--- title: LA Superintendent Speaks Out Against Trump Immigration Raids description: Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District explains how ICE raids hurt students, families, and communities. canonical: https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/ author: Alberto Carvalho article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-06-10T11:05:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:50:00.404Z article:section: Ideas og:title: LA Superintendent Speaks Out Against Trump Immigration Raids og:description: Alberto M. Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District explains how ICE raids hurt students. og:url: https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01f6c7cc77781980/6998c7611500fb6d6daa6581/Superintendent-Alberto-Carvalho.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: LA Superintendent Speaks Out Against Trump Immigration Raids twitter:description: Alberto M. Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District explains how ICE raids hurt students. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01f6c7cc77781980/6998c7611500fb6d6daa6581/Superintendent-Alberto-Carvalho.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # I Was Once Undocumented. Now I’m a Superintendent Speaking Out Against Trump’s Immigration Raids > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=0f49654d-070c-4925-9ddd-6a1f8c9ffbb5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=0f49654d-070c-4925-9ddd-6a1f8c9ffbb5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=0f49654d-070c-4925-9ddd-6a1f8c9ffbb5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=0f49654d-070c-4925-9ddd-6a1f8c9ffbb5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump and California Officials Clash Over Deployment of National Guard and Marines to LA Protests [Watch (HLS stream): Trump and California Officials Clash Over Deployment of National Guard and Marines to LA Protests](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/28GTRXAF.m3u8) (2:18)  _Published 2025-06-10. Anti-ICE demonstrations are expected to spread to more cities this week after days of unrest in Los Angeles, with at least 30 new protests planned across the country in response to the Trump Administration’s recent immigration raids._ by [Alberto Carvalho](https://time.com/author/alberto-m-carvalho/) ## Alberto Carvalho Contributor Jun 10, 2025 11:05 AM UTC  Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho addresses a press conference on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA. Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho addresses a press conference on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA. Irfan Khan—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images by [Alberto Carvalho](https://time.com/author/alberto-m-carvalho/) ## Alberto Carvalho Contributor Jun 10, 2025 11:05 AM UTC I am the leader of the second-largest public school system in the country. I am also a proud American—and once, I was an undocumented immigrant. My journey to citizenship is not just a personal story; it is a story that deeply informs how I lead, how I teach, and how I serve the over 520,000 students who attend Los Angeles Unified schools. This country gave me the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to give back. I became an educator because I believe in the promise of public education. And I became a superintendent to protect it. This week, I cheered as our youngest students culminated from Kindergarten and crossed their first academic finish lines. They were celebrated, beamed with pride, and hugged the teachers who helped them grow. In those moments, I saw the future: bright, diverse, and full of possibility. But in the same week, I also stood beside families gripped with fear. Some of them have lived in our city for decades. Some arrived more recently, escaping violence, persecution, and poverty. All of them have entrusted their children to our care. And now, many of them are facing the unimaginable. In recent months, the federal government has sent [immigration agents](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/us/alberto-carvalho-superintendent-los-angeles-public-schools.html) into our communities—sometimes directly to or near schools. They have questioned parents and, in some cases, spoken with students. Federal immigration agents have driven through neighborhoods with visible [tactical gear and vehicles](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/us/los-angeles-immigration-raid.html) and set up checkpoints outside of [workplaces](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-raids-los-angeles-rcna211546). And this weekend**,** the [National Guard](https://time.com/7292305/la-protests-national-guard-crackdown-essay/) was deployed in our city. To be clear: no preschooler, no first grader, no high school sophomore on their way to class poses any risk to the national security of the United States. And yet, the response we are seeing looks more like a military operation than an immigration process. [The result](https://laist.com/news/education/la-unified-ice-national-guard-response) is widespread trauma, fear, and distrust—particularly in our schools, where children should feel safest. We are hearing reports of families hiding in their homes. Students too afraid to come to school. Parents who feel they must choose between a child's education and the risk of detention. These are not hypotheticals. They are the lived experiences of students and families in my district. Los Angeles Unified schools are—and will remain—safe and welcoming spaces for every child, regardless of immigration status. That is not just our commitment, it is the [law](https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/race-color-and-national-origin-discrimination/race-color-and-national-origin-discrimination-key-issues/equal-rights-public-education#:~:text=Discrimination%3A%20Key%20Issues-,Equal%20Rights%20to%20Public%20Education%20Regardless%20of%20Immigration%2FCitizenship%20Status,from%20public%20schools%20%28Plyler%20v.). The U.S. Supreme Court has held for over four decades that every child, regardless of citizenship, has a constitutional right to a free public education. That means our doors stay open. No child should miss school because of fear. Still, I would be lying if I said fear doesn’t exist. And that is precisely why superintendents—and all leaders—must speak up now. School is not just a place to learn reading, math, and science. It is also the place where students receive food, mental health resources, and physical care. Schools are the heart of a community. For many children, it is the only place where they feel truly safe, truly seen. When federal actions create chaos outside our school gates, it is our responsibility to speak out and protect the sanctity of what happens inside them. As a former undocumented immigrant, I know this fear. I have felt it. I have lived with the uncertainty of whether a knock at the door meant separation from everything I loved. I also know what it means to be given a chance—to study, to contribute, to lead. And that makes what’s happening in our communities now all the more painful. Because these children, these families, are just like I once was. The question now is: What kind of country do we want to be? I believe we must be a nation that protects children before politics. A nation that recognizes education not as a bargaining chip, but as a birthright. A nation that honors the incredible courage and contributions of immigrant families who are the backbone of our workforce, our schools, and our future. We need federal policies that are humane, lawful, and consistent with our values. That means halting enforcement actions near schools and community centers. It means clear communication with local jurisdictions. It means permanent protections for [Dreamers](https://time.com/6187635/daca-dreamers-legal-uncertainty/) and long-term immigration reform grounded in dignity and opportunity—not fear. Locally, we must continue investing in services that support our students: mental health care, trauma-informed counseling, family legal support, and robust outreach so that families know their rights and know they are not alone. And to the voters reading this: your voice matters. We cannot build a just education system without a just immigration system. The next election, at every level, will help decide whether our schools remain [sanctuaries](https://time.com/7264323/sanctuary-cities-40-year-history/) of learning or become battlegrounds for political theater. As superintendent, my charge is clear: I will do everything in my power to make sure every child—documented or not—feels safe, supported, and seen in our schools. Because the future of this country sits in our classrooms every day. And how we treat them will define who we are and what happens next in our nation. We can choose fear. Or we can choose hope. I know what I choose. Do you? ### More from TIME ## Transcript As of this afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department is on tactical alert and in a state of partial mobilization. These designations are critical tools that allow us to expand our operational capacity to safeguard our communities and respond effectively to any unrest or unlawful activity. To the public, we fully support your right to peacefully protest. But let me be absolutely clear. Those who choose to incite violence, engage in vandalism or graffiti and or attack officers will be arrested. There is no tolerance for criminal activity under the guise of protest. And it makes me feel like our city is actually a test case. A test case for what happens when the federal government moves in and takes the authority away from the state, or away from local government. I don't think that our city should be used for an experiment to see what happens in the nation's second largest city. Well, maybe we can do this to other cities. That Donald Trump has created. The conditions you see on your TV tonight. He's exacerbated the conditions. He's, you know, lit the proverbial match. He's putting fuel on this fire ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard in an illegal act and a moral act, an unconstitutional act. But Donald Trump needs to pull back. He needs to stand down. Donald Trump is inflaming these conditions. This is Donald Trump's problem right now. And if he can't solve it, we will. Mr. president, when is the last time you spoke with Governor Newsom? Um. A day ago. Called him up to tell him. Got to do a better job. He's done a bad job causing a lot of death and a lot of a lot of potential death. If we didn't send out the National Guard. And last night, we gave him a little additional help. Uh, you would have. Los Angeles would be burning right now. Los Angeles would be not a lot different than what you saw take place in California and Los Angeles just a little while ago. Mr. president, on those Marines, Governor Newsom has described them as political pawns. I'm curious for your reaction to that and what you see as the Marines role, and what are their rules of engagement? All I want is safety. I just want a safe area. We have Los Angeles was under siege until we got there. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/"},"headline":"I Was Once Undocumented. Now I’m a Superintendent Speaking Out Against Trump’s Immigration Raids","datePublished":"2025-06-10T11:05:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:50:00.404Z","description":"Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District explains how ICE raids hurt students, families, and communities.","url":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/","keywords":["Immigration"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01f6c7cc77781980/6998c7611500fb6d6daa6581/Superintendent-Alberto-Carvalho.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alberto Carvalho","jobTitle":"Contributor","url":"https://time.com/author/alberto-m-carvalho/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01f6c7cc77781980/6998c7611500fb6d6daa6581/Superintendent-Alberto-Carvalho.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho","caption":"Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho","creditText":"Irfan Khan—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/immigration/","name":"Immigration"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/","name":"I Was Once Undocumented. Now I’m a Superintendent Speaking Out Against Trump’s Immigration Raids"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump and California Officials Clash Over Deployment of National Guard and Marines to LA Protests","description":"Anti-ICE demonstrations are expected to spread to more cities this week after days of unrest in Los Angeles, with at least 30 new protests planned across the country in response to the Trump Administration’s recent immigration raids.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/28GTRXAF/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2025-06-10T18:07:35.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/28GTRXAF.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/","duration":"PT2M18S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7292641/superintendent-against-trump-immigration-raids/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```