A parent waiting nearby to pick up his child from Linda Vista Elementary School was arrested Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, school officials said.
The arrest occurred days after the start of the school year, and a week after another parent — who an immigration judge had ordered deportation in absentia — was taken into custody by federal immigration agents outside an elementary school in Chula Vista during morning drop-off.
Immigration enforcement arrests have increased locally within the first months of the Trump administration. One of the administration’s first actions was to rescind Biden-era guidance that restricted immigration enforcement operations “in or near” certain protected places, including schools.
Families and officials alike said such enforcement actions during school drop-off or pickup can send fear through the community.
“This did just not happen to one household. It happened to an entire school community,” San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Fabiola Bagula said Friday at a news conference outside the school. “It left children, families and staff, with questions and fears that no one, especially our youngest learners, should have to carry.”
Thursday’s arrest happened about 3:10 p.m., just before school dismissal, as the man waited in a line of cars near the campus, school officials said. Other families were present, but not students, officials added.
On Saturday, Tricia McLaughlin, the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement that ICE did not target the school, and that the arrest did not took place on school grounds.
She said the operation was targeting a man originally from Mexico who was “fraudulently using an American’s social security number.”
McLaughlin said officers approached the man after he pulled over in a parking lot. He was arrested and placed in removal proceedings, she added.
“Any smears that ICE targeted an elementary school are contributing to the 1000% increase in assaults against our brave ICE law enforcement.”
Homeland Security officials called the school’s principal, Miriam Atlas, following the arrest. She then informed the child’s mother of the situation, Bagula said.
“We have added counselors and district staff at the school today because the ripple effects of an incident like this extend far beyond the moment itself,” Bagula said. “They live in the stories that children will tell for the rest of their lives, in the questions they ask and in the worry that they carry home.”
Sabrina Bazzo, a trustee on the San Diego Unified School District board, referred to the incident as “unacceptable.”
“How do we expect our students to stay focused on learning when they have to worry about their parents and family members not feeling safe right outside this door,” she said.
Bazzo said she had heard that some parents had started organizing to pick up other students in case their parents felt uncomfortable about coming to school.
While dropping off their children at school Friday, some shared concerns about such enforcement near schools.
The mother of a first-grade student, who asked not to be named for fear of repercussions, said she learned of the arrest on social media. “I’m afraid. I don’t know what might happen,” she said in Spanish. “The situation is worrying.”
Another mother, who walked her two children to school, said they have told her they are afraid. She also asked not to be identified out of fear for her safety.
Her 10-year-old daughter said that she fears for her family. “This has really changed my life,” she said. “I used to come to school feeling calm, knowing my mom would pick me up every day. Now, with everything that’s happening, I’m worried she won’t come back for me. It’s not just me; other children are worried, too.”
In a letter to parents on Thursday, Principal Miriam Atlas stressed that “school grounds are safe spaces that cannot be accessed by ICE without a proper, signed warrant.”
“We have reiterated our policies and protocols to all staff to ensure everyone understands these critical guidelines. In California, schools cannot ask about immigration status during enrollment or share student records without parental consent or a court order,” the letter reads.
Atlas said they were working with school agencies to make sure the affected family had access to the resources they needed.
In December, the San Diego Unified School District passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to being a “welcoming district” for all students. Their actions included informing the school community about their rights and creating a new website with resources and additional information.
