The Department of Homeland Security was investigating late Wednesday after El Rancho Unified School District Board of Education leaders released video footage they say shows several federal immigration agents trespassing on one of its campuses and allegedly urinating in public view.
School district officials said the footage confirmed that eight to 10 agents entered the campus at around 9 a.m. on June 17, parked their vehicles and urinated on the grounds of Ruben Salazar High School near storage containers after they were asked to leave, district officials said in a letter sent Wednesday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem and to Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Contacted Wednesday evening, a Homeland Security spokesperson said “this matter is under investigation.”
School officials called the behavior “inappropriate” and “of profound concern” amid the federal government’s wider crackdown on immigration in Pico Rivera and several Southern California cities.
Superintendent Marco Villegas and School Board President John Contreras demanded a federal investigation into the incident and report of its findings.
School leaders said that on the morning of June 17, eight to 10 marked and unmarked ICE vehicles were seen parked on the campus parking lot. School district staffers told the agents that they were not given consent to be there and they were directed to leave.
The El Rancho Unified School District Board President, John Contreras, speaks during a press conference on Wednesday July 2, 2025 detailing contents of letter they are sending the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding an incident involving ICE Agents urinating at Ruben Salazar High School on June 17th. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
The agents complied, and the district noted the incident in a message that was published on the school district website and school social media pages.
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But soon after that, school district staff reported to the district’s executive management that they saw the agents urinating in public view at the Salazar High School campus.
“ICE agents unlawfully trespassed ERUSD school grounds and did not exercise sound and respectful judgment,” said John Contreras, school board president.
Contreras said the area is adjacent to a preschool playground, the Smith Park, and the Valencia Academy of the Arts, which was in session for summer school.
Superintendent Villegas said the district’s letter was sent to U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff; State Sen. Bob Archuleta; Rep. Linda Sanchez; Gov. Gavin Newsom; California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta; and other state and local leaders.
The Department of Homeland Security was investigating late Wednesday, July 2, 2025, after El Rancho Unified School District Board of Education leaders released video footage they say shows several federal immigration agents trespassing on one of its campuses and allegedly urinating in public view. (Courtesy, El Rancho Unified School District Board)
The immigration sweeps are part of an ongoing effort by the Trump Administration to mass deport violent immigrants in the country illegally.
When in L.A. with Noem, just days before the June 17 encounters in Pasadena, Lyons said that immigration enforcement actions are targeting gang members, human traffickers, violent drug dealers and rapists. He also pushed back claims that ICE agents were making arrests without warrants.
The ultimate goal is to fulfill Trump’s campaign pledge to rid the nation of the “worst of the worst.”
According to federal officials, DHS enforcement operations are “highly targeted, and officers do their due diligence. We know who we are targeting ahead of time.”
They add that in Trump’s first 100 days in office, 70% of ICE arrests were criminal aliens in the country illegally, with convictions or pending charges.
But in neighborhoods across the L.A. area, the immigration detentions have forced many to stay home, along with the cancellation of community events. They’ve also impacted local economies, dependent on immigrants.
“It’s a slap in the face to our communities — especially to our children,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I join the El Rancho Unified School District in demanding a full federal investigation into this incident.”
Longtime resident Gregory Aguirre, 67, said the footage is shocking and hurtful.
“Are they above the law? Has it come down to this? Children do walk by here,” he said, noting the risk the agents took of exposing themselves to children. “This is a great community and we are proud of our heritage.”
El Rancho Unified has more than 7,000 students in K-12 in 14 schools, including one adult education center, Salazar High, and El Rancho High School.
In El Rancho Unified, 94.3% of its families identify as Hispanic or Latino, and school officials sought to address deportation fears among its immigrant families by releasing a “Response to Immigration Enforcement” policy in January that stressed it supported all students and families regardless of their immigration status.
In Pico Rivera, where the district is located, an ICE raid on June 17 at a local Walmart led to the arrest of two men, including Adrian Martinez, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen. His arrest prompted more than 150 community members to protest outside Pico Rivera City Hall and Towne Center. In response, City Manager Steve Carmona said he was concerned about the agents’ tactics and the “nature and tone of recent actions.”
One educator, who is a librarian in El Rancho Unified, said it is part of their job to help children feel safe in class. Rose Gonzalez, 63, said that while parents and children in the community trust the district to protect them, the fear is real.
“You can see it in their faces, the children are scared,” Gonzalez said. “We had a car accident in front of the school and the police came, and they were afraid of the police. They asked me, ‘Are we okay?’”
The Department of Homeland Security was investigating late Wednesday, July 2, 2025, after El Rancho Unified School District Board of Education leaders released video footage they say shows several federal immigration agents trespassing on one of its campuses and allegedly urinating in public view. (Courtesy, El Rancho Unified School District Board)
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The El Rancho Unified School Board outlined plans to respond to immigration-related operations in April, when the school board adopted a resolution declaring its schools safe havens, and reminded the community there is no law mandating local school districts to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the enforcement of immigration laws.
“The ERUSD board wants its students, staff, families and community to know and understand that maintaining a safe and supportive environment at each ERUSD school site is at the forefront our of our actions and policies,” Contreras said. “These actions by DHS and ICE agents raise alarming and pressing questions regarding ICE’s behavior and judgment.”
Summer school remains in session at El Rancho High School. The school offers breakfast and lunch for enrolled students. The fall session begins on Aug. 14.
“We will not tolerate any actions that jeopardize the well-being and safety of our students and school communities,” the board said in its statement. “Our schools must remain safe places to all children.”
Staff Writer Andrea Klick contributed to this report.