ICE 'Wellness Checks' at Ohio Schools Spark Outrage

Community members, civil rights organizations, and education advocates have voiced strong opposition to police conducting ICE wellness checks at schools throughout Cincinnati, particularly in neighborhoods with substantial Latino populations. The controversial practice has raised serious concerns about immigration enforcement tactics and the safety of students and families in educational settings.

Cincinnati's Price Hill neighborhood has long served as a vibrant cultural hub for the Latino community in Ohio. Along Warsaw Avenue, the district's principal commercial corridor, visitors encounter a rich tapestry of Central and South American culture. Guatemalan flags hang proudly from businesses and residences, while authentic food vendors operate from taco trucks stationed at street corners and parking lots throughout the area.

The Roberts Academy elementary school, located in the heart of this culturally diverse neighborhood, draws students from families with deep roots in the community. On a typical Thursday afternoon, the school's dismissal brings a flood of young students pouring through the gates and onto surrounding streets. In nearby gardens and open spaces, children engage in casual recreational activities, with groups of youngsters playing soccer in small community gardens that dot the neighborhood.