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ENCINITAS, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A video showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting a parent near an elementary school in Encinitas has sparked concern across the North County community.
The detainment occurred on Wednesday morning during school drop-off hours, just two blocks from Park Dale Lane Elementary School. It involved ICE and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) agents taking a man into custody.
Jessie Conn, a parent from the Encinitas Union School District, described the arrest near a local school as devastating for the family involved. She saw the commotion while on her way to work and stopped to see what was going on.
“The crossing guard that stands here was told [by ICE] to divert children around this mayhem that was happening,” she recounted.
Conn said the man’s apparent wife showed up to the scene with their child, and that’s when she decided to step in.
“I took her child so that she could be the best wife and parent that she could be at that time,” Conn continued.
Encinitas Union School District Superintendent Andrée Grey informed families about the arrest, noting the fear and trauma it caused.
“This incident was witnesses by family, community members, staff and students, causing fear and trauma across out district,” she stated.
Community members, even including those from outside Encinitas, mobilized after the incident to demand change. That included Poway resident John Bachelor, who called the situation a dramatic one.
“It’s dramatic enough as it is for the people,” he told FOX 5/KUSI. “Triply so on a child watching it happen to their parents, wondering what’s going to happen to them.”
As for the reason for the arrest, ICE reported that the man was undocumented and had a deportation order from 2017.
State Senator Catherine Blakespear condemned the incident, stating, “It just should not be happening. It’s so cruel and inhumane. Having people detained right as their dropping off or around a school like that — what it tells me is that they are really hunting these people.”
Meanwhile, the Encinitas City Council added the incident as an emergency item for discussion to explore possible responses. As it stands, the council’s next steps include:
- Submitting a Freedom of Information Act to document ICE operations in Encinitas
- Exploring how to establish safe zones
- Exploring joining lawsuits challenging ICE operations
- Forming a community communications group (text chain)
- Sending letters to federal agencies protesting actions
- Requesting federal partners to be present to respond to questions from city and community
- Investigating ability to limit mask wearing by ICE
- Exploring other legal mechanisms available to the city
This comes as the arrest has led to calls for action from local leaders and community members, highlighting concerns over immigration enforcement near schools.
FOX 5/KUSI’s Jennifer Franco contributed to this report.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.