A Miami-Dade County Public Schools teacher has been deported to his native Honduras after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month during a routine immigration appointment, school board members confirmed Friday.
The teacher, a middle school science instructor whose name has not been disclosed, was detained just a week before former President Donald Trump took office, according to the teacher’s union. The union also confirmed that he was 24 years old, had come to the United States at age 13, and was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“It’s tragic in so many ways,” said Miami-Dade School Board member Luisa Santos. “Teachers are vessels of inspiration and provide a strong foundation for many students. His deportation will certainly have an impact.”
Santos, who was once an undocumented student herself, expressed empathy for students who might now feel the same fear she once did. “Thinking about coming home and a family member not being there—it’s heartbreaking.”
The teacher had been working in District Four, an area that encompasses seven middle schools. Faculty at the school were reportedly devastated upon learning that he had been detained during his routine immigration check-in and never released.
“That’s potentially a team without a coach, a club without a sponsor, teachers without their colleagues,” Santos added. “That family is now incomplete.
”The Miami-Dade school district has not disclosed the name of the school where the teacher worked. School board member Steve Gallon reaffirmed that schools are meant to be safe spaces for children and emphasized the importance of student privacy.
“The school board does not represent law enforcement. We are not ICE agents. We are educators,” Gallon said. “There are protocols in place to facilitate coordination while ensuring student privacy and minimizing disruptions.”
In an official statement, Miami-Dade County Public Schools reiterated its compliance with federal guidelines regarding work authorization, stating that all employees are authorized to work upon hire. However, the district also noted that it had not received any formal notification from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the teacher’s detention or deportation.
“We have not received any formal notification from the Department of Homeland Security or its immigration enforcement entities regarding the detention or status of a Miami-Dade County Public Schools employee or teacher,” the district said. “Without formal confirmation, we cannot comment on an employee’s immigration status.”
