Congresswoman Ansari Condemns ICE Operations Near Valley Schools

Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari is speaking out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations taking place near schools, calling the federal agency "rogue" after recent incidents that left children witnessing their parents being detained while walking to class.

Rep. Ansari, who serves as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 3rd congressional district and is the youngest female member of Congress, criticized ICE's tactics following reported operations around Roosevelt School District facilities.

"Can you imagine being a kid on your way to school, watching your parent get kidnapped by ICE? No child should carry that fear," Ansari stated. 

According to People First Project, a local monitoring organization that keeps an eye on immigration enforcement, agents have been conducting operations while parents and guardians are walking their children to school.

In one particularly concerning incident at Southwest School in the Roosevelt School District, an ICE agent reportedly walked a student to school after detaining their guardian. The operation took place around 7:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, just the second day of the school year.

People First Project founder Clarissa Vela said as many as three people were pulled over and potentially detained during that morning's enforcement action. 

"We're not anti-police, we just want to make sure that people are being treated fairly and their rights are not being violated," Vela explained.

School District Responds

Roosevelt School District officials acknowledged they were aware of ICE's presence but had not been contacted by immigration enforcement agencies about their operations. 

Dr. Ashley Hodge, President of the Roosevelt School District Governing Board, addressed community concerns in a statement to families: "We understand how deeply concerning these reports may be for many of our families," Hodge said. "On behalf of our entire Board, we want to assure you that the safety, dignity, and well-being of every student and family remain at the heart of our mission."

The district said it was "actively monitoring the situation" as the growing number of ICE activity reports.

Expansion of Immigration Enforcement

The increased ICE presence comes as the federal government dramatically expands deportation operations. Current job postings on USAjobs.gov show numerous openings for deportation officers, attorneys, and investigation roles, with Join.ICE.gov advertising significant financial incentives.

ICE is offering $50,000 signing bonuses and up to $60,000 in student loan repayments for new hires, along with premium pay packages. Recent federal legislation allocates billions of dollars for ICE to expand its operations, including funding to hire 10,000 new agents.

As immigration enforcement continues to intensify, Ansari and other community leaders are calling for protections to ensure that federal detention operations do not disrupt children's education. The congresswoman has indicated she will continue to monitor the situation and advocate for immigrant families in her district.

"This rogue agency is terrorizing our communities, and I'll never back down from holding them accountable,” Ansari concluded.