DHS Agents Tried To Enter Los Angeles Schools As Trump's Immigration Crackdown Continues

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents attempted to enter schools in Los Angeles this week, but were turned away as authorities followed protocols.

The efforts are believed to be the first in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with federal officials claiming that all locations are fair game for law enforcement agents.

Local outlets reported that the officials sought to enter Lillian Street Elementary School and Russell Elementary School, both in the Florence-Graham neighborhood. They were denied entry over Los Angeles Unified School District protocols.

The Trump administration has authorized federal agents to enter "sensitive locations" such as schools and churches to conduct immigration-related operations. "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," said former acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman on the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration.

In February, the Denver Public School system sued to prevent the administration from doing so, but a judge rejected the request in early March. The suit alleged that the district was "hindered in fulfilling its missions" to the students who are not attending school "for fear of immigration enforcement actions occurring on DPS school grounds."

The filing also claimed the federal policy was diverting resources from the district to prepare its staff in case of immigration arrests on DPS property.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, denied the school district's request, which ultimately would have prevented immigration agents from making arrests on school property.

"I agree that DPS has shown there's real confusion and concerns and fears among some portions of those families," Domenico said in announcing his decision at the conclusion of the hearing in Denver's federal courthouse. "They have shown they are having to spend time and effort to address those concerns."

Domenico argued that the school district did not show how changes to Homeland Security's so-called sensitive locations policy impacted its schools rather than broader concerns about the rise in immigration enforcement under the new Trump administration.

Americans are divided on the matter, with a slim majority opposing immigration enforcement in schools, according to a Morning Consult poll commissioned by The Century Foundation

The survey found that 51% of respondents opposed allowing immigration enforcement at K-12 schools. Among respondents who voted for president Trump in 2024, 39% supported keeping officials away from school grounds, while 36% were opposed, and 18% were neutral.