‘They are afraid’ L.A. teachers call for end to immigration raids at schools

Los Angeles educators, Union del Barrio, the Association of Raza Educators and the Community Self-Defense Coalition (CSDC) demand an immediate end to Homeland Security Investigations Division (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempting to enter LAUSD schools. 

On Monday, April 7th, agents from the DHS were denied entry into two South Los Angeles elementary schools. The visitations happened at Lillian Elementary School and Russell Elementary School. Although the schools prevented them from entering the campuses, the targeting of elementary schools by immigration enforcement agents has caused terror for many in the community.

Kelly Flores, a  teacher at Manual Arts High School in South Los Angeles, told CALÓ News that the students are very nervous about what's happening. She also shared the story about one of her former freshman students from Honduras who, within two years of retaking classes, was able to graduate from his high school. “When they're newcomers, they have to take all of their high school again even if  they were studying in any other language but English,” she said.

Flores described Christian as a very social student who was always active in school activities, graduating at the top of his class last year. She remembers that he was accepted into several universities, including UC San Diego, but ultimately chose to attend Cal Poly Pomona. Flores had been trying to keep up with how he was doing, and the last update she received was that he was still in school. However, just today, another teacher informed her that he had been deported.

She explained that Christian would appear at his immigration court hearings on a regular basis. “They gave them appointments and he showed up and they deported him,” Flores said. “We don't have any more information about that, but because of that situation, it has caused a huge ripple effect with all of the people he was connected to. He's connected to so many of our students here and so now they're afraid.”

Flores also told CALÓ News that immigration agents are not just going to the schools. “They are everywhere around the schools. They're at the parks next door. Today they were right behind Bernstein High School; they were in an apartment complex,” she said. She also added that it was most likely one of the kids who attended her high school whose parents were being taken away.

“This is happening throughout the district, and we just want to make sure that we are really clear that we don't comply and that we resist,” Flores said.

Union del Barrio was informed that several South L.A. students, some of whom are unaccompanied minors, have received deportation orders from ICE. Recently, Union del Barrio has formed the Community Self-defense Coalition, where more than 50 organizations and groups are joining together to patrol areas where ICE agents are targeting undocumented immigrants.

Ron Gochez, a leading member of Union del Barrio and also a teacher in Los Angeles, stated, “Students and their families are afraid to go to school and that is absolutely unacceptable. We demand that ICE leave our communities! We will continue to organize to protect our students and schools!”

Lupe Carrasco Cardona, a high school history teacher and chairwoman of the Association of Raza Educators, said that they had seen a significant drop in attendance at their campuses. “ICE poses an immediate threat to our students, their families and the entire community. Our students cannot concentrate on their studies when they are worried about ICE threatening their families. We will not stand idly while our students and families are kidnapped by ICE,” Cardona said.

Cardona also shared that on Tuesday she had witnessed a confirmed sighting of ICE. She saw when they pulled over somebody under the 110 Freeway overpass. 

She shared that with the help of union folks and concerned educators, they have started to conduct community patrols before schools in the area, along with parents. “We're organizing right now with parents to keep a watchful eye around the school area, because people are really scared,” Cardona said. She also explained how these incidents are affecting the mental health of their students.

“When students started finding out that there were two attempts at two different elementary schools, people were panicking here, like the students were panicking because they have little brothers and sisters. So the family separation is just really causing a huge mental health crisis,” she said.

According to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, their research indicates that restrictive and punitive immigration policies are directly associated with adverse mental health outcomes among undocumented immigrants, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use.

Cardona also told CALÓ News that many of the high school students who are undocumented have been accepted to colleges but are afraid and feeling hesitant to attend. “Many of them felt like college was a place that they could go and get their education and also an opportunity to help them with their status. But right now it’s actually a place that's going to cause them to be a target,” Cardona said.

As of now, LAUSD schools have not complied with any immigration enforcement agents but teachers and organizations are coming together to stand up for their students and are helping them and their parents understand their constitutional rights through workshops.