A group of federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are under fire after they were caught on camera urinating on a public school campus in Pico Rivera, California — just steps from a student playground.
The agents were filmed relieving themselves in broad daylight near storage containers at Ruben Salazar High School on the morning of June 17, according to officials from the El Rancho Unified School District (ERUSD). Students were present on campus at the time.
Video surveillance released by the school district “captured approximately ten ICE agents urinating near storage containers on the Salazar campus’ parking lot,” the school board wrote in a July 2 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The letter accused the agents of trespassing and behaving in a way that “risked exposing themselves to minors,” calling the incident “deeply concerning.”
“Any reasonable person, of any profession, entering Salazar where the ICE agents were urinating would clearly recognize the surroundings to be those of a school where minors are taught,” the board stated.
School officials say the agents provided no legal reason or judicial warrant for being on school grounds. Staff told them to leave, and they eventually did, but not before their actions were caught on tape, Los Angeles Times reports.
So far, the Department of Homeland Security has only said the incident “is under investigation” and has not explained why the agents were there in the first place.
The school district is demanding accountability. It’s asking for the names and badge numbers of every agent involved, as well as their supervisors who “aided, allowed, caused and permitted such unlawful behavior to take place.”
“ICE agents unlawfully trespassed ERUSD school grounds and did not exercise sound and respectful judgment with the risk of exposing themselves to minors and committing a public offense under California law,” the board’s letter added.
This comes as tensions between ICE and California communities remain high. In April, the ERUSD board warned about increased ICE activity in the area.
“The ERUSD board wants its students, staff, families and community to know and understand that maintaining a safe and supportive environment at each ERUSD school site is at the forefront of our actions and policies,” said school board president John Contreras.
“These actions by DHS and ICE agents raise alarming and pressing questions regarding ICE’s behavior and judgment.”
The incident follows recent anti-ICE protests across Southern California. The Trump administration responded to the unrest by deploying the National Guard to help local law enforcement crack down on demonstrators.
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