L.A. High School Senior Walking His Dog Seized by Immigration Agents

(LOS ANGELES) Two detentions tied to federal immigration enforcement have shaken Los Angeles families and schools this month, raising fresh alarms about actions near campuses and the ripple effects on students. In early August, agents arrested high school senior Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz while he walked his dog in Van Nuys. Days later, on August 12, 2025, agents handcuffed a 15-year-old with significant disabilities outside Arleta High School in a case of mistaken identity. Both episodes have spurred demands from district leaders for clear limits on enforcement near schools and faster help for affected families.

Two August incidents ignite fresh fear

Guerrero-Cruz, 18, is a senior at Reseda Charter High School and a caretaker for younger siblings, according to family and community advocates. Relatives and supporters say masked agents seized him in Van Nuys, tied his dog to a tree, and then let the dog run loose on Sepulveda Boulevard. The arrest ignited outrage across the San Fernando Valley.

Neighbors and classmates rallied online and in person, organizing a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal fees and everyday needs for the household while he is in custody. As of mid-August, the Department of Homeland Security had not publicly answered questions about the case or explained the operation. The silence has deepened worry among parents and students who fear more encounters near school routes.

The second incident unfolded outside Arleta High School on the morning of August 12, 2025. A 15-year-old was waiting in a car with his mother and sibling when agents approached with weapons drawn and placed him in handcuffs. The family said agents first denied they were doing immigration enforcement, then showed a photo of a suspected MS-13 member who resembled the teen.

After the mother and teen denied the identity and agents reviewed the situation, he was released. Officials acknowledged it was a case of mistaken identity. The event left the family and onlookers shaken. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent Alberto Carvalho condemned what happened and stressed that enforcement near schools harms learning, can trigger panic, and leaves lasting trauma.

LAUSD leaders say they have seen rising anxiety since spring. In April 2025, agents attempted to enter two elementary schools to seek information, but administrators refused entry. That standoff signaled a tense new phase around campuses. The district has repeatedly reminded families that it is a sanctuary system and that all students have the right to attend school regardless of immigration status.

District response and policy backdrop

LAUSD, the nation’s second-largest district, enrolls more than 500,000 students. Officials estimate about 30,000 are immigrants and about 25% are undocumented. In recent months, district and city leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass, have publicly criticized enforcement near school grounds, citing fear among children and disruptions to class time.

Research from the University of California, Riverside and New York University, referenced by district officials, links immigration enforcement activity to:

• higher absenteeism
• emotional distress
• student disengagement

Since the Arleta incident, LAUSD has reinforced safety steps and added new supports:

• Rapid-response teams now coordinate with schools when agents are reported nearby.
• Staff increase their presence to steady campus routines and comfort students.
• Families receive immediate connections to legal help and social services.
• Virtual schooling options expand for students who feel unsafe attending in person.

Carvalho has urged federal agencies to set clear distance and conduct limits near campuses. He argues that even brief confrontations at a curb can derail a child’s learning for weeks. LAUSD board members and principals have echoed that message, calling for “safe zones” free from enforcement unless there is an urgent threat to public safety.

District police and staff stress they cannot block federal officers. They do, however, engage quickly with agents to seek alternatives that reduce harm to students, limit crowding, and avoid school entrances at drop-off and pick-up times. This balance—protecting children while lacking legal authority to stop federal actions—has tested school leaders and heightened tensions with the community.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, district and community leaders are expected to keep pressing for federal policy changes that restrict actions near schools and to monitor enforcement patterns as the new year unfolds.

What families can do now

Parents who worry about possible encounters near schools are asking what steps they can take while officials push for broader changes. LAUSD has issued guidance that centers on calm planning, quick communication, and access to legal support.

Practical steps include:

1. Keep school and counselor contacts updated.
   • If a child witnesses a stressful event, notify the school so staff can offer support and adjust workload if needed.
2. Ask your school for information on the district’s rapid-response team.
   • Know who to call if agents appear near a campus.
3. If you feel unsafe, request virtual learning options.
   • LAUSD has expanded online access for students affected by enforcement activity.
4. Seek legal advice early.
   • The district can connect families to nonprofit legal aid.
   • If you or a child are approached by agents, you can ask if you are free to leave and request to speak with a lawyer.
5. Discuss a family plan.
   • Agree on who to call, where to meet, and what documents to keep in a safe place.

Federal agencies have not provided detailed public explanations or apologies for the two August incidents. The lack of clarity has fueled distrust and frustration in neighborhoods where school is often the most stable part of a child’s day. Community groups say that when students witness arrests or armed encounters near campuses, they may:

• stop riding the bus
• skip after-school programs
• avoid counseling

All of which can widen learning gaps.

For official DHS information about enforcement actions in or near protected areas, visit: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/27/memo-limits-use-immigration-enforcement-actions-or-near-protected-areas

Parents and students say the Guerrero-Cruz arrest feels especially harsh because he was caring for siblings and doing a simple chore many teens share: walking the family dog. The detail that agents tied the dog to a tree, then let it loose along a busy street, has become a symbol of how these operations can feel careless toward families’ basic dignity.

Supporters of Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz say the response from neighbors shows how tightly knit the school community is at Reseda Charter High School and across the Valley. They worry about students who may now fear walking to class, practice, or work.

While LAUSD can move quickly to offer counseling, adjust class schedules, and bring in legal partners, it cannot answer the central legal questions that arise when federal agents act in public spaces close to children. Those answers must come from federal agencies and, potentially, from courts or lawmakers.

In the meantime, the district is trying to keep classrooms steady and to make sure teachers know how to spot stress in students who might not speak up.

City and school leaders say they will keep documenting incidents, logging times and locations, and speaking to federal partners. The goal, they say, is simple: reduce harm to children.

For many families, the test will be what happens next time a patrol car slows near a school, a uniformed officer walks toward a family car, or a student like the boy at Arleta is stopped because he looks like someone else. Parents are asking for clear boundaries. Students are asking to feel safe on the way to class.

As summer gives way to fall, the district’s message is steady: report what you see, ask for help, and take up support services. Families dealing with immigration issues should seek trusted legal guidance and stay in close contact with their schools. Community advocates hope that these steps, combined with continued pressure on federal agencies, will keep children in class and out of the middle of enforcement actions.