Two private schools in Broward County were briefly placed on lockdown Wednesday morning after law‑enforcement officials responded to what the Broward Sheriff’s Office described as a “federal immigration matter” in the area. The precautionary lockdowns have since been lifted.
Officials were dispatched near Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches and the nearby church, The Pentecostals of Cooper City, following a traffic stop that led to the immigration‑related incident. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver fled the scene and remains at large. Aviation units and other law enforcement resources were deployed to assist with the response.
As a safety measure during the nearby police activity, both Archbishop McCarthy High School and St. Marks Catholic School were placed on lockdown, the Archdiocese of Miami confirmed. The lockdowns have since been lifted, and no injuries were reported.
Can federal immigration agents operate in schools?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not raid or target schools. “The facts are DHS’s directive allowing ICE to go into schools gives our law enforcement the ability to do their jobs. Our agents use discretion. Officers would need secondary supervisor approval before any action can be taken in locations such as a school. We expect these to be extremely rare,” their website states.
Broward County is home to a sizable and diverse immigrant population, including both adults and children from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and elsewhere. Many families in the area include immigrants who are U.S. citizens, legal residents, or have mixed‑status households. Nationwide,
Broward and nearby South Florida counties have long been regional hubs for immigrant communities, contributing to the local economy, culture, schools and workforce.
