LAUSD announces protections for students in the return of classes amid ICE raids in the region

As the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) prepares for the first day of school on Thursday, the district faced a setback on Monday morning when a 15-year-old disabled student was detained by U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP) agents. 

The minor, who was outside of Arleta High School in a vehicle with his grandmother waiting for a family member, was handcuffed, questioned and then released.

A CBP spokesperson told CALÓ News the detention of the minor was false. 

“Agents were conducting a targeted operation on criminal illegal alien Cristian Alexander Vasquez-Alvarenga—a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 pledge with prior criminal convictions in the broader vicinity of Arleta,” the CBP spokesperson said. 

During a press conference that same Monday, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the end of the Spring semester was traumatizing for many students and families. He said it is unacceptable to have young students witnessing images of individuals with masks and uniforms with long guns in hand making arrests or chasing people and asked the federal government to stop. 

“I don't want my children to have to witness that. Enough trauma, so beyond politics and policy and lawsuits, can we embrace for a bit of time, some degree of decency and compassion?,” he said, accompanied by several mayors from other cities, which have also been affected by the immigration raids. 

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LAUSD has taken several actions to provide a safe and secure environment for students and their families.

This includes a safe passage where LAUSD central office staff and volunteers will be monitoring critical areas that have seen a higher percentage and frequency of immigration raids. 

The possibility of adding more buses to take students to and from school to their homes. 

“Parents, if you are afraid of being on the street with your child, we more than likely can accommodate a specific bus route for your child,” said Carvalho.

LAUSD Board Scott Schmerelson said school buses are as safe as the classrooms and no one is allowed to enter them.  

LAUSD has created a family preparedness pack with all the information parents need to know and that they should have in case they get apprehended. This includes information about their rights, all information about the child including vital health information such as allergies, immunizations, specific emergency contacts in case the child has to go somewhere under someone's care. 

Carvalho said the packets have been distributed widely to municipal partners, libraries, also via email to parents and all LAUSD employees. 

“On the very first day of school, every child shall take this packet home,” said Carvalho.  Additionally, there are augmented specific services through virtual education, which has seen a 7% increase in enrollment for the fall semester. 

“Let me be very clear, there's nothing like face to face education, but we understand also that for some families facing a level of fear that is unacceptable for a child to experience that, virtual education may, in fact, be the preferred modality,” he said.

LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation, with 540,000 students, and includes a large number of immigrant families. Since June 6 when the massive ICE raids started, several LAUSD students or their family members have been detained and deported. 

In order to receive more information or access to any of these services parents are encouraged to call their local schools or talk to their principals or counselors. 

Dr. Rocio Rivas, LAUSD board representative for District 2, said the federal policies are stopping students from succeeding and thriving. 

“We are here united in one mission, to keep our students safe. Our schools are sanctuaries of learning not arenas of fear,” said Rivas. 

City of Bell Mayor Ali Saleh, said the protection of children is paramount and he wants to make sure all students are safe from school to home. Bell is 96% Latino. 

“The school police will be patrolling. I will be there to make sure our students are protected,” said Saleh. 

Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores said his city was the first one to experience the trauma when ICE started operations near a school that was hosting a graduation ceremony. 

“I have a message for the Trump administration, or for the Stephen Miller administration who is really in control, our children are not collateral damage. Hands off our kids,” said Flores.