Homeland Security Denied Entrance At 2 LA Elementary Schools

LOS ANGELES, CA — Federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security tried entering two Los Angeles County elementary schools this week but were denied entry, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District.

It's unclear exactly why the agents were trying to enter Lillian Street Elementary School and Russell Elementary School, which are both located in the Florence-Graham neighborhood, according to a report by KTLA.

But their efforts come amid growing immigration enforcement fears and new directives announced earlier this year by the Trump administration.

"I'm still mystified as to how a first-, second-, third-, fourth- or sixth-grader would pose any type of risk to the national security of our nation that would require Homeland Security to deploy its agents to two elementary schools," Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told reporters Thursday, defending the decision to turn away agents.

The Department of Homeland Security is the umbrella agency overseeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In January, the agency reversed a 2011 policy that prohibited immigration authorities from detaining immigrants near locations like schools, child care centers, playgrounds, hospitals and churches.

“This action empowers the brave men and women in (Customs and Border Protection) and (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest," Benjamine Huffman, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary said in a statement in January.

Municipalities and school districts throughout the state responded with renewed declarations of sanctuary and reminders about students' rights.

Under state law, school officials are not required to allow immigration agents to enter schools without a warrant issued by a judge, and the California Department of Education sent a letter to local public education administrators with resources for immigrant students and families and reminders about their rights.

“Our schools must be a safe place for children to learn and educators to teach. In line with federal and state law, California’s schools can take actions to ensure that all students have access to school campuses and educational opportunities without fear of deportation,” state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond wrote.

Attorney General Rob Bonta issued guidance to schools and other institutions on how to honor the privacy of undocumented immigrants and limit assistance to federal immigration enforcement.

Bonta said that all children, regardless of their or their family's immigration status, have a right to equal access to free public education. The 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe found that public schools could not request citizenship documentation of students nor deprive children of an education, Education Week reported.

Additionally, Bonta said that parents generally must give consent by law before schools can release students' personal information.

“Every child has the right to a free public education, regardless of their immigration status,” Bonta said in a statement.

Patch Staffer Chris Lindahl and City News Service contributed to this report.