Teacher at Juanita HS in Kirkland, WA detained by ICE, district confirms
Employee at Jaunita HS in Kirkland, WA detained by ICE
The district confirmed that Fernando Rocha, a theater manager at Juanita High School, appears to have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
KIRKLAND, Wash. - A teacher from the Lake Washington School District has been taken into custody by ICE.
The district confirmed that Fernando Rocha, a theater manager at Juanita High School, appears to have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Members of the Lake Washington School District community are posting online about their shock over the detainment.
Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington.
Rocha is listed on the school's performing arts page as a very important part of the arts program.
The district released a statement confirming the detainment:
"We are aware that one of our employees appears to have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). We have been in contact with the employee to provide appropriate employment documentation. Due to privacy considerations, we are limited in what we can share, but we are monitoring the situation closely."
Senator Manka Dhingra's office says she learned about the detainment on Friday. She also released a statement that reads:
"It is imperative that every person living in Washington and in our country has due process as required by the Constitution. I learned of Fernando Rocha's ICE detainment on Friday. It's my understanding that Fernando is an (asylum seeker), Theatre Manager at Juanita High School, and a valued member of our community. My office has been in contact with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene's office to see how we may be able to help Fernando during this uncertain time to ensure his rights are not violated."
Rep. Suzan DelBene issued a statement on Tuesday:
"Congresswoman DelBene is aware of the arrest of Fernando Rocha by ICE earlier this week. We have been in contact with Mr. Rocha’s attorney, Lake Washington School District, and state Sen. Dhingra, and are hopeful this situation will quickly resolve itself in court. We will continue to follow the case closely. Donald Trump promised to go after the worst of the worst, but his administration’s heavy-handed tactics in many cases ignore people’s constitutional rights and the rule of law."
The senator's office said Rocha's attorney also told them that not only was he here legally, but he'd also never been arrested.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Lake Washington School District, Sen. Manka Dhingra, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Jennifer Dowling.
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