Los Angeles teachers conduct unauthorized patrols to monitor ICE activity

Teachers in Los Angeles have begun conducting unauthorized volunteer patrols in neighborhoods near schools to monitor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. Organized in part by the group Unión del Barrio, these patrols aim to warn immigrant families and protect children from potential enforcement actions.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has disavowed these unofficial patrols, though it maintains support networks for immigrant families. Jessica Rodarte, vice president of United Teachers Los Angeles, stated that district leaders rely too heavily on educators to ensure campus safety amidst what she described as ongoing terror and family separations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has criticized the movement, labeling the claims of targeted school raids as a “false narrative.” A DHS spokesperson stated that ICE does not go to schools to make arrests unless dealing with dangerous criminals or child sex offenders, noting that nearly 70% of ICE arrests involve individuals charged or convicted of crimes in the United States.