ICE Raids Cast a Shadow Over Los Angeles School Graduations as Families Live in Fear

In what should be a time of joy, families across Los Angeles are grappling with fear and anxiety as immigration enforcement casts a long shadow over school graduation ceremonies. The city's immigrant communities, long-standing pillars of its vibrant culture, are now caught in a web of fear — afraid to attend milestone events for their children due to potential immigration raids.

On June 10, at Palms Middle School in West Los Angeles, Principal Arturo Enriquez addressed the graduating class and their families with a heavy heart. He announced that concerned parents and community volunteers were stationed around the school, ready to alert him if immigration officials appeared. With visible emotion, Enriquez praised the diverse community and celebrated the resilience of its families.

“We are a melting pot of beautiful, incredible people,” he said, tearing up. “It is because of you that these young people are here, ready to go on to that next step – to that high school life.”

But many families never heard his heartfelt words — too afraid of being detained or separated from their children, they chose to stay away from the ceremony altogether.

A Fear That Runs Deep

The fear is not baseless. On May 29, a fourth-grade student from Torrance Elementary School and his father were detained in Texas and now face deportation to Honduras. This incident has left the school community shaken.

“When something like this happens, it shakes all of us,” said Ria Villanueva, a volunteer with the school’s parent-teacher association.

The tension escalated further when federal agents attempted to enter two Los Angeles schools in early April but were denied access. Since then, rumors and reports of increased federal presence around schools have intensified the anxiety felt by parents and students alike.

LAUSD Becomes the Epicenter of Immigration Tensions

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which serves over half a million students and spans most of the city, has taken a firm stance. During a press briefing on June 9, he expressed his concern about parents skipping their children's graduations out of fear.

“I’ve spoken with parents who said their daughter would be the first in the family to graduate high school — and they won’t be there to see it,” he shared.

To protect students and families, Carvalho has instructed LAUSD’s own police force to actively intervene and prevent any federal agency from disrupting graduation events.

The district, the second largest in the country, now finds itself at the heart of a national struggle over immigration, deportation, and the safety of immigrant families.

Federal Action Fuels Widespread Fear

Since June 8, thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed to Los Angeles, sparking demonstrations and unrest. Protests began after immigration raids took place at locations including a Home Depot store, leading to detainments, property damage, and an atmosphere of escalating tension.

The administration has justified these actions as part of a broader effort to enforce immigration law. Yet critics argue that the indiscriminate nature of these actions disproportionately targets peaceful, hardworking immigrant families — including children.

One elementary teacher in the district, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, described the anxiety that now permeates her classroom.

“I try to pretend everything’s normal,” she said. “But everything’s falling apart outside of the school.”

She recounted that during the final days of school, many students — especially those with undocumented parents — were absent, and neighborhood bus stops sat eerily empty.

Leaders Condemn the Federal Response

California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders have publicly condemned the federal government’s tactics. Newsom even filed a legal challenge, asserting that the deployment of the California National Guard was unauthorized and unconstitutional.

“This administration is pushing mass deportations — indiscriminately targeting hardworking, immigrant families,” Newsom stated in a video message.

State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond echoed these concerns, calling the federal actions “a betrayal of our American values” and “deeply dangerous for our children.” He emphasized that approximately half of California’s children have at least one immigrant parent.

“When the President targets our immigrant families, he harms California’s children,” Thurmond said. “Our children deserve to be protected, not terrified.”

The Erosion of Schools as Safe Havens

The presence of immigration officers near school campuses threatens to undermine the role of schools as safe spaces. Superintendent Carvalho condemned these actions as a direct threat to students’ well-being.

“These actions are causing unnecessary fear, confusion, and trauma,” he said. “Schools must be safe havens where children can learn and grow without fear.”

Parents have reportedly been calling schools to report sightings of immigration activity nearby. Some campuses have gone into lockdown after law enforcement actions, such as flash-bang grenades being used near elementary schools.

A Call for Courage and Unity

Despite the fear, voices of courage and hope continue to rise. At the Palms Middle School commencement, Principal Enriquez urged students and families to use this moment not only to celebrate, but to stand up against injustice.

“Speak up. Stand up against any injustice anywhere,” he said. “Be empowered.”

In a city as diverse and dynamic as Los Angeles, these graduation ceremonies symbolize more than academic achievement — they represent hope, resilience, and the belief in a better future.

But until immigration enforcement actions cease targeting peaceful communities, the fear may continue to overshadow the joy.

The current environment surrounding graduation ceremonies in Los Angeles reflects a deeper national divide on immigration policy. While some see enforcement as necessary, others view the tactics as overly aggressive and harmful to families and children.

For now, many immigrant families in Los Angeles are forced to make a heartbreaking choice: to risk being present for one of the most important days in their child’s life or to stay away and remain safe from the fear of deportation.

What should have been a time of celebration has turned into a test of courage, unity, and the enduring strength of a community under pressure.