An incident in East Charlotte involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining a man on Monday while he was taking his child to school. As reported by WCCB, the detainment occurred near the Charlotte East Language Academy and was confirmed by the school's principal in a message to the families.
According to a photo taken by a parent, the arrest by ICE agents occurred near the school’s drop-off line. Eric McCray, speaking to WCCB, commented on the incident, stating, “There’s a right and a wrong way to do things, you know?” and noted the importance of awareness due to ongoing concerns about school safety. Another parent, Manny Gomez, expressed concern about potential academic disruption, noting that “they have standardized testing this week," He said. "So instead of being focused on tests, they’re focused on what’s going on in the community with the immigration reform.”
Furthermore, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Education released a statement, which mentioned the provision of additional counseling support for both students and staff, acknowledging the disturbance the situation caused in the school environment. As conveyed by WCCB, they stated, “To date, federal immigration agents have not attempted enforcement on CMS property. Federal agents are not permitted in our schools unless they have a court order or a warrant issued and signed by a judge.”
The matter also drew criticism from other community members in an opinion piece in the Charlotte Observer. Labeling the ICE’s actions as “scary,” “cruel,” and “wrong,” the piece admonished CMS for their lack of a more assertive stance and urged them and other institutions to embrace the kind of bold leadership demonstrated by Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, who has opposed ICE cooperation, according to the opinion article.
In response to the incident, ICE released a statement providing details about the arrest that occurred near the school’s drop-off line. The principal of Charlotte East Language Academy addressed the matter the following day, acknowledging the concerns that had been raised, as noted by WSOCTV.
