Unbelievable! ICE RAIDS are now sweeping across California High Schools and Elementary Schools, racially profiling all Latino Children in the affected schools. Are Immigration Authorities Going After School Children Now?
By New American Media. Posted May 8, 2008.Editor's Note: Immigration raids near schools in Berkeley and Oakland have sent waves of panic in the communities and may keep undocumented students from attending class, writes NAM education reporter Amanda Martinez.
OAKLAND, Calif. - ...As word of the presence of ICE agents in the neighborhood spread, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums rushed over to Esperanza Elementary School, where a number of parents and community members had gathered. Addressing them, the Mayor called the situation the "the ugly side of government." He labeled the ICE actions "inappropriate and unnecessary" and reiterated that children needed education, not harassment. "There should be no raids in Oakland," he said. "As a sanctuary city," Dellums said, "we're all in unison. We don't want this type of intimidation. Immigrants are human beings, and need to be dealt with respect." Oakland Vice Mayor Larry Reid, who also showed up at the school, said there was no warning about the ICE raids. "ICE just rolls in and tells our police department after the fact," he said. "The students are upset and crying. The school's administration said some of the kids are very shook up." ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said that the agency is mindful of the sensitivities associated with schools. She said there was no truth to the reports that ICE was targeting schools on this day, and that the two ICE fugitive operations teams based in the Bay Area go out virtually every day seeking immigrant fugitives.
She confirmed that on the morning of May 6, ICE officers arrested four immigration violators who were from Mexico, and were living at a residence in Berkeley. A fifth person was arrested at a residence in Oakland, she said, noting that all five have been released, pending immigration hearings. Sara Nuno of the Family and Community Office of the OUSD dismissed ICE's assertion that there was no targeting of any schools. "They are targeting schools and we are watching them do it," she asserted. Ellen Murry, who had come to the school to pick up her grandnephew, said that she believed these types of government actions hurt all students, not just the undocumented ones. She said that if students stayed away from school out of fear, it could impact the school district's income, the bulk of which comes from student attendance. Troy Flint, communications officer of OUSD, pointed out that such raids distracted students who were taking the state standardized test. He assured students that the OUSD would do everything it could to allow them to finish taking the tests. Parents and local groups, including the Alameda Labor Council, sent out more than 900 e-mails letting parents know of what was taking place. One parent liaison, who helped to make phone calls throughout the day to concerned parents, said he thought the fear of deportation was serious. If parents sought his advice, he said, he would tell them to keep their chidren at home, even though the OUSD has assured them that the students would be protected.
By New American Media. Posted May 8, 2008.Editor's Note: Immigration raids near schools in Berkeley and Oakland have sent waves of panic in the communities and may keep undocumented students from attending class, writes NAM education reporter Amanda Martinez.
OAKLAND, Calif. - ...As word of the presence of ICE agents in the neighborhood spread, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums rushed over to Esperanza Elementary School, where a number of parents and community members had gathered. Addressing them, the Mayor called the situation the "the ugly side of government." He labeled the ICE actions "inappropriate and unnecessary" and reiterated that children needed education, not harassment. "There should be no raids in Oakland," he said. "As a sanctuary city," Dellums said, "we're all in unison. We don't want this type of intimidation. Immigrants are human beings, and need to be dealt with respect." Oakland Vice Mayor Larry Reid, who also showed up at the school, said there was no warning about the ICE raids. "ICE just rolls in and tells our police department after the fact," he said. "The students are upset and crying. The school's administration said some of the kids are very shook up." ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said that the agency is mindful of the sensitivities associated with schools. She said there was no truth to the reports that ICE was targeting schools on this day, and that the two ICE fugitive operations teams based in the Bay Area go out virtually every day seeking immigrant fugitives.
She confirmed that on the morning of May 6, ICE officers arrested four immigration violators who were from Mexico, and were living at a residence in Berkeley. A fifth person was arrested at a residence in Oakland, she said, noting that all five have been released, pending immigration hearings. Sara Nuno of the Family and Community Office of the OUSD dismissed ICE's assertion that there was no targeting of any schools. "They are targeting schools and we are watching them do it," she asserted. Ellen Murry, who had come to the school to pick up her grandnephew, said that she believed these types of government actions hurt all students, not just the undocumented ones. She said that if students stayed away from school out of fear, it could impact the school district's income, the bulk of which comes from student attendance. Troy Flint, communications officer of OUSD, pointed out that such raids distracted students who were taking the state standardized test. He assured students that the OUSD would do everything it could to allow them to finish taking the tests. Parents and local groups, including the Alameda Labor Council, sent out more than 900 e-mails letting parents know of what was taking place. One parent liaison, who helped to make phone calls throughout the day to concerned parents, said he thought the fear of deportation was serious. If parents sought his advice, he said, he would tell them to keep their chidren at home, even though the OUSD has assured them that the students would be protected.
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18 comments:
Is it legal for a state to declare itself a "sanctuary city"? Why do pro-illegals say states, cities etc that want to make anti-illegal laws--say they have no right to do so-that it is a federal issue. But
when ICE working on behalf of the federal government does something,
then they want to go by the state, city laws etc if it is in their favor. Can't have it both ways.
Sanctuary City (per wiki)
A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal immigrants. These practices can be explicit (de jure) or they can be implicit (de facto). The term generally applies to cities that do not allow municipal funds or resources to be used to enforce federal immigration laws, usually by NOT ALLOWING POLICE or municipal employees TO INQUIRE about ones IMMIGRATION STATUS. The designation has no legal meaning.
There is no way I believe ICE targets illegal immigrant school children. That's downright silly. Looks to me like the Mayor himself is the cause of the panic.
So, do you want the federal government or the individual state
or city to decide which anti-illegal laws they want to have and/or enforce?
How many children were arrested? What grades were these children in?
Please research and let us know.
Me thinks that we aren't getting all of the story here and what we are getting are only half-truths or even lies. Our federal government requires that we educate all children regardless of their immigration status (which is ridiculous in itself). If there is any truth at all about ICE hanging out around schools, I have a feeling that it was the parents who were targeted picking up their kids from school.
This remark really made me realize how people will lie to gain compassion for criminals. Quote: "Immigrants are human beings and need to be dealt with respect". The only truth to this statement is that they are human beings. They aren't immigrants and warrant no "real" respect.
Dianne and Anon, I agree we need more info on this. I am going to do some additional investigation and see what I find out. I will post urls.
Dee. It looks like ICE was nearby and then the rumor mill spun out of control. Nevertheless, it really sucks when elementary kids - illegal or not - are worried about ICE raids and not kickball or 'what's for lunch'.
George,
You are right.
Here is another article.
The government, school and official statements from the 1st article are accurate. What is at issue is, whether ICE being close to the schools was actually a raid or if it was in fact an arrest at a nearby location.
The other thing I noticed is, there are several elections coming up in that city and there are some very local PRO Vs ANTI opponents facing off. I wan´t say who is guity or who is not, what I will say some of this discussion is political, on both sides, and we do need to take some of it with a grain of salt.
Their parents put these kids in this position. They are to blame, not ICE.
It seems that some community member got spooked himself and made phone calls that perpetuated the scare.
There is not one case where ICE has actively picked up a child in school. They however did pick up a pregnant 18 y.o. adult that was pregnant at a school for her own ignorance of illegally parking. Children at school should not fear ICE however adults still in high school, if here illegally, should be concerned and should be detained and repatriated.
As for state laws and federal laws... federal laws trump all state laws, a state is considered its own sovereign territory and must make laws that are in conjunction with that of federal law, it must enhance it. City and County laws are no different in their conjunctions and must enhance Federal law as well.
Look to CA and its medical marijuana law, federal law comes in and closes all the dope stores once they find out about them.
Some good news that contradicts Dee's arguments of Arpaio.
County OKs $1M for illegal-immigrant sweeps
Arpaio takes immigration sweep to Fountain Hills
"Oakland Vice Mayor Larry Reid, who also showed up at the school, said there was no warning about the ICE raids. "ICE just rolls in and tells our police department after the fact," he said."
The mayor did say Oakland was a sanctuary city, didn't He? Not someone you would want to tell about a ICE raid if you didn't want to waste your time.
The illegal alien problem begs for a comprehensive solution and that includes this action by ICE, secure borders, internal enforcement of all kinds especially work status E-verification. The sooner the problem is solved the sooner these kids can be back in their homeland schools.
Liquid,
The definition for Sanctuary Cities is as wiki describes.
Regarding the children in high school, whether pregnant or 18, regardless, should not be locations for sweeps or fear.
Regarding Arpaio´s sweeps, he conducted one in his home town. I would not be surprised if he preplanned the entire event including who he would arrest and when.
He is so blatantly political, nothing he does surprises me.
I heard OReilly interview McCain on his show today. OReilly admitted the sweeps in Maricopa county were too harsh and McCain did NOT disagree!!
"He is so blatantly political, nothing he does surprises me."
All politicians are blatantly political by definition. The only difference is whether the SOB is your SOB or ours.
The photo of the student struck me as an appropriate reaction to potential
repatriation back to Ole Mexico -- and yet here the illegals are, recreating the very conditions they fled Mexico to escape -- overpopulation, congestion, natural resource shortages,pollution, and social unrest. You'd think some of them would realize that they are killing the goose that laid the golden egg and reform themselves and their culture.
Ulty,
You say " reform themselves", yet these students are in school obtaining their education. How better do they "reform themselves"??
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