To the editor: I was a member of the board of directors of the Unified Capistrano school district during the first Trump administration (“The Democrats of the Chamber require a briefing after immigration agents try to enter the Los Angeles elementary schools”, “ April 14). The intimidation of Latin students and children in the Middle East regions fled to our schools. It was also feared that the border patrol could arise on campuses to expel families.
I asked the lawyers of our district which protections, if necessary, existed to prevent border agents from entering the classrooms and eliminating children. First of all, I learned that All children in the United States are entitled to education, regardless of their family immigration status. Children cannot be denied an education because they or their parents are undocumented. I also learned that our district prohibits anyone from keeping a child from the school who is not authorized by the family or the child's tutor. It is a question of preventing the abduction and abuse of children.
Now, the Trump administration has rejected a long -standing policy of prevention of arrests in “sensitive areas”, such as schools. However, even thus, immigration agents must identify themselves properly and cannot hold children without a judicial mandate. These unified directors of the were reason to refuse federal agents access to vulnerable children without a mandate. Without papers or not, children are entitled to regular procedure in this country.
Patricia Holloway, San Clemente
