Elected leaders spoke out against two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions near an elementary school and a college this week, calling the actions exploitative and cruel.
One person was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents near San Diego City College on Wednesday, while another person was pursued by agents onto the campus, according to the San Diego Community College District.
In a separate incident, ICE agents allegedly took two parents into custody while they were dropping off their child at John Marshall Elementary School in Chollas Creek.
"I am deeply troubled by reports that students and parents were detained without warning while trying to attend classes or bring kids to school," said Rep. Scott Peters. "Schools are supposed to be a safe place for young people to learn. Yet this administration exploits the places we trust most β schools, childcare facilities, hospitals, courthouses and places of worship. President Trump has turned these places into hunting grounds.
"Parents and children should not have to worry about ICE agents waiting outside a classroom or a doctor's office. That's why I led introduction of the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would bar immigration enforcement within 1,000 feet of schools, hospitals and churches except in true emergencies. I will also continue working with SDUSD and City College to make sure San Diegans have the resources they need to stay informed and protected."
Mayor Todd Gloria shared Peters' sentiment.
"No parent should have to fear being separated from their family simply for dropping their child off at school," he said. "Actions like these inflict fear and trauma far beyond those who are detained. Children are left wondering whether their parents will come home. Families may become afraid to take their children to school. And educators are forced to help children navigate fear and uncertainty that no child should have to experience.
"This is cruel, unnecessary and counterproductive. It does nothing to make our communities safer."
On Wednesday, ICE agents arrested James Mervil and Josselene Polidor from outside John Marshal Elementary. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the names of the individuals on Thursday, saying the parents had overstayed their visas, ABC10 reported.
ICE and DHS were reached out to for comment, but were not immediately available.
The San Diego Education Association, the union for most of San Diego Unified School District's teachers, condemned the arrests.
"Federal POL(ICE) are snatching parents and college students off our streets, traumatizing our students, educators, education workers, families and communities. This is unethical. This is unacceptable. This ends now," the statement read. "Our members watch children walk into classrooms carrying fear they should never have to carry. They console kids who do not know if their parent will be home tonight. They see young people pulled from college classrooms and campuses, their education and futures interrupted without warning. Our members are being asked to hold communities together while the federal government tears families apart. We see it. We feel it. And we will not pretend this is normal."
At around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, ICE agents in unmarked vehicles stopped a vehicle near the intersection of 16th and C streets, according to district officials. The driver was taken into custody, while the passenger fled onto the campus.
SDCCD officials said the passenger is a San Diego City College student, while the arrested driver is believed to be a City College student.
District officials said the pursuing ICE agents "quickly stopped as they recognized they were entering a college campus. The agents went back to their vehicles and left. ICE is no longer in the area and did not engage with anyone else on campus."
What led to the vehicle stop and arrest is unknown. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
SDCCD said it is "providing support" to the passenger, but "due to the sensitive nature of this matter, no additional details will be shared about the impacted individuals."
SDCCD said in a statement, "This intrusion by law enforcement is both disruptive, unwelcome and in conflict with the SDCCD's core values. City College and the SDCCD are reaching out with counseling and legal services to support students and employees who were affected by this activity. The safety and wellbeing of students and employees will always be the district's highest priority, and we remain committed to maintaining access to all members of our community."
The campus' police department had no interaction with the ICE agents, nor did they provide any assistance to ICE, per a district policy prohibiting its participation in immigration enforcement activities, according to SDCCD, which said the ICE agents left the campus "before any district representative could engage with them."
The incident also did not lead to any campus closure and classes were continuing as scheduled.
