US senator slams raid on Pinoy teachers’ home in Hawaii

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii denounced the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on the home of Filipino teachers in Kahului, Maui and efforts to detain them, saying the raids are clearly designed to instill fear.

“The reported interrogation and efforts to detain Filipino teachers in their home on Maui by ICE agents is outrageous. This is racial profiling and a shameful abuse of power. We are a nation of laws, but the broad ICE raids this week are clearly designed just to instill fear,” Schatz said in a statement.

“Our teachers, our visitors and our neighbors deserve dignity and safety, not fear of seemingly arbitrary harassment,” he said.

Schatz’s office is in contact with the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and reached out to offer assistance to teachers impacted by the raid.

ICE agents questioned the Filipino teachers as part of a federal search operation.

According to ICE, the warrant was executed on May 6 as part of an immigration investigation.

“The occupants of the location were cooperative, and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) was able to conduct its search without interference or any impediment. For the safety of the agents and the occupants, residents of the home were briefly detained and interviewed in addition to the search. At the conclusion of the search, HSI special agents left the location without any arrests made,” ICE said in a statement.

HIDOE said the teachers are employed through the Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program, which allows qualified educators from other countries to work in the US legally as part of a cultural and educational exchange.

Hawaii State Teachers Association president Osa Tui Jr. described the early morning raid as “quite distressing.”

“In this case, with educators rousted from their beds at gunpoint, there was no public apology for the harm that was done,” Tui said.