for their hearings since 2019. Shortly after Trump took office, his administration declared that immigration agents are free to make arrests in places of worship, schools, hospitals and other locations that were previously considered “sensitive.”
Reaction from Educators and Communities
The incidents last week in Los Angeles left educators across the country on edge about protecting immigrant students. Garcia, who is on the House Homeland Security committee, said he is trying to determine whether it was the first such operation by federal immigration agents at any K-12 schools in the country. He believes it was an example of similar actions to come and said that communities need to be prepared to respond as the staff of these schools did.
Conclusion
The visit by immigration agents to L.A. schools has sparked concern and outrage among Democrats and educators, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement actions, especially when they involve vulnerable populations like children. The incident also underscores the importance of protecting the rights of all students to access education without fear of deportation or harassment.
FAQs
Q: What happened at the L.A. schools?
A: Federal immigration agents visited two elementary schools in Los Angeles, seeking to speak with students. The agents claimed they were conducting wellness checks but were denied access by school principals.
Q: Why are Democrats demanding answers?
A: Democrats are concerned about the truthfulness of the Department of Homeland Security’s actions and the potential harm to immigrant students and their families. They are seeking a briefing about the operation and demanding that the agency desist from immigration enforcement activity involving children who do not pose a public safety threat.
Q: What is the background of this incident?
A: The incident is part of a broader context of immigration policy changes under the Trump administration, which has expanded the locations where immigration agents can make arrests, including schools. There are also concerns about the exploitation and trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children.
Q: How have educators and communities reacted?
A: The incident has left educators and communities on edge, with concerns about protecting immigrant students and the potential for similar actions in the future. There is a call for preparedness and response to such incidents, as well as for the protection of all students’ rights to education without fear of deportation or harassment.
