Oregon Father Detained by Immigration at Preschool

On a Tuesday, a 38-year-old man faced arrest outside his child's preschool in Oregon, officials confirmed.

Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, originally from Iran, was detained due to visa overstay issues, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson who spoke with CBS News.

ICE officials mentioned that they first attempted a traffic stop to apprehend Khanbabazadeh. He requested to drop his child at daycare, and they allowed him to park in the school's lot. However, he didn't comply and remained in the car.

To finalize the arrest, ICE agents were compelled to break a window of Khanbabazadeh's vehicle. It was noted that the child was unharmed during this incident.

"It was a chaotic scene," said Randy Kornfield, who witnessed the event while dropping off his grandson. "Parents were understandably distressed; such events shouldn't occur at schools."

Caroline Medeiros, an immigration attorney involved in the case, informed local news that seven unmarked vehicles were involved in the arrest, which she saw while her own daughter was at the school. She described how Khanbabazadeh was forcibly taken from the car, as his wife queried his destination.

Medeiros revealed that Khanbabazadeh initially arrived in the U.S. on a student visa, later marrying a U.S. citizen. His green card application process was ongoing, and he had already completed an interview related to it.

Khanbabazadeh is currently detained at an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington, according to Medeiros.

CBS News reached out to Medeiros for additional insights.

Maris Mendes, the CEO of Guidepost Global Education, expressed concern in a statement, describing the incident at the South Beaverton school as "profoundly disturbing for our community."

Her statement emphasized the educational commitment to ensuring children's safety and well-being at school, mentioning ongoing efforts to comprehend the situation fully. Support is being extended to Khanbabazadeh's family and staff.

This arrest is one among numerous carried out by immigration officials since President Trump's tenure, where he vowed to implement an extensive deportation initiative. His administration reversed limits on ICE operations set by previous governments, impacting many migrants' legal status.