How CVUSD and Border Patrol are addressing student fears
THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) - As fears around immigration enforcement continue to impact students across the Coachella Valley, CVUSD and Border Patrol are working to bridge that gap.
Joey Acuña Jr., CVUSD board trustee, says the the issue has been exacerbated by recent controversy surrounding the border patrol recruiters asked to leave the CVHS career fair. Acuña says Superintendent Esparza apologized for the miscommunication, but still, border patrol posted about the incident after.
“These kinds of actions by leader positions make it hard for first responders, law enforcement and the border patrol to actually do their jobs because now people have a negative view of these individuals who are just trying to do their jobs.”
Joey Acuña, CVUSD board trustee
Last week, the district unanimously passed board and administrative policies to reaffirm their commitment to all students, including:
- Requiring valid judicial warrants for the release of any student information
- Prohibiting staff from collecting information regarding immigration status
- Staff training regarding immigration issues
In a statement to News Channel 3, David Kim, Assistant Chief Border Patrol Agent, says:
The El Centro Sector Border Patrol has had a long and prosperous relationship with CVHS with their law enforcement programs along with the faculty and students. In fact, CVHS has regularly sent their students on field trips to our Sector HQ in Imperial, CA, where we have given presentations and taken the students out on the border to see what we do first hand. That should demonstrate our commitment to the students of CVHS.
He also reassures that there has not been a single instance where his department has arrested someone at school or on their way to school.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.
