Los Angeles Unified returns to school amid fears of federal immigration enforcement

LOS ANGELES - Campuses across the Los Angeles Unified School District are set to open Thursday for the first day of the new academic year with the district implementing measures to ensure the "safe passage" of children and parents amid heightened concerns over federal immigration raids.

What we know:

Hundreds of district employees, volunteers, school police and officers from several municipalities will patrol near an estimated 100 campuses and set up so-called "safe zones" in neighborhoods that have high populations of Latinos. The patrol groups will also focus on places where older Latino students are walking to campus.

Local officials said the patrols will serve as a means of enhancing communication, so schools can be locked down if necessary, and so parents and others in the community can be alerted via email or text about possible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

Additionally, bus routes are being changed to better serve immigrant families. Parents can request special bus accommodations for the transportation of their children.

What they're saying:

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho previously said the district is taking unprecedented measures to ensure the safety of students and families. The district also established a task force led by former School Police Chief Steven Zipperman, who will be responsible for coordinating with municipal police departments as they increase their presence near schools.

RELATED COVERAGE: LAUSD students return to school Thursday amid immigration concerns

"I think we all agree that in our community, there are no sidewalks for immigrants and separate sidewalks for everybody else," Carvalho said during a Monday news conference alongside Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other municipal, labor and community leaders. "Everybody walks the same journey to school and everybody walks them back home."

Bass described the moment as being "profound," adding that an entire array of elected and appointed officials as well as educational leaders gathered to talk about "protecting our children from the federal government."

"We want LA Unified to continue the success that the district has had over the last few years, and we will stand and support our education leaders to make sure that we can continue to progress," Bass said.

The mayor emphasized that LAPD officers are not involved with federal immigration enforcement. School Police Chief Aaron Pisarzewicz echoed the mayor's message, emphasizing that the task force and officers are "not in the business of interfering with any lawful actions of another law enforcement entity."

"However, we still know that schools are the safest place for our kids, and we want to make sure that they are safe while traveling to and from schools. They're facing a number of different hazards on a daily basis, and our role is to make sure that they are as safe as possible. So, we will be highly visible," Pisarzewicz said.

United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing LAUSD teachers, will be organizing "Welcome Back to School Actions" as part of the first day back. The union is encouraging residents to "adopt a school" by showing up, sharing "Know Your Rights" materials, and participating in patrols.

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"Moments like these are when our community must stand united and look out for one another. Schools are safe spaces, and we are committed to protecting our students and families," said City Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who represents the Sixth Council District, encompassing Arleta, Panorama City and other neighborhoods in the eastern San Fernando Valley. "I urge those who can go to your local school on the first day of instruction to stand in solidarity with families who may be experiencing fear of an ICE raid."

The backstory:

The measures were prompted by the aggressive and widespread ICE raids around Los Angeles that began June 6, some of which occurred just outside LAUSD schools.

Earlier this week, U.S. Border Patrol agents detained a 15-year-old Arleta High School student with disabilities who was waiting in a vehicle with his grandmother.

RELATED COVERAGE: 15-year-old LAUSD student detained by border patrol was case of mistaken identity, Carvalho says

"This young man was in handcuffs, presumably based on mistaken identity. He was not an adult. He's a 15-year-old boy with significant disabilities," Carvalho said. "This cannot happen."

Carvalho said the district's protocols worked, as the principal of Arleta called the School Police Department and the young man was later released.

District officials emphasized that they do not allow anyone on campuses without authorization. Law enforcement personnel must have a judicial warrant signed by a judge to enter LAUSD schools.

"If they do not have that -- and I can tell you the vast majority of actions in our community are not accompanied by that type of judicial warrant -- that means they have no jurisdiction," Carvalho said. "They have no power in entering our schools. We do not grant them access."

Against that tense backdrop, some 540,000 students and more than 24,000 teachers -- encompassing grades Pre-K through 12 -- will be returning to classes across all the LAUSD's campuses. The district is the second-largest in the U.S., behind only New York City's public school system.

According to Carvalho's office, "This year, Los Angeles Unified will be building on the important strides made in raising student academic achievement, driving up graduation rates and improving standardized test scores across all subjects."

The other side:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has defended its immigration enforcement operations. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But in a social media post, DHS wrote, "Allegations that Border Patrol targeted Arleta High School are FALSE. Agents were conducting a targeted operation on criminal illegal alien Cristian Alexander Vasquez-Alvarenga -- a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 pledge with prior criminal convictions in the broader vicinity of Arleta."

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