SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Families in a Linda Vista neighborhood described being filled with fear after witnessing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detain a man who was waiting to pick up his child from an elementary school.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon just a block away from Linda Vista Elementary School, where witnesses say the man was sitting in a red car when three ICE agents approached him.
"They were like hitting the car and telling the guy- get out the car, and he was like 'why why'?" said a witness who shared video of the encounter.
The video shows two agents reaching through the driver's side window, grabbing the man's wrists before opening his door and removing him from the vehicle.
"I was scared. I was scared. My mom was like 'get inside they're going to take you' I'm like no I need to tell people that ICE is here and be careful," said Michelle, a witness who requested to remain off-camera due to safety concerns.
Michelle, who has a child attending Linda Vista Elementary, said her child felt intimidated by the ICE agents.
"Even my kids, they knocked on the door and were scared. They were like 'mom check the window first,'" Michelle said.
Another parent at the school became emotional when she heard what happened.
"You should be able to bring your kid. You shouldn't have to be scared to bring your kids to school because of all this nonsense," she said.
ICE agents took the man away in an unmarked vehicle, forcing San Diego Unified School District to contact his wife to pick up their child.
Superintendent Dr. Fabiola Bagula expressed disapproval of federal immigration enforcement activities so close to the school.
"Especially in this school they're three to 11 years old. They're very little. So to not get picked up by your parent is very traumatizing," Dr. Bagula said.
This marks the second time ICE has conducted operations near schools in San Diego County in the past two weeks. Last week, ICE agents detained a mother while she was dropping her children off near Camarena Elementary.
Both incidents occurred outside school property. School leaders emphasized that federal agents are not allowed onto campus without a warrant signed by a judge.
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