Federal agents executed search warrants Wednesday at the headquarters of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the home of Superintendent Albert Carvalho, significantly escalating the Trump administration’s fight against the nation’s second-largest school district.
The FBI conducted the raids on the 24th floor of LAUSD’s headquarters and Carvalho’s home in LA’s San Pedro neighborhood, a vibrant waterfront area, according to Fox 11. The nature of the investigation is currently unclear. LAUSD and Carvalho have yet to address the situation.
FBI agents could be seen going in and out of Carvalho’s home carrying items in boxes. Carvalho has been LAUSD superintendent since 2022 and was re-appointed to the role this past September. The affidavit for the search warrants are currently under seal, so it is unknown if Carvalho is personally a target of the investigation.
Last week, the Trump administration moved to intervene in a civil rights lawsuit against LAUSD for alleged racial discrimination tied to a program that prioritized funding for schools with lower amounts of white students. The lawsuit was brought by the 1776 Foundation, a conservative group active in K-12 education policy and school board races.
The district has also clashed with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement efforts in the area. Carvalho, who himself came to the U.S. illegally, has accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement of acting in a way that is “immoral, unethical, and illegal.”
“Despite the injustice. Despite the fear. Despite the pressure. Despite the unbearable lack of humanity. Our kids are soaring,” Carvalho said during a news conference last year. “And for the second year in a row, these students have provided best-in-class achievement across all grade levels.”
Los Angeles students have conducted several walkouts to protest ICE, during which they’ve burned American flags and vandalized buildings.
The district has taken a conciliatory approach to student protest.
“The superintendent’s message is consistent: We care deeply about our students, and we recognize that many young people are dealing and engaging with issues they see in the news and in their community,” district public information officer Christine Stephens told the Los Angeles Times. “Students have the right to express themselves peacefully. At the same time, the district must uphold its responsibility to maintain a safe, supervised learning environment during the school day.”