Durham School Board passes resolution to oppose student immigration raids

Last month, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took David Guillen Acosta—a Riverside High School student—into custody as he was on his way into school.

Acosta’s family and teachers were at the school board meeting, asking for the school system’s help.

The Acosta family said five other men, along with David Acosta, were picked up in the raid on Jan. 28.

Ellen Holmes, a Spanish teacher at Riverside High School, told school board members that something had to be done.

“If he is deported, he is going to be deported back to Honduras, and he will die; please help us,” Holmes said. “It’s changed the feeling at the school a lot. There’s a lot of fear.”

The board’s resolution says school staff should work with families worried about ICE enforcement at school, and it also states that detained Durham youth should be returned to their families.

“My one class on Monday, I was missing eight students, which is very abnormal,” Holmes said. “Students are choosing to drop out in fear of coming to school.”