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LAUSD leaders decry immigration raids as stoking fear during graduation season
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, middle, speaks about immigration enforcement in L.A., flanked by by the Board of Education and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, right.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Los Angeles Unified leaders on Monday decried federal immigration raids for stoking fear as thousands of students celebrate the end of the school year.
“Graduation season is sacred. It is a time of celebration, not intimidation,” said LAUSD Board Vice President Rocío Rivas. “It’s a time for honoring student achievement, not inflicting fear. Sending ICE into our communities at this moment is a deliberate act.”
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and the Board of Education convened the news conference at the district’s headquarters in downtown L.A. to condemn the immigration enforcement actions, ask the federal government to recall the National Guard and outline steps to protect students, families and employees as the school year ends.
The district will increase school police presence at dozens of high school graduation ceremonies Monday and Tuesday.
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Legal advocates say the department’s school wellness checks are a ‘cloak for immigration enforcement.’ -
Undocumented immigrants and mixed-status families are learning how to assert themselves — and prepare for worst-case scenarios. -
As federal policies shift, Los Angeles schools distribute “Know Your Rights” cards to help immigrant families navigate encounters with immigration agents.
Carvalho also said school police are directed “to intervene and interfere with any federal agency who may want to take action during these joyous times that we call graduation.”
“Every child has a constitutional right to a public education, therefore every child and their parent has a right to celebrate the culmination of their educational success,” Carvalho said.
He recounted a recent conversation with the parents of a student who would be the first in their family to graduate from high school, but who did not feel safe enough to attend the ceremony.
"What nation are we becoming?" Carvalho said. "Who in their right mind would accept that reality."
What LAUSD families can do
- Report immigration enforcement actions: Families that see immigration enforcement activity in the community are encouraged to contact their school or use the district's anonymous reporting app, LASAR.
- Update their child's emergency contact information: Families can change this in-person at their child's school or through the Parent Portal. "If you cannot yourself go to your child's school in case of an emergency to get your child or to drop off your child, empower someone who can," Carvalho said.
- Get resources: The district's family hotline is active 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 213-443-1300. Families can get referrals to resources including mental health support and free legal aid.
Tuesday is the last day of the school for LAUSD students. Carvalho said students would be allowed to speak out in protest, but asked them to remain on campus.
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“We can no longer predict what will happen outside of our schools,” he said.
The news conference comes as L.A. braces for more protests that turned violent over the weekend as demonstrators clashed with authorities, burned cars and vandalized buildings.
Tensions have also been high between state and local authorities and Trump administration officials, who federalized and sent in the National Guard in response to what the White House said were "violent mobs" attacking "ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles."
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday formally asked that President Donald Trump to rescind the deployment, which he had ordered Saturday, and filed a lawsuit against the federalization of state National Guard troops.
"We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved," Newsom said on social media. "This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed."
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said she supported Newsom's request, adding that she had tried to dissuade the Trump administration from sending in soldiers.
"The last thing this city needs is civil unrest that is provoked," she said.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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