Parent detained by ICE while waiting to pick up kid from school, CA officials say

A parent was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents near an elementary school, California officials said.

One of the parents of a student at Linda Vista Elementary School in San Diego was detained during school pickup Thursday, Aug. 14, according to a letter sent to families from Miriam Atlas, the school’s principal, obtained by NBC 4 Los Angeles.

Atlas said although some families saw the detainment, students did not witness it, according to the letter.

“We have been working with our school agencies including the San Diego Unified Police Department, Office of the Superintendent, and Youth Services to ensure that the impacted family has the resources they need during this difficult time. Please know our school grounds are safe spaces that cannot be accessed by ICE without a proper, signed warrant,” Atlas said.

McClatchy News reached out to ICE for further information and is awaiting a response.

In California, schools are not allowed to ask the immigration status of the student or share student records without the parents’ permission or a court order, the letter said.

McClatchy News reached out to the San Diego Unified School District on Aug. 15 for a statement and was awaiting a response.

The school district’s superintendent, Fabiola Bagula, is scheduled to discuss the incident after a visit to the school on Aug. 15, according to 10 News.

As of Aug. 14, there are just over 59,000 migrants being held in ICE custody, marking an “all-time high,” according to NBC News. About 45% of those reportedly do not have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

In late July, the Department of Homeland Security said about 150,000 people had been deported under President Donald Trump, who campaigned on the promise of mass deportations targeting millions of undocumented persons in the country.

This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Parent detained by ICE while waiting to pick up kid from school, CA officials say."