In news that is rather shocking but unfortunately not surprising, two democratic senators are accusing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel of lying to elementary school school staffers in order to gain access and attempt to detain students. This recent incident illustrates the constant fear and threat millions of migrants and asylum seekers are now subjected to, as a government agency, emboldened by orders from President Donald Trump, continues to act with near impunity.

The federal immigration agents reportedly gained access to two elementary schools by falsely claiming that they had permission from the students’ families to speak with them. During these conversations, the agents used the justification of a “welfare check” in order to gain access to the schools’ grounds.

The agents were ultimately stopped, further questioned, and turned away from the school, after staffers checked with district leadership and legal counsel. DHS said the officers left “without incident” after school leaders refused to share information on the children without a court order or warrant.

ICE shows up to raid elementary school and make “welfare check” on migrant 1st graders—principal blocked entry.

Disguised federal agents told school staff that parents gave them permission to pull kids out of class—that was outright lie.

“They quickly hid their IDs” when asked… pic.twitter.com/7RxPkmzaR3

— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 (@LongTimeHistory) April 12, 2025

FIRST GRADERS TARGETED IN LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

“Agents were stopped, questions, & turned away by principals at Lillian Elementary School.” DHS claims agents were not ICE; but “when the principals tried to write down details about their IDs, they quickly hid their IDs.” pic.twitter.com/hvvNbgkAad

— Pablo Manríquez (@PabloReports) April 13, 2025

ICE Agents go to elementary schools because they think younger students are easier to manipulate and put fear in. It’s is up to us as school staff to protect all of our students. I applaud the staff at Lillian Street and Russel elementary for protecting our students.

— 𝓀𝓊𝓀𝒾 (@kzzndr) April 11, 2025

The incidents occurred on 7 April 2025.

These raids are happening amid the backdrop of a January decision by the Trump administration that overturned previous policies banning immigration enforcement from so-called “sensitive areas,” such as schools, churches, and hospitals.

Before the change, ICE and Customs and Border Protection had been prohibited from taking such actions for more than a decade. The restriction intensified the fear of many migrant families that their children could be unfairly detained, leading them to contemplate the necessity of school attendance.

Naturally, school administrators and educators sought to reassure these parents that schools are safe places for their kids, despite the president’s mass deportation campaign. However, news like this highlights the challenges of maintaining schools as a safe place in the face of strict government orders that issued a ruthless nation-wide deportation campaign.

In a letter to Robert Hammer, the Homeland Security Investigations acting executive associate director. California Senator Alejandro Padilla said: “When we spoke, we informed you that reports indicated that, while attempting to enter the schools, HSI [Homeland Security Investigations] officers falsely told school staff that they received permission from the families to speak with their children.”

The letter was penned together with Adam Schiff, the junior United States senator from California on 18 April: “You informed us that you were unfamiliar with those details and would look into the matter,” the Democrats wrote. “We would like to understand what steps you are taking to review and address your agents’ conduct, including determining why they said they received permission to speak with children from their families when that was not the case.”

The two politicians demanded answers from HSI about why the immigration officers were blatantly lying to school staff and warned HSI against attempting to visit schools without a warrant again.

“We are deeply concerned that HSI officers attempted to question several children, between first and sixth grade, during the school day, apparently without contacting or coordinating in advance with the schools, parents or guardians, or state or local child welfare agencies,” the statement continued. 

It concluded: “Though the agents were purportedly there to conduct a ‘welfare check’ on the children, their actions instead terrorized hundreds of thousands of students across Los Angeles and undermined public trust.”