School officials said Monday that Los Angeles School Police will establish a safe perimeter around campus and school activities, including graduation, to keep federal immigration agents away from students, employees and families.
Supt's announcement. Alberto Carvalho's widespread immigration raid in Los Angeles, including Monday's attack on Home Depot near Huntington Park High School, including a weekend of isolated but fierce downtown clashes, some clashing between protesters and protesters, some burning self-driving Waymo Cars and throwing Fired and therew Rocks and Fireworks.
The move is one of the most notable actions taken by the Second University District of the United States, with leaders in the region saying in a Monday news conference that they will deploy their own police forces to protect students and their families so they can enjoy many graduation ceremonies in peace that will end this week by the end of the week.
“We stand on the right side of the law,” Carvalho said. “Every student in our community, every student across the country, has free high-quality public education, without threatening constitutional rights. Each of our students is independent of immigration status and has free meals in our schools. Every child, each of our children, has no questions, has counseling, social emotional support, psychological support, psychological support, mental support, spiritual support.”
President Trump reversed a competitive government policy that largely exempted schools and other potentially sensitive areas, such as immigration enforcement in churches. Federal agents have not targeted local schools in recent days. But in April, federal agents were turned away by employees of two primary schools.
Carvalho does not rule out the potential for a standoff involving school police if federal police attempts to enter a school or off-campus school event (such as graduation ceremonies).
“I think that would be absurd situation,” Carvalho said. “But then again, we have prepared absurd actions for everything. We have prepared everything.”
“I have a professional ethical responsibility to protect our children, protect our workforce, ensure sacredness, protect our buildings and their expansion,” Carvalho said. “This means school buses, the transportation of children’s schooling and graduation rituals. Without any distractions, I will put my work in a protective work to protect a 5-year-old, 11-year-old student, or an upcoming graduate.”
But there are restrictions. Officials acknowledge that if officials arrive with a judicial arrest warrant, they do not allow them to intervene, which is relatively few. All school staff (not just school police) are trained in how to interact with immigrant agents, especially limiting their access to campus and children.
Defenders of Trump’s goals oppose public officials should help support immigration laws that are not legally authorized to reside in the United States.
For the school system, immigration fanaticism is in the usual celebration time – graduation season. Federal action prompted detailed, attention, and sometimes angry responses from school district leadership.
“I saw the gray clouds on Los Angeles as I looked at the horizon from the office this morning,” Carvalho said as he opened his speech. “Those gray clouds can mean a lot to many people. I interpret them as unjust clouds, fearful clouds, scare clouds – trying to scare the best of us into dark corners.”
About 100 high school graduations and climaxes held Monday and Tuesday are scheduled to last until June 16.
Los Angeles school police lack the manpower to surround every campus and school event location, but when officials learned about potential immigration enforcement activities, the plan was to place one patrol vehicle in front of the campus and another on the scene.
At the graduation ceremony, outdoor lines entering the venue will be minimized. If the agent initiates a raid outside or near, the family can last for a period of time internally.
Where possible, a virtual option will be provided for families to watch graduation ceremony online.
Carvalho said: “I've talked to my parents and my parents told me that their daughter will be the first person in their family to graduate from high school and they won't be there to witness it because they're worried that the graduation position is targeted. What country are we becoming?”
So far, families in six to seven school districts have been affected by attacks and arrests, Carvalho said. In one case, a student was detained with his father and transported from Los Angeles to Texas. The area has no student or school identified for privacy concerns.
A fourth-grade student who attended Torrance Elementary School in a neighboring school district, his 50-year-old father was detained on May 29 by U.S. immigration and customs enforcement — and will be deported soon, a federal official said.
According to the federal government, the father and son entered the United States illegally in 2021.
The principal also pointed out conversations about the student strike. He said the students’ right to protest would be respected, but he asked families to urge their children to stay on campus for safety reasons.
Carvalho also advises families to update their contact and emergency information with the school. If caregivers are detained, the family should also prepare a backup plan.
Summer school will begin on June 17 and last until July 16. Carvalho said more campuses will be opened to minimize home-to-school travel and provide more school-funded transportation.
They often have a cautious attitude towards the Trump administration's rhetoric – certainly crucial, but somewhat cautious. But there were few warnings on Monday.
School board member Nick Melvoin demanded the removal of the National Guard and referred Trump's fierce reaction in Los Angeles with his delay in stopping the rioters as they tried to prevent the transfer of power with peace from Trump to President-elect Joe Biden on January 6, 2021.
Board member Rocio Rivas said there were raids in recent days in Boyle Heights, MacArthur Park, Lincoln Heights, Pico Union, Cypress Park, “to name just a few.”
“Our family is now forced to live in fear, looking at their shoulders on their way to school or their kids. It's totally wrong. It's also very, very cruel,” Rivas said.
“It's not about keeping our community safe. It's about who belongs to whom, who should be kicked out, locked up and shut up,” said board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin.
School Board Chairman Scott Schmerelson seeks a broader perspective.
“This should be the happiest moment for our kids and their parents, it's a very sad time, but we also have to remember that our kids have achieved a lot,” Schmelson said. “They are graduating and trying to stay positive.”
