An immigration officer looking for a fourth-grade student was turned away from a New York City elementary school on Thursday, Eric Phillips, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's press secretary, said.
The incident took place at P.S. 58 in Queens. According to Phillips, the officer did not have a warrant.
According to WPIX-TV, state law requires schools to provide education to all children, regardless of immigration status. The station reported that local schools are to call their superintendent and an attorney if an immigration officer arrives at the school.
“As a mother, I am deeply troubled and horrified at this attempt on the part of federal immigration agents to reach any child in our schools,” Queens Borough President Melinda Ketz told WPIX. “P.S. 58 officials did the right thing by following proper protocols of the city administration, stopping the agents at the door and protecting their students.”
It is unclear why the immigration officer was looking for a student.
