An Akron elementary school went into lockdown on Tuesday afternoon amid reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were apprehending illegal aliens in Northeast Ohio and reportedly grabbed dozens from the area as part of their efforts.
According to an X post from Homeland Security Investigations’ Detroit office, the efforts are part of a larger push across Michigan and Ohio.
Reports indicated that the efforts centered in and around Cleveland. However, confirmed details about those apprehended in Ohio were lacking in many of the reports about the raids.
According to 19 News, the Akron Education Association said Forest Hill CLC is on “an exterior lockdown” amid reports of ICE patrolling the area. The television station quoted the Akron Public Schools superintendent as saying there was no ICE activity inside Akron schools on Tuesday.
According to News 5 Cleveland, citing the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, 57 people were taken into custody and held in a Chardon facility. However, the report indicates that the facility holds people apprehended nationwide.
“It’s not just limited to Northeast Ohio,” Cleveland Magazine quoted Geauga County Chief Deputy Thomas J. Rowan as saying. “Anytime that ICE calls us, it could be somebody from California or the Midwest, anywhere they just are looking for bed space and they have them, and make the transfers happen.”
While the public seemed surprised by the raids, at least some local authorities were not.
“ICE called [on Sunday] and asked if we can house 20 detainees,” the Geauga County Maple Leaf quoted Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand as saying. “They brought them in the same day.”
According to the report, ICE pays the sheriff’s office $100 per detainee per day, and many of those arrested this week were apprehended in Cuyahoga County.
In Cleveland Heights, ICE agents apparently targeted a Mexican restaurant in the city’s Coventry neighborhood. Cleveland Magazine reported Cilantro Taqueria made its list of Cleveland’s best restaurants in 2023.
“The City of Cleveland Heights did not have prior knowledge of, was not involved in, nor did it cooperate or coordinate with federal officials from ICE in a raid on Cilantro Taqueria,” News 5 Cleveland quoted the city as saying in a statement. The alleged raid and detention of persons at this establishment have not been confirmed by the City of Cleveland Heights at this time.”
The Daily Mail quoted “Matt Daydreams,” a TikToker who was upset that his neighbors were seemingly indifferent about the raid, which targeted his “favorite taqueria.”
“I think I’m gonna sit here and just talk to people as they walk by and see if I can find anyone that seems to give a [flip] about them,” the outlet quoted the TikToker as saying, noting that he went 0-3 “in finding anyone who disapproved of the raid,” the outlet reported.
A photo posted to Cleveland’s Reddit page shows flowers placed in front of the restaurant. Another post indicated agents might have targeted multiple restaurants in the area.
Reports of raids across the country, including in liberal cities such as New York City and Chicago, have surfaced since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, delivering a campaign promise for the 47th president. According to Axios, more than 3,500 people have been arrested in raids nationwide since Trump returned to office.
However, according to a Cleveland Scene report, at least 1,200 Northeast Ohioans have signed a petition titled “DO NOT Allow ICE Into Our Schools” since Monday. The petition ostensibly aims to pressure Josh Englehart, Painesville City Local Schools’ superintendent, to block ICE from entering schools.
However, as of Tuesday afternoon, the petition was seemingly no longer active. Regardless, the superintendent apparently won’t play ball with the feds.
“We are prepared to do everything that we can to make sure that the protections of students and families are upheld,” the outlet quoted Englehart as saying. “We’re absolutely not going to simply grant [ICE agents] access to our students and families.”
Ohio has been in the national discussion about illegal immigration, particularly after Trump highlighted the influx of Haitians to Springfield during the campaign.
