WASHINGTON — House Democrats and California senators are demanding explanations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following incidents on April 7, where federal agents attempted to conduct “welfare checks” on elementary school students at two Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) campuses without warrants.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arrived at Russell Elementary and Lillian Street Elementary in South Los Angeles unannounced and sought access to five students, ranging from first grade to sixth grade. School officials denied the agents entry, citing the absence of proper warrants.
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According to LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, the HSI agents falsely claimed to have permission from the students’ families for the visits. However, parents contacted by the district said they were not informed in advance, and four of the five students named were not unaccompanied minors as the agents stated.
“We demand that you provide our offices with the justification for conducting this operation, and that you desist from immigration enforcement activity targeting children who pose no threat to public safety,” House Democrats wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, reports CalSchoolNews.
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California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff also expressed outrage at the actions of the Homeland Security agents, which they said “terrorized hundreds of thousands of students across Los Angeles and undermine public trust.”
In an April 18 letter to HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Robert Hammer, the senators requested detailed explanations from DHS and HSI by May 2, reports the Los Angeles Times. Specifically, they are asking whether any formerly unaccompanied children or their sponsors in California or nationwide have been targeted for arrest, detention or deportation in similar “welfare check” operations and what corrective actions will be taken regarding the agents’ behavior.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the visits, stating that the agents’ purpose was to ensure the safety of children who arrived unaccompanied at the U.S. border, preventing potential exploitation, abuse, or sex trafficking. “Any assertions that officers lied are false,” she told the Times, adding that the checks were not an immigration enforcement action.
Senators Padilla and Schiff, however, questioned why DHS agents did not involve the California Department of Social Services or coordinate with school officials if there were legitimate welfare or trafficking concerns. They also criticized the agents for misleading statements that implied family consent for the visits.
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The highly controversial incident underscores public opposition to immigration enforcement activities in sensitive locations. According to a recent poll, arrests of undocumented immigrants in schools is strongly opposed by 64% of Americans, compared to only 18% who are strongly in favor.
