Schools set to launch with elevated safeguards for students and families, against the backdrop of anticipated ICE operations
In the face of ongoing federal immigration enforcement actions, Los Angeles public schools have taken significant steps to create a protective environment for immigrant families.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has described the current situation as "profound" in U.S. history. School police, officers from several municipal forces, and community volunteers are patrolling near over 100 schools, setting up "safe zones" in heavily Latino neighborhoods and on routes where older students walk to campus. These measures aim to monitor and alert schools of any enforcement activities nearby.
The district has implemented a range of other protective measures. Altered or added bus routes reduce students' exposure to immigration agents, and families fearful of walking or driving their children to school can request special transportation accommodations. Schools distribute bilingual information packets containing "know-your-rights" materials, emergency contacts, tips on designating caregivers if parents are detained, and guidance on interacting with immigration agents.
A rapid communication task force, led by former School Police Chief Steven Zipperman, coordinates between school police, municipal law enforcement, and school sites to quickly share information and respond to potential enforcement activity. Hundreds of staff and volunteers are deployed at school sites to provide support and ensure swift communication via email and text alerts to families and school communities.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and local officials have emphasized that schools are to remain safe spaces free from fear. They publicly oppose immigration enforcement near schools, especially during school hours and on school premises. Together with local government and law enforcement partners, LAUSD is making historically unprecedented efforts to foster a protective environment for immigrant families amid federal immigration raids.
Alliance College-Ready charter schools have also trained staff on the legal rights of immigrants and parents about handling encounters with immigration agents. Nine families in Alliance schools responded to a survey about immigration issues, with some reporting deportations, detentions, and facing deportation proceedings. Over 10,000 families have been contacted to encourage them to send their children to school.
In response to the ongoing raids, safe-passage networks have expanded from 40 schools to at least 100 this year. Food aid for families in hiding and legal referrals are being coordinated. A compassion fund has been set up to help families with legal and other costs. L.A. Unified has been incorporating ideas advocated by the teachers union and immigrant-rights groups to protect students.
Community volunteers will join district staff and contractors to serve as scouts, alerting schools of nearby enforcement actions. Omar Reyes, a superintendent of instruction at the Alliance charter group, has arranged carpools with U.S. citizen drivers to ensure safe transportation to and from school.
Despite these efforts, federal agents reportedly drew their guns on a 15-year-old boy and handcuffed him outside Arleta High School, but the situation was resolved after it was confirmed that the boy was not the person they were looking for. L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho stated that the school system will oppose any entity that seeks to interfere with the educational process of children.
Information about online schooling options and a "family preparedness" guide are being distributed. The Trump administration policy is that no location, including a school, is off limits for enforcement actions in their drive to deport at least 1 million immigrants a year. Alliance charter schools have seen a dip in attendance due to immigration raids, with some schools falling below 70% average daily attendance.
In conclusion, Los Angeles public schools are going above and beyond to protect immigrant students and their families amidst federal immigration enforcement actions. The comprehensive measures implemented aim to ensure schools remain safe spaces free from fear and protect the right of children, regardless of immigration status, to a public education.
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