K-12Dive: ICE agents lied about having parents' permission to speak to LAUSD students, senators say [View all]

[Dennis Donovan]

K-12Dive - ICE agents lied about having parents’ permission to speak to LAUSD students, senators say

A letter from California senators to the immigration enforcement agency reveals agents attempted to locate children — without any warrants — in grades 1-6.

Published April 22, 2025
Naaz Modan
Senior Reporter



U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents who recently attempted to enter two Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools falsely told school staff they had permission from the students’ families to speak with them, according to two U.S. senators who spoke with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials following the incidents.

“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,” said Sens. Alex Padilla, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Border Security and Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff in an April 18 letter to Robert Hammer, HSI acting executive associate director.

“You informed us that you were unfamiliar with those details and would look into the matter,” the Democrats from California 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.”

Both Padilla and Schiff have publicly expressed outrage at the April 7 ICE activity on LAUSD school grounds.

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