Senator Schiff visits Point Loma High to discuss ICE raids with students

By Fox 5 San Diego 

Senator Adam Schiff paid students at Point Loma High School a visit Thursday, answering questions about navigating social media and the importance of education and healthy political dialogue.

“I hope when you graduate you’ll still be interested in political progress and even more engaged,” said Senator Schiff.

The visit was then followed by a united call to action to protect schools from ICE enforcement.

Senator Schiff was joined by local and state leaders, including Congressman Scott Peters and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, who revisited the stories of recent ICE arrests at elementary schools and at San Diego City College and the fear they’ve instigated across the county.

“Right now kids are afraid to go to school, parents are afraid, neighbors are afraid to worship,” said Congresswoman Jacobs.

Senator Schiff says he’s focused on trying to protect schools, and one way is by co-sponsoring a bill called the “Protecting Sensitive Locations Act,” which would ensure certain places are off limits from ICE enforcement, places like schools, school buses, hospitals and places of worship.

It’s a bill supported by other state leaders who say President Donald Trump is going after the wrong people.

“They are workers trying to make a living, students trying to attend schools, parents trying to bring kids to school. It’s so outrageous and anti-American and against the values we stand for across the country,” said Rep. Scott Peters.

“They rip your kids away, and your kids are screaming for mom and dad — how can we do that? This is not rapists and murderers — these are not the people Trump said he would go after,” said Rep. Juan Vargas.

Representative Mike Levin said last year more than half of the people detained by ICE in San Diego County had no violent criminal history.

“I’ll do anything I can to advocate on the appropriations committee, not one more dollar for this agency unless the guardrails are in place,” he said.