An immigration arrest outside a Baltimore elementary school Thursday morning drew sharp criticism from state and local officials, who said the operation violated pledges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not conduct enforcement actions on school campuses.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Jesus Acevedo-Sanchez and an unidentified woman outside Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School as preschoolers, kindergarteners and their families arrived for end-of-school ceremonies, a Baltimore City Public Schools spokeswoman said. Details of the arrest remained murky, the spokeswoman added.
A video taken by a bystander and shared with CNN shows a man squirming under the weight of officers as they pinned him facedown to the ground outside the school. A woman in a vehicle looks on as children in school uniforms are rushed past by adults.
State Superintendent Carey Wright and State Board President Joshua Michael said in a joint statement that the arrest “betrayed pledges from ICE that it would not arrest people on school campuses.” They said it “overshadowed what should have been a joyful day of pre‑K graduation and end‑of‑year events.”
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to requests for comment on the operation. The Baltimore City Public Schools spokeswoman declined to provide additional information about the circumstances of the arrest, citing an ongoing law enforcement matter.
Immigration enforcement near schools has been a flashpoint in recent months, with several similar incidents across the country drawing bipartisan criticism. The Trump administration has maintained that immigration laws apply everywhere, including at educational institutions, but has not issued a formal policy on enforcement at schools.