On May 29, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) agents detained Martin Garcia Lara, a fourth-grader at Torrance Elementary School in California, during an immigration hearing in Houston, Texas.
The child, who was accompanying his father, was separated from him and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since.
School community mobilizes
The Torrance Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) has initiated a campaign to demand the release of Martin Garcia Lara.
Jasmin King, PTA president, expressed concern, “Martin is a fourth grader who is alone, without his father, and in a place he is probably unfamiliar with.”
The community has requested information from the immigration authorities, but so far they have not received a response regarding the child’s status or location.
Concern over immigration operations
The arrest of Martin Garcia Lara has generated concern among school communities in California.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to expand enforcement of immigration laws in schools.
He reminded that these must be safe places for all students.
Martín es un estudiante de cuarto grado que está solo, sin su padre
In addition, the California Legislature has proposed bills, such as AB 49 and SB 48, which seek to prevent federal agents from detaining undocumented students or their families on school property without a warrant.
Rights of immigrant students
Despite recent immigration policies, the 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe guarantees the right of all children to public education, regardless of immigration status.
Schools may not require information on the immigration status of students and must avoid practices that impede access to education.
Family members and legal representatives can use ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System to find out the whereabouts of detained individuals, such as Martin Garcia Lara.
It is important to note that this system does not provide information on minors under 18 years of age or those arrested in the last 48 hours.
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com.