LAUSD teachers, students hold rally for high school student detained by immigration agents

Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and students gathered outside of the district's downtown headquarters on Tuesday to rally in support of a high school student who is currently in the custody of federal immigration agents.

Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz, 18, was detained by immigration agents on Aug. 8 while he was walking his family's dog in Van Nuys, according to Unión del Barrio, a community organization representing Latino people living in the U.S., according to their website.

"We promise you, if you continue to mess with our students, we will fight back," said Ron Gochez, the organization's president. He was one of many who spoke during Tuesday's rally. 

They're calling for his release so he can begin his senior year at Reseda High School, but he remains in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

One of Guerrero-Cruz's neighbors was also on hand at the demonstration. She says that she saw the moment he was detained. 

"How can any of us turn a blind eye to cruel, unjust treatment happening right in front of us? Where is the compassion? Where is the humanity?" she said. 

Lizette Becerra, an LAUSD educator who was formerly one of Guerrero-Cruz's teachers, told the rally that she visited him at the Adelanto Detention Center and that he said the agents had initially asked for someone else.

"He said that 'without any warning,' men came up to him and grabbed him by the arm, started asking him for this other person, and they said, 'Are you this person?'" Becerra said, while speaking to the crowd. "He said, 'No, I'm not.'" But, according to her account, agents had then detained him.

She also alleged that they had arrested Guerrero-Cruz without a warrant and had let his dog go free.

"They took his dog, and at some point, from inside the car, he saw them unclip the dog and someone stomped on the ground so that the dog would run free," Becerra claimed.

She also described the conditions that Guerrero-Cruz was living in since his detainment. She said that he's residing in a crowded cell, where he has to sleep next to a toilet. She said that he's lost about 20 pounds because he's unable to eat due to anxiety. 

"He should be in a classroom with us. He does not need to be in detention. Our students need to be safe," Becerra said. 

In response to a request for comment on the incident, the Department of Homeland Security shared a statement that said Guerrero-Cruz was an "illegal alien from Chile" who had overstayed a visa by more than two years. They say that he was required to leave the U.S. in 2023, and that he would remain in ICE custody "pending removal."

"The allegations about CBP officers are FALSE, and it is lies like these that are contributing violence against our officers," the statement said. "Our officers acted professionally throughout the encounter. Guerrero-Cruz tied the dog to a tree after his mother refused to come and retrieve it. ... Under normal conditions, CBP would be able to call animal control and wait for them to help, however because of the increase in assaults, obstruction of operations, and rhetoric ... in the LA area they are unable to do this."

Demonstrators say that they plan to continue holding rallies to push for Guerrero-Cruz's release so he can be reunited with his family and classmates.