SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside a Linda Vista Elementary school while waiting to pick up his child on Thursday.
On Friday, there are concerns about immigration enforcement near sensitive locations.
The incident comes after President Trump rescinded guidelines that previously protected sensitive spaces like schools from immigration enforcement actions.
Dr. Fabi Bagula, Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, said, "These are three-year-old to 11-year-old children, a child that did not get picked up from school by their parent. This is traumatic."
School officials addressing the situation on Friday, making it clear to their families and community that counselors and staff would be consoling the children impacted by the recent detainment.
"The ripple effects of an incident like this extend far beyond the moment itself," Bagula said.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Azmaira Maker explained that children in these situations most likely experience anxiety with various behavioral symptoms.
"With kids you might see: "I don't want to leave the house. I don't want to separate from the parent. I don't want to go to school. I don't want to go to the bathroom at all. I don't want to sleep in my own bed," Dr. Azmaira Maker, a Clinical Psychologist and Founding Director of Aspiring Families, said.
Dr. Maker emphasized that adults must be mindful when comforting children in situations where trauma is beyond anyone's control and many questions remain unanswered.
"They can say things like we're working on it, we're trying to find out where this person is and how to bring them back, not minimize it or deny it or create falsehoods around it," Maker said.
When asked why immigration enforcement actions are taking place near children, ICE responded it was working on a response and would get back to ABC 10News soon.
ICE's policy on detaining parents of minors, according to its website, states that agents are obligated to play a role in the child's life once they're separated from their parent, from arranging welfare services to participating in family court proceedings, and more.
Dr. Maker's final advice for those supporting affected children focuses on community support.
"What's our game plan, what's our protocol," Make said. "It builds a sense of community, and builds a sense of belonging that you're not alone."
Maker also cautioned against delaying help for anxiety symptoms.
"If you're seeing yourself having anxiety or your child having anxiety, don't wait till it increases and becomes exponential. It's much harder to get the symptoms back down," Maker said.
