Latest news with #GuidepostMontessori
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Beaverton father detained by ICE outside of preschool
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A father was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after dropping his child off at a Beaverton preschool Tuesday morning, officials said. According to an ICE spokesperson, 38-year-old Mahdi Khanbabazadeh was arrested outside Guidepost Montessori School in South Beaverton after dropping his child off at school. Caroline Medeiros, a lawyer consulting on the case, said after Khanbabazadeh arrived at the school, seven unmarked cars pulled into the parking lot to make the arrest. Week-long search for missing mountain biker ends after he drove back home in his own car When the incident began, Medeiros said that the school was rushed into a soft lockdown, and the head of the school came outside to see what was happening, where masked and armed ICE agents refused to identify themselves and pushed her out of the way, saying, 'This doesn't concern you.' The ICE agents then bashed in a car window and dragged Khanbabazadeh out while his wife asked where they were taking him, according to Medeiros, whose 4-year-old daughter attends the school. The ICE spokesperson told KOIN 6 News that they had attempted to detain Khanbabazadeh during a traffic stop where he requested to drop off his child at daycare. At the daycare, ICE said he stopped cooperating and resisted arrest, so they were forced to break the window. 'It was just chaos,' said witness Randy Kornfield, who was dropping his grandson off at the time of the arrest. 'There were a lot of parents who were upset,' he said. 'And rightly so. It's just not something that needs to happen at a preschool, or at any school for that matter.' ICE said the reason for the arrest was that Khanbabazadeh, a citizen of Iran, had overstayed his visa. Khanbabazadeh arrived in the United States on a student visa, and eventually married a U.S. citizen. He was in the process of getting his green card and had already gone through an interview for it, Medeiros said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden's office confirmed to KOIN 6 News that Khanbabazadeh's family has already contacted his office, and they are pressing the Trump administration for answers. Khanbabazadeh is currently being held at the ICE detention center in Tacoma, Washington, Medeiros said. Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty also released a statement, saying she's concerned and that her office is working to find out more about what happened: 'I've heard concerns from community members about the reported ICE arrest that took place on July 15 outside of Guidepost Montessori. As Beaverton's Mayor—and as a parent—I share those concerns. 'We are a city that values safety, dignity, and belonging for all people, no matter their immigration status. 'My office is actively coordinating with local and federal partners to understand what happened and to ensure that our city continues to uphold the rights and humanity of all Beaverton residents.' A regional manager for Guidepost shared in a statement that they were 'deeply disturbed' by the incident and that they were working to support the child and family, saying in part: 'Our first priority is the safety and emotional well-being of the children in our care. We are actively supporting the affected child and family, and we are providing our staff and families with resources to help them process this event with care and sensitivity. 'We are also reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident and taking steps to ensure that our campuses remain a safe and secure environment for all members of our school community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Ice arrests Oregon chiropractor as he was dropping off child at preschool
An Oregon father was taken into US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) custody while dropping off his child on 15 July at a preschool in the Portland-area town of Beaverton, the agency confirmed. The man, identified by Ice as 38-year-old Iranian citizen Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, was arrested outside Guidepost Montessori school after being stopped by agents en route. An Ice spokesperson said in a statement that Khanbabazadeh entered the country legally but overstayed his visa. The spokesperson said that after the traffic stop, officers allowed Khanbabazadeh to drive to the school to drop off his child, but there, he 'stopped cooperating, resisted arrest and refused to exit his vehicle'. Officers broke a window during the arrest, and the child was not harmed, according to the spokesperson. Caroline Medeiros, an immigration attorney whose child attends the same preschool as Khanbabazadeh's, told local news that he was married to a US citizen, worked as a chiropractor and had already applied and interviewed for a green card. The Guardian contacted Medeiros and has not yet received a response. In a statement to the Guardian, Angel Ignacio, regional manager at Guidepost Global Education, said the organization was 'deeply disturbed by what took place in our South Beaverton school parking lot 7/15/2025. 'While we are still working to understand the full details of the situation, we can confirm that a law enforcement action occurred during school hours and involved the apprehension of a parent by federal agents. Our first priority is the safety and emotional wellbeing of the children in our care. We are actively supporting the affected child and family, and we are providing our staff and families with resources to help them process this event with care and sensitivity,' Ignacio said. 'We are also reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident and taking steps to ensure that our campuses remain a safe and secure environment for all members of our school community. Because this involves a federal law enforcement matter and private individuals, we are limited in what we can share further. We ask for compassion and respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time.' This was the first confirmed federal immigration arrest at an Oregon school, according to local news. Ice agents have been historically blocked from making arrests at schools, places of worship, hospitals and other sensitive locations, but the Trump administration overturned the policy this year in its widespread crackdown on unlawful immigration. The administration has said it is focused on removing violent criminals who are in the country unlawfully. However, research by the Cato Institute found that 93% of people arrested by Ice since October 2024 had no violent convictions, and 65% had no criminal convictions at all. Khanbabazadeh appears to have no criminal record. Randy Kornfield, who was dropping off his four-year-old grandson at the Montessori school during Khanbabazadeh's arrest, told local news he saw officers in police vests and unmarked cars 'laying in wait' for the father and acting in a 'cold and uncaring' manner. Khanbabazadeh remains in Ice custody pending removal proceedings, according to the agency.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Ice arrests Oregon chiropractor as he was dropping off child at preschool
An Oregon father was taken into US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) custody while dropping off his child on 15 July at a preschool in the Portland-area town of Beaverton, the agency confirmed. The man, identified by Ice as 38-year-old Iranian citizen Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, was arrested outside Guidepost Montessori school after being stopped by agents en route. An Ice spokesperson said in a statement that Khanbabazadeh entered the country legally but overstayed his visa. The spokesperson said that after the traffic stop, officers allowed Khanbabazadeh to drive to the school to drop off his child, but there, he 'stopped cooperating, resisted arrest and refused to exit his vehicle'. Officers broke a window during the arrest, and the child was not harmed, according to the spokesperson. Related: US couples with a noncitizen partner: did you decide to get married because of immigration policy concerns? Caroline Medeiros, an immigration attorney whose child attends the same preschool as Khanbabazadeh's, told local news that he was married to a US citizen, worked as a chiropractor and had already applied and interviewed for a green card. The Guardian contacted Medeiros and has not yet received a response. In a statement to the Guardian, Angel Ignacio, regional manager at Guidepost Global Education, said the organization was 'deeply disturbed by what took place in our South Beaverton school parking lot 7/15/2025. 'While we are still working to understand the full details of the situation, we can confirm that a law enforcement action occurred during school hours and involved the apprehension of a parent by federal agents. Our first priority is the safety and emotional wellbeing of the children in our care. We are actively supporting the affected child and family, and we are providing our staff and families with resources to help them process this event with care and sensitivity,' Ignacio said. 'We are also reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident and taking steps to ensure that our campuses remain a safe and secure environment for all members of our school community. Because this involves a federal law enforcement matter and private individuals, we are limited in what we can share further. We ask for compassion and respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time.' This was the first confirmed federal immigration arrest at an Oregon school, according to local news. Ice agents have been historically blocked from making arrests at schools, places of worship, hospitals and other sensitive locations, but the Trump administration overturned the policy this year in its widespread crackdown on unlawful immigration. The administration has said it is focused on removing violent criminals who are in the country unlawfully. However, research by the Cato Institute found that 93% of people arrested by Ice since October 2024 had no violent convictions, and 65% had no criminal convictions at all. Khanbabazadeh appears to have no criminal record. Randy Kornfield, who was dropping off his four-year-old grandson at the Montessori school during Khanbabazadeh's arrest, told local news he saw officers in police vests and unmarked cars 'laying in wait' for the father and acting in a 'cold and uncaring' manner. Khanbabazadeh remains in Ice custody pending removal proceedings, according to the agency.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Ice arrests Oregon chiropractor as he was dropping off child at preschool
An Oregon father was taken into US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) custody while dropping off his child on 15 July at a preschool in the Portland-area town of Beaverton, the agency confirmed. The man, identified by Ice as 38-year-old Iranian citizen Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, was arrested outside of Guidepost Montessori school after being stopped by agents en route. An Ice spokesperson said in a statement that Khanbabazadeh entered the country legally but overstayed his visa. The spokesperson said that after the traffic stop, officers allowed Khanbabazadeh to drive to the school to drop off his child, but there, he 'stopped cooperating, resisted arrest and refused to exit his vehicle'. Officers broke a window during the arrest, and the child was not harmed, according to the spokesperson. Caroline Medeiros, an immigration attorney whose child attends the same preschool as Khanbabazadeh's, told local news that he is married to a US citizen, works as a chiropractor and has already applied and interviewed for a green card. The Guardian contacted Medeiros and has not yet received a response. In a statement to the Guardian, Angel Ignacio, regional manager at Guidepost Global Education, said the organization was 'deeply disturbed by what took place in our South Beaverton school parking lot 7/15/2025. 'While we are still working to understand the full details of the situation, we can confirm that a law enforcement action occurred during school hours and involved the apprehension of a parent by federal agents. Our first priority is the safety and emotional well-being of the children in our care. We are actively supporting the affected child and family, and we are providing our staff and families with resources to help them process this event with care and sensitivity,' Ignacio said. 'We are also reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident and taking steps to ensure that our campuses remain a safe and secure environment for all members of our school community. Because this involves a federal law enforcement matter and private individuals, we are limited in what we can share further. We ask for compassion and respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time.' This was the first confirmed federal immigration arrest at an Oregon school, according to local news. Ice agents have been historically blocked from making arrests at schools, places of worship, hospitals and other sensitive locations, but the Trump administration overturned the policy this year in its widespread crackdown on unlawful immigration. The administration has said it is focused on removing violent criminals who are in the country unlawfully. However, research by the Cato Institute found that 93% of people arrested by Ice since October 2024 had no violent convictions, and 65% had no criminal convictions at all. Khanbabazadeh appears to have no criminal record. Randy Kornfield, who was dropping off his four-year-old grandson at the Montessori school during Khanbabazadeh's arrest, told local news he saw officers in police vests and unmarked cars 'laying in wait' for the father and acting in a 'cold and uncaring' manner. Khanbabazadeh remains in Ice custody pending removal proceedings, according to the agency.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Oklahoma janitor accused of hiding cameras in TV station, school restrooms faces Peeping Tom charges
A janitor was accused Friday in a felony charge of hiding video cameras in air vents in restrooms at an Oklahoma City television station and a school. Miguel Angel Sierra-Meza was charged in Oklahoma County District Court with 28 Peeping Tom counts. He can be seen in videos from the cameras placing the devices in the vents at KOCO-TV and Guidepost Montessori at Brasswood, an Oklahoma City police detective reported in an court affidavit. Police reported 26 victims were identified from the videos. Two were children. The first recording device was discovered when a television station employee on March 31 noticed dust falling onto her lap from the ceiling, according to the affidavit. The employee was in the stall of the women's restroom at the time. The victim looked up, noticed the device in the vent and notified her bosses, the detective reported. The second device was found in the staff restroom at the school after police began checking other businesses. Sierra-Meza, 38, of Oklahoma City, was arrested April 1 when a cleaning crew returned April 1 to the television station. He remains in the Oklahoma County jail. He has no attorney listed yet in court records to contact for comment. Guidepost Montessori at Brasswood is in north Oklahoma City. It is one of more than 150 campuses in cities across the world providing education to children, according to the company's website. In an April 2 email, a Guidepost Montessori senior regional manager told parents and staff that the contract with the janitorial services vendor had been terminated. Police confirmed that adults, and not children, were the likely targets and "that this was very likely a solo operation," the senior regional manager wrote. One of the victims at Guidepost Montessori already has hired Oklahoma City attorney Cameron Spradling. He is planning to sue City Wide Facility Solutions, a national company. The attorney alleges Sierra-Meza was in the country illegally and was hired as a janitor because of negligent vetting practices. "No organization can be allowed to endanger the public by placing convenience and cost savings over human safety," the attorney said. Steve Carroll, owner of City Wide's Oklahoma City operation, said the individual was an employee of a subcontractor. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the folks that were affected by this," Carroll said. "It's very unfortunate but the gentleman who is charged is not an employee of City Wide Facility Solutions." The crime of Peeping Tom becomes a felony rather than a misdemeanor in Oklahoma when recording equipment is used for "prurient, lewd or lascivious purpose." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Janitor accused of hiding cameras in restrooms at OKC TV station, school
