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The Hope Community Center and the Immigrants Are Welcome Here Coalition want change and action after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents appeared near an Orange County school during a traffic stop.That traffic stop happened outside Apopka High School on August 15 and ended with five people in ICE custody, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.The school went on a “secure hold” during the incident, but speakers at an Orange County Public Schools meeting Tuesday night said it took too long for people to be told about what happened.”Many families were left terrified without any clear communications or support, our schools should be a place for learning not a place of fear,” said Hope Community Center Executive Director Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet.Miguel Torres, a student at Apopka High School, said, “racial comments against the Latino community started going around on social media, which made the situation even worse.”School board chair Teresa Jacobs said there was some miscommunication and that the district has protocols, but they are limited in what they can do.Jacobs said that when ICE is actually on an OCPS campus, the district has more that it can do. “We immediately ask if we can reach out to the parents. If they say yes, great, we contact the parents. If they say no, we make them fill out a form saying that we’ve asked and they’ve declined.” she said.Aaron Kuen with Immigrants Are Welcome Here said, “I think madame chair was very clear that we do have an advocate. I definitely think that actions speak louder than words, so hopefully what she’s saying really does happen where there’s more accountability.”Speakers at the meeting said that many teachers don’t know what to do when ICE shows up.”Maybe we want to get some workshops for teachers to know exactly what to do for ICE when they do pop up,” said America Castillo.Renee Gomez with the Farmworkers Association of Florida said, “We’re looking for change, we’re looking for action. We want them to improve their policies. So, it was great, but we need more.” He continued, “We got promises that they’re going to do better. They said they dropped the ball and that they understand communication can be improved, and they promise to do that. So, we’re hoping this is a start of change.”
The Hope Community Center and the Immigrants Are Welcome Here Coalition want change and action after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents appeared near an Orange County school during a traffic stop.
That traffic stop happened outside Apopka High School on August 15 and ended with five people in ICE custody, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The school went on a “secure hold” during the incident, but speakers at an Orange County Public Schools meeting Tuesday night said it took too long for people to be told about what happened.
“Many families were left terrified without any clear communications or support, our schools should be a place for learning not a place of fear,” said Hope Community Center Executive Director Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet.
Miguel Torres, a student at Apopka High School, said, “racial comments against the Latino community started going around on social media, which made the situation even worse.”
School board chair Teresa Jacobs said there was some miscommunication and that the district has protocols, but they are limited in what they can do.
Jacobs said that when ICE is actually on an OCPS campus, the district has more that it can do. “We immediately ask if we can reach out to the parents. If they say yes, great, we contact the parents. If they say no, we make them fill out a form saying that we’ve asked and they’ve declined.” she said.
Aaron Kuen with Immigrants Are Welcome Here said, “I think madame chair was very clear that we do have an advocate. I definitely think that actions speak louder than words, so hopefully what she’s saying really does happen where there’s more accountability.”
Speakers at the meeting said that many teachers don’t know what to do when ICE shows up.
“Maybe we want to get some workshops for teachers to know exactly what to do for ICE when they do pop up,” said America Castillo.
Renee Gomez with the Farmworkers Association of Florida said, “We’re looking for change, we’re looking for action. We want them to improve their policies. So, it was great, but we need more.” He continued, “We got promises that they’re going to do better. They said they dropped the ball and that they understand communication can be improved, and they promise to do that. So, we’re hoping this is a start of change.”
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