ICE stops outside Moreno Valley elementary school draw parents' alarm
Multiple enforcement actions occurred near schools and workplaces in Riverside County, prompting local advocates to track at least six arrests in a short span.
By Ivan Mori ·
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained a man outside Sunnymead Elementary School in Moreno Valley while students arrived for class on Wednesday. The incident drew immediate attention from parents dropping off children and neighbors watching from nearby.
Angela Alvarez, a parent who witnessed the detention, said the scene unsettled the children present. "They should not be doing that in front of the children," she said. She noted that kids in the background were shouting, "La Migra, La Migra."
Video footage shared by witnesses shows officers detaining an older man during the morning drop-off. One bystander captured on camera urged the agents to stop, saying, "You guys gotta stop ripping families apart."
Local reports indicate this was one of at least four separate sightings of immigration enforcement activity across Moreno Valley that morning. Lizbeth, deputy director for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, stated her rapid response team verified at least six arrests in less than two and a half hours. She said many of the detained individuals were primary earners in their households.
Miguel Ibarra, another parent, described the community mood as tense. "We're very scared, on edge, you know, and it's tough being out here," he said. His sentiment echoed the concerns of other residents who felt the presence of agents disrupted the usual school routine.
This marks the second enforcement incident reported outside Sunnymead Elementary in recent weeks. Alvarez pointed to a specific example of how fear is affecting school attendance. Her son's classroom of 35 students had only 11 cupcakes for his birthday last week. "People are afraid to send their kid to school," she said.
Some parents are now volunteering to drive students whose families hesitate to leave their homes. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that ICE does not discuss operations for security reasons. "Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California," a spokesperson said. Officials provided no further details on the specific actions taken in Moreno Valley.
