By Camelia Heins, correspondent
Elected officials, Pasadena Unified School District leaders and community members gathered to reaffirm support for immigrant students and parents on the steps of Pasadena City Hall on Sunday, Aug. 17, one day before the first day of school for the district’s nearly 14,000 students.
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Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo expressed his support for those in fear of immigration raids. “There’s certainly no place in the state of California, or Los Angeles County, for anyone to live in fear,” Gordo said. “And I’ll tell you right now, there is certainly no place for any child, any parent or anyone to live in fear in the great city of Pasadena.”
As PUSD continues to navigate the aftermath of the Eaton fire, the threat of deportation efforts impacting students and families looms large over the district. A series of immigration raids in the Pasadena area and Los Angeles County have taken place throughout the summer as a part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to increase deportations.
Stepped-up federal immigration enforcement began in early June throughout the county, fueled by President Donald Trump’s pledge to mass deport undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration has hailed the crackdown as a success, pointing to an array of arrests throughout the country of immigrants with serious criminal records.
Following through on campaign promises, Trump has a goal of deporting one million undocumented people this year and has said he’s targeting the “worst of the worst.” Government data, however, shows most people detained by ICE have no criminal convictions, which have been condemned by many election officials.
The raids had been halted in July by a federal judge’s order, upheld by an appeals court, that limited the kind of stops federal agents can make — the kind based solely on apparent race or ethnicity; speaking Spanish or English with an accent; presence in a particular location such as a bus stop, car wash, or agricultural site; or the type of work a person does. Homeland Security officials have repeatedly defended the work of ICE agents, denying allegations that operations are carried out randomly.
“At Pasadena Unified, our commitment is very simple,” PUSD Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco said. “Every child deserves safety, dignity and a true sense of belonging.”
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Blanco stated that there have not been any attempted raids on any campuses in the district, though “there have been attempts closer to schools, which has raised fear.” The district has increased training efforts for staff on how to respond in the event immigration enforcement activity takes place on campus and offered a virtual learning option for families who prefer learning at home.
Current district policies require law enforcement to “check in through a single entry point” and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are not allowed on school grounds “without a lawfully executed court order.” PUSD policy also states that information regarding immigration status is not collected or shared.
The nearby Los Angeles Unified School District announced a 1,000-person taskforce to deploy staff at key locations near LAUSD schools to monitor immigration enforcement activity and assist families in emergencies ahead of the district’s first day of school.
When asked whether PUSD had a similar initiative in place, Superintendent Blanco said there wasn’t anyone officially from the school district monitoring immigration enforcement activity, but mentioned that members throughout the community are doing such work.
Many families in the district are still reeling from the effects of the deadly Eaton fire in January. The fire killed at least 19 people and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings. Five PUSD schools were damaged.
More than 10,000 students and 1,387 employees lived in evacuation zones, according to the district’s annual report to the community.
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A district soil-testing initiative found nearly half of its schools had elevated levels of contaminated soil in May. Eighteen PUSD sites are still under additional testing and evaluation stages, with six sites undergoing soil removal and 12 sites with soil removal yet to be scheduled.
Superintendent Blanco clarified that “the soil is not dangerous unless ingested” and specific areas on affected campuses have been restricted from student access “in an abundance of caution,” she said.
The district launched additional trauma-informed staff training to aid students dealing with mental health issues after the Eaton fire and fear of immigration raids.
Mayra Macedo-Nolan, a pastor involved in the Clergy Community Coalition and a PUSD parent, shared her satisfaction with efforts from local elected officials and the district’s increase in staff preparation for immigration enforcement.
“I love that our leaders are standing and acknowledging that these things are really awful as they are,” Macedo-Nolan said.
“From our pulpits, from our chapels and actual church buildings,” Macedo-Nolan added, “but also to the corner of Winchell’s, to the corner of Madison Elementary, to the steps of John Muir High School, we are also going to be present,” she said. “So that the community knows that we are here and that we care.”