A father was briefly detained by federal immigration agents Tuesday morning, Aug. 19, after dropping off his child at a Garden Grove elementary school, district officials confirmed.
The incident happened at about 7:50 a.m., before school started, when families alerted staff that a group of masked, unidentified individuals in unmarked cars had surrounded a man on the corner near campus. The man, who had just dropped off his child, was handcuffed and taken away in one of the vehicles, Garden Grove Unified spokesperson Abby Broyles said Wednesday morning.
“This incident understandably caused fear and confusion among the many students and families who witnessed this terrifying event,” Broyles said.
Read also: Immigration raids cast a shadow over Orange County’s back-to-school season
Broyles said the father returned to school later that day and told district officials he had been held inside an ICE vehicle parked at a lot near the school and released within the hour after showing documentation and confirming his identity. He asked that details not be shared to protect his family and the wider school community, Broyles said.
Following safety protocols, the school went into a “Secure Building” alert — a precaution used when immigration enforcement is occurring near campus with the potential to impact students, she said. During this alert, students and staff go indoors, doors are locked and classes continue.
“In this instance, there was minimal disruption to instruction,” Broyles said.
Crisis response teams, along with Garden Grove police support dogs, were made available to students and families affected, Broyles added.
“Our district is aware of a number of GGUSD family members who have been detained or deported. As a district, we follow up with each and every family to offer resources and support. We stand in support of all of our families of all immigration statuses,” Broyles said.
On Tuesday, Garden Grove school board member Walter Muneton and the community group VietRISE issued a joint statement condemning ICE’s actions near the campus, calling them “dangerous and unacceptable.”
“Every child has the right to attend school without fear, and we will not allow our schools to become targets of intimidation or enforcement,” the statement read.
An ICE spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening.
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