‘Walking school buses’ and teaching students their rights. How educators are preparing for back to school after ICE raids

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on July 29, 2025.

After federal immigration raids led to hundreds of arrests across the Los Angeles region this summer, educators are preparing to protect their students as the LAUSD fall semester is just a few days away.

This means teaching students — including elementary-aged youth — what they should do if they are approached by a federal agent.

“We might be thinking, ‘Well, this is just for high school students, right? Only the high school students need to know their rights.’ It’s not true,” said Ingrid Villeda, an LAUSD educator.

“When we get the kids in our schools, we have to make sure that from elementary to high school, we’re teaching these kids how to protect their constitutional rights,” Villeda added.

Training