As the Trump administration’s immigration policies tighten in San Diego County, over 56,000 children are left with at least one parent who may face deportation.
On a bustling election day at Perkins K-8 School in Barrio Logan, middle school students eagerly voted inside while preschoolers joyfully played outside.
Moises Villalpando, the school’s dean of students, was at the entrance greeting families with warm ‘good mornings’ and ‘buenos días’ ahead of the day’s classes.
Despite the cheerful beginning of the school year, a profound concern loomed over many families in attendance.
“Even if we don’t see ICE, we feel the presence of ICE,” Villalpando stated.
Since June, news reports revealed that at least five parents have been arrested near San Diego County schools, with incidents occurring during morning drop-offs or afternoon pick-ups, sometimes in view of their children.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have denied that they target parents or schools, insisting they have not conducted any enforcement actions on school grounds.
Patrick Divver, the director of ICE enforcement and removal operations in San Diego, remarked through a spokesperson that arrests near schools are made only when “operational necessity dictates or when individuals targeted are located in those areas.”
Divver emphasized that ICE will not allow proximity to schools or other sensitive locations to shield individuals from accountability for immigration law violations.
In contrast, arrests around campuses have exacerbated fears among immigrant communities, especially after the Trump administration relaxed a policy from then-President Joe Biden that limited immigration enforcement at schools.
The recent arrests have followed a familiar pattern: a parent detained, videos shared widely on social media, and notification emails sent to parents assuring them that schools remain safe for children.
Several school districts in the area have implemented policies instructing staff not to provide information to ICE or allow officials onto school campuses without a warrant.
However, even as school administrators strive to calm parents’ fears, families remain vulnerable to immigration enforcement beyond the school’s protective measures.
“I cannot guarantee their safety out in the community,” Fernando Hernandez, the principal at Perkins, acknowledged.
“Any parent walking from five blocks away is at risk; I cannot assure that they won’t be stopped.”
In San Diego County, over 56,000 children have at least one parent at risk of deportation, and studies indicate that children whose parents are deported often face heightened health and developmental challenges.
In light of intensified immigration enforcement, schools are increasingly confronted with the need to assist affected students both on and off campus.
At Oceanside Unified, school officials have strengthened their immigration enforcement response team by adding more social workers to support students and families.
Last month, immigrant advocacy groups organized community patrols outside Lincoln High School in southeast San Diego to ensure the safe arrival of students and parents.
Likewise, Perkins staff have adopted a similar proactive measure, with Villalpando monitoring the sidewalk where families congregate before the last school bell.
Ana Sanchez, waiting for her three grandchildren that afternoon, noted that they have seen news reports about ICE and are now fearful of attending school.
Nevertheless, Sanchez, who attended Perkins herself, believes her grandchildren are safe while there.
“They take good care of the children,” she reassured.
The changing landscape for Perkins students is notable.
President Trump’s aggressive immigration strategy has fueled the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history since migration rates soared under the Biden administration.
As of 2023, officials reported over 2 million encounters at the southern border for two consecutive years, a trend Trump has labeled an ‘invasion’ that threatens public safety.
This surge in arrivals included numerous families from Central and South America, as well as Cuba and Haiti, leading to increased enrollment at schools like Perkins.
While the influx presented challenges—students often speak various languages and carry traumatic histories—state funding has aided in the development of new programs and classes.
Yet, Hernandez has observed a decrease in migrant families at Perkins, particularly among Venezuelan families.
Some parents, fearful of ICE encounters on their way to and from school, have chosen to keep their children at home.
Although Perkins has not reported any ICE arrests directly outside the school, Hernandez stated that several students have experienced the detention of one or both parents by ICE, creating a traumatic impact on those children.
“Their parent is their whole security,” he remarked, highlighting the instability these students face.
In his comments, Divver insisted that ICE focuses on individuals considered serious threats to public safety and national security, often including those with criminal convictions or pending charges.
However, an analysis by inewsource of ICE arrest data revealed that during a spike in arrests between May and June, approximately seven out of ten individuals apprehended had no prior criminal record and were only cited for immigration violations.
Meanwhile, in Oceanside, the school district’s expanded immigration response team—now with seven bilingual social workers—has tackled “three significant incidents” related to ICE over the past five months, according to Jordy Sparks, the executive director of diversity, equity and exclusion and student supports for the district.
This team reaches out to families affected by ICE arrests, offering services that range from counseling to transportation, financial assistance, and immigration legal resources.
They also connect families with support groups dealing with grief or similar experiences within the community and host know-your-rights forums to address concerns.
“It’s all about being trauma responsive and addressing any barriers that might be in place,” Sparks explained.
The impact of recent immigration arrests in Oceanside has shaken the community, drawing national attention in some instances.
In one notable case in June, ICE arrested a father right after he dropped his child off at school with his wife.
Later that month, an ICE raid on an Oceanside home resulted in U.S. citizen children being handcuffed before their parents were detained, as reported by local news outlets.
With schools like Perkins and districts like Oceanside adjusting to these evolving challenges, the broader implications of the increased immigration enforcement are felt keenly within the community, with students and families navigating fear, uncertainty, and trauma while seeking education and safety.
image source from：inewsource
