Key facts
- ICE arrested Jesus Acevedo-Sanchez and an unidentified woman outside a Baltimore elementary school.
- The arrests occurred as children and families arrived for end-of-school ceremonies.
- State and local officials, including Maryland's governor, condemned the incident.
- ICE stated the individual resisted arrest and endangered children.
- The woman arrested faces charges for assaulting a federal officer.
An immigration arrest outside a Baltimore elementary school on Thursday drew sharp criticism from state and local officials, reigniting debate over enforcement operations near educational settings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested Jesus Acevedo-Sanchez and an unidentified woman as children and families arrived for end-of-school ceremonies at Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School.
A video shared with CNN shows officers pinning a man to the ground while children in school uniforms were escorted past. State Superintendent Carey Wright and State Board President Joshua Michael stated the arrest "overshadowed what should have been a joyful day" and betrayed ICE pledges to avoid school campuses.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said Acevedo-Sanchez "refused lawful commands, violently resisted arrest, and used his vehicle to evade law enforcement, dragging an ICE officer in the process." The department also stated that in April, Acevedo-Sanchez "caused a collision with an ICE vehicle before fleeing the scene." He faces charges for resisting and impeding federal officers, and destruction of government property. The woman faces charges for assaulting a federal officer.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore described the video of the arrests as "deeply disturbing." ICE stated that while it does not target schools, it will not allow individuals to hide in them and put children at risk. Homeland Security declined to provide further details on the events leading up to the arrest at the school.