ICE Fears Loom Over California Graduation Ceremony

Updated June 12, 2025

Anxious ​parents and students ‍gathered Tuesday at Andrew Carnegie Middle School in Carson,​ California, for ⁣an⁤ eighth-grade graduation ceremony tinged with ​unease.Rumors of potential ICE activity in ‌the area had spread, casting a shadow over the party. The Trump​ administration’s increased immigration enforcement has heightened concerns‌ in communities with⁢ large immigrant populations.

Families arrived at the school, dressed in their best, but many⁣ were preoccupied. They checked ‌apps and social media‍ for updates on reported ICE activity, sharing the latest unconfirmed sightings near schools,‍ hotels, and stores. The pervasive fear of immigration enforcement led some students ⁤to stay⁣ home, unwilling to risk detention for themselves or their loved‍ ones.