House Democrats Demand Justification for DHS Visit to L.A. Schools

Multiple House Democrats are demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after federal agents attempted to enter two Los Angeles elementary schools without judicial warrants, claiming to conduct welfare checks on five students. School staff denied the agents access, citing the lack of proper identification and concerns over the agents' claims that families had given permission, which school officials say was false. Lawmakers expressed serious concern that the agents' actions could undermine public trust and provoke fear among immigrant families, especially since the targeted students were reportedly not unaccompanied minors as DHS suggested. Educators and advocacy groups in Los Angeles have increased efforts to protect students and reassure families amid rising anxiety over immigration enforcement activities near schools. DHS maintains the agents were conducting welfare checks to ensure the children’s safety, but lawmakers have called for a halt to any immigration enforcement activities targeting children who pose no threat to public safety. The incident has fueled calls for transparency and accountability regarding DHS operations involving minors in educational settings.