KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
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Neighbors in Kansas City's historic Northeast neighborhood organized a community watch Tuesday after spotting what they believed were U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents near Garfield Elementary School as students came back from winter break.
Benjamin Roesler told KSHB 41's Northland and immigration reporter, Fernanda Silva. he saw six cars lined up at Kessler Park, just blocks from the elementary school.
“It's frightening, right?” Roesler said. Before dropping off his child at school on Tuesday, he took videos and pictures of the possible ICE agents at the park.
After neighbors shared information on social media, about 25 community members either drove or walked around the neighborhood to monitor the situation.
“Just trying to be around, be visible, and keep an eye on the kids and the schools — making sure no one's being harassed or attacked,” he said.
Edgar Palacios also has a child who attends school in the area. He said he had just dropped off his child and decided to stick around.
“It really detracts from the purpose of schools to begin with, right?” Palacios said.
He’s also the founder of two organizations in the neighborhood focused on education and immigration communities, Latinx Education Collaborative and Revolución Educativa.
“Fundamentally, children shouldn't be around that kind of traumatic experience, right?” Palacios said.
I reached out to the Kansas City Missouri Public Schools District, but did not get a response.
I also asked ICE whether they were conducting an operation in the area, but did not receive a response.
Neighbors say officers didn't show up at local schools — but they want to be there if it happens.
“More than anything, I want our kids to be safe,” Roesler said.
Palacios agreed.
“Neighbors don't want to see their neighbors arrested," he said. "They don't want to see that kind of activity in their neighborhood."
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