Baltimore School Arrests Spark Outrage
The arrest of two immigration officials on Thursday morning at a Baltimore school, where preparations were underway for a kindergarten and preschool promotion ceremony, has ignited condemnation from the educational community and state officials.
According to authorities and witnesses, immigration agents pursued an undocumented immigrant and his family into the parking lot of Brigadier General John Rogers Elementary and Middle School. They forcibly removed the parents from their vehicle during the incident.
As children holding hands and carrying colorful backpacks hurried past, ICE agents displayed vests labeled “ICE” and “police” while detaining a woman in an SUV with broken windows, as captured in a video. The woman was subsequently taken into custody with her hands restrained behind her back.
Another video recorded by a driver showed officers grappling with the man, who was on the ground as frightened children screamed in the background. Maryland Senator Bill Ferguson shared a video on Facebook, describing how educators rushed to the SUV to escort the two children in the back seat into the school, labeling the incident as “truly unconscionable.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the children are now in the care of their aunt after their parents had the opportunity to reach out to relatives. DHS spokeswoman Lauren Biss informed CNN that the man arrested, identified as Jesus Acevedo-Sanchez, allegedly “refused lawful commands, violently resisted arrest, and used a vehicle to elude law enforcement, dragging ICE officers with him.”
Biss further stated that Acevedo-Sanchez faces federal charges for resisting and obstructing a federal officer, as well as for destroying government property. Notably, ICE reported prior contact with Acevedo in April, and another occupant of the vehicle is charged with assaulting a federal officer. CNN is currently seeking to confirm whether Acevedo-Sanchez has legal representation.
Conflicting Accounts and Concerns
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Baltimore City Public Schools spokesperson Shelley Christian noted that it remains unclear if the family targeted by ICE had any prior connection to the school, as DHS had only identified Acevedo-Sanchez following the incident. CNN has reached out for further clarifications.
Biss stated that ICE leadership collaborated with school officials and the governor’s office to ensure the situation concluded with minimal disruption to the community. Maryland Governor Wes Moore described the incident as “alarming,” indicating that his administration is in ongoing conversations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials regarding the specifics of the incident occurring on school grounds.
An unnamed source familiar with the event conveyed to CNN that ICE officials had expressed “apologies” to both state and school leaders for the arrests made on the premises, explaining that the unique circumstances led to their presence there. Biss emphasized that while ICE does not target educational institutions, they are committed to apprehending criminals who may endanger children’s safety.
Witness Accounts Highlight Students’ Fear
The events unfolded around 8 a.m. ET, coinciding with families dropping off students for year-end promotion ceremonies, as noted by Baltimore City Public Schools spokeswoman Sherrie Christian.
Jude Castellanos, a driver for the Independent School Transportation System, reported that approximately ten students, ranging from first to fifth grade, were present in her minivan during the arrest. Castellanos captured videos of the agents as they attempted to restrain the man, while the children reacted in distress.
“They were terrified, saying ‘Oh, they’re going to arrest us. They’re going to take us away,’” Castellanos recounted. A teacher quickly arrived in another van to escort the students into the school, providing some reassurance amidst the chaos.
Following the incident, Castellanos shared a video and received numerous anxious calls from parents who were fearful of attending the school due to the promotion ceremony. “I’ve seen this happen around town, but I’ve never witnessed it in a school parking lot—it was a complete shock,” she added.
Principal Mark Martin expressed his distress over the incident in a letter to school officials, indicating that he was “deeply disappointed” that such enforcement had taken place on school grounds and demanded “clear assurances” to prevent similar cases in the future. Martin assured that while some school staff were significantly affected, the majority of students and staff proceeded with their planned activities despite the disruption.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott voiced his support for the affected families, affirming the need for schools to be safe havens for children and educators. He, along with Governor Moore, expressed outrage over the ICE actions occurring in front of students, reiterating that educational environments should be focused on learning, not federal immigration enforcement.
CNN’s Taylor Romine contributed to this report.
