No Verified Case of Student Arrested While Walking Dog in 2025

(LOS ANGELES, CA) There is no verified report in 2025 of masked immigration officers arresting a high school student while he was walking his dog. But two student-related enforcement actions in the past week—one in Los Angeles and another in Virginia—have reignited a tense fight over where federal agents operate and what that means for children, families, and schools across the United States 🇺🇸.

Two high-profile detentions spark school-safety fight

On August 11, 2025, armed, masked Border Patrol agents detained a 15-year-old boy with disabilities outside Arleta High School in the San Fernando Valley. Witnesses say the student was pulled from a car, handcuffed, and briefly held at gunpoint in front of his grandmother while a relative went inside to register for classes. Agents later said they were searching for a suspected MS-13 gang member and held the teen—who is the cousin of the actual suspect—by mistake. The student was released after family members clarified the situation.

The incident occurred during school orientation and was recorded on phones, spreading quickly on social media and drawing angry responses from parents and educators. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and United Teachers Los Angeles condemned the operation and called for immediate limits on immigration enforcement near schools, arguing that students should feel safe when they come to campus for classes, activities, or enrollment.

Teacher trainings now emphasize that some federal officers, including ICE and Border Patrol, may arrive masked and decline to identify themselves. That has made it hard for staff and families to tell them apart from bounty hunters or local police, increasing fear—especially among immigrant families. Counselors report that some students are now scared to show up for orientation or the first day of school because they worry about family separation or being detained by mistake.

Federal officials defended the Los Angeles operation. U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said agents are “keeping streets and the American taxpayer safe from criminals” and will continue their mission until “accomplished.” DHS officials praised families who cooperate with enforcement actions but did not apologize for the mistaken detention in this case.

The clash has sharpened calls for “safe zones” around schools where immigration arrests would be restricted, along with new training for principals and teachers on how to respond when federal officers arrive during the school day.

Three days earlier, on August 8, 2025, Arman Momand, a 19-year-old high school student at J.R. Tucker High School in Henrico County, Virginia, was arrested by ICE officers at a courthouse. Momand holds a special visa for Afghans who helped the U.S. military. After a misdemeanor driving case in which most charges were dropped and no jail time was imposed, ICE issued a detainer and took him into custody. He is now held at Farmville Detention Center while deportation proceedings move forward.

Momand’s attorney and Virginia State Senator Ghazala Hashmi called the arrest an overreach that will push immigrant families away from police and courts. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin defended ICE’s authority to act. The dispute has turned a routine court appearance into a statewide debate over whether courthouse arrests discourage people from handling their legal matters.

For context on immigration detainers—requests from ICE asking local authorities to hold someone for pickup—see ICE’s official information page: https://www.ice.gov/detainers.

Both cases were quickly drawn into the broader political fight over federal enforcement under President Trump, whose team has set a goal of 1 million deportations per year in 2025. Officials have said no place is automatically off limits, a stance that conflicts with local school safety efforts and has fueled demands for clear boundaries and better safeguards for students.

Policy stakes and responses from schools and communities

The Los Angeles detention has prompted school leaders to press for rules that narrow when and how federal agents may operate near classrooms and campus entrances. LAUSD is expanding staff guidance, including:

• How to respond when masked immigration officers appear on or near school grounds.
• How to verify who is a federal officer, and who is not.
• How to support students and families after an enforcement incident, including mental health referrals.

Advocates and educators argue that children should not become collateral damage in operations targeting adult suspects. They point to the Arleta High School case as an example of how mistakes can cause long-term trauma, even when a student is released quickly. Parents are asking for:

• Tighter coordination so agents avoid school arrival and dismissal windows.
• Clear, plain-language notices when an operation near a campus causes disruption.

Federal leaders counter that restricting access near schools would tip off criminals and limit lawful enforcement. Sector Chief Bovino’s statement reflects that view; supporters say allowing school-adjacent limits would create “do-not-enforce zones” that threaten public safety. That divide—student well-being versus wide enforcement authority—is likely to anchor policy fights this fall in California and beyond.

The Virginia courthouse arrest shows how the debate reaches far past school gates. It raises questions about whether courthouse arrests deter people from showing up to resolve cases, pay fines, or testify. Supporters of ICE say courthouses provide a controlled environment for safe arrests. Critics respond that courthouse operations weaken trust and risk punishing people who are following court orders. The arrest of a high school student with an Afghan visa has added another layer of public concern.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these incidents are pushing school districts and state leaders to consider new “safe zone” rules for schools and clearer standards for courthouse operations, while federal agencies maintain that broad authority is needed to meet removal targets. For now, there is little sign of a slowdown in field operations.

Practical steps for families, students, and school staff

Families and students caught in the middle are left to manage fear and confusion. Practical steps many districts and community groups are urging include:

1. Keep school and district safety contacts handy, and report any enforcement action that disrupts a campus day.
2. Ask officers to identify themselves. If you are unsure who they are, contact school security or administrators.
3. If a family member is detained, seek legal help right away. Local legal aid groups maintain hotlines and can explain next steps.
4. Schools can provide counseling after a public arrest or detention—ask for support; it’s part of the district’s duty of care.

School officials also say they need up-to-date protocol sheets, quick-access legal contacts, and briefing materials for front-office staff, who are often the first to face tense situations. Teachers are requesting more training on how to keep students calm when police activity appears near campus.

Important: What happens next may depend on whether more incidents occur during the back-to-school period. Lawmakers face pressure to set clear rules—some are drafting proposals for school “safe zones,” while others favor broad enforcement access, arguing that any limits create loopholes.

For now, the 15-year-old’s detention outside Arleta High School and the Virginia courthouse arrest of a high school senior have become the year’s defining examples of how enforcement touches everyday student life.

There remains no evidence of a 2025 case in which masked immigration officers arrested a high school student while he was walking his dog. The closest parallels are the student detained by mistake in Los Angeles and the Afghan visa holder arrested at a Virginia courthouse—events that have driven a hard, emotional debate over children, safety, and where immigration enforcement should happen.