The parents of a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old were arrested Wednesday near the San Diego Unified School District Children’s Elementary School shortly after morning drop-off.
The arrest took place around 8:45 a.m., about a block from John Marshall Elementary School in the Chollas Creek neighborhood, as reported by KGTV.
Witnesses told the station that ICE agents followed and stopped a Toyota Prius, then chased after the man and woman, who fled on foot. Construction workers recorded video of a police officer ordering the woman to put her hands behind her back as she pleaded for help.
District officials told the station they contacted a family friend to come pick up the children, since both parents had been taken into ICE custody.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrests Thursday and said the couple, originally from Haiti, entered the country legally in 2022 but “overstayed their welcome.” according to KGTV. The station also reported that Haitian community leaders protested the arrests.
San Diego Unified School District officials and elected officials condemned the arrests and other arrests near schools, which have become more frequent in recent weeks, in a statement. joint statement published Wednesday.
“When immigration enforcement takes place near a school, the effects don’t stop with the individual’s detention. Children see it. Families hear about it. Fear spreads quickly through classrooms, playgrounds, and neighborhoods. Students arrive at school with questions and anxiety that no child, especially our youngest learners, should have to carry,” the district’s statement said. “We clearly and urgently ask federal authorities: Please stop conducting immigration checks near our schools and during school arrival and departure times.”
This story was originally published by EdSource.
