Police Announce Major Action After Assistant Principal's Email Soliciting Donations for Human Trafficker
Authorities in Rhode Island are probing an incident involving an illegal immigrant student whose school started a fundraiser for their “coyote” fees.
Providence’s Mount Pleasant High School Assistant Principal Stefani Harvey sent an email last week soliciting donations for “a student who came to America with ‘Coyote,’ which is a group that helps people,” according to the message, which the Daily Caller News Foundation previously obtained.
The email described the coyote as a group that “gives you a time frame to make a payment of $5000 dollars to those, who bring them into the states.”
Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed that the student attends Mount Pleasant High School and that they’re currently with family, according to WJAR.
Perez’s department is currently investigating the next steps to help the student.
Additionally, the school placed Harvey on paid leave earlier this week, according to The Providence Journal.
“I’m not sure what PPSD’s protocol is in releasing emails and what not, but what I read I understand what that journey is like. What I saw when I read that email is a principal or school official doing what they can to assist the student that’s in a very difficult situation,” said Providence City Councilman Miguel Sanchez, whose family came to the U.S. with the help of smugglers, according to WJAR.
“From my understanding under the Biden administration, there’s a policy that schools are safe zones, so no ICE or Homeland Security officials are allowed in school buildings. So, I would just encourage for our local ICE officials to respect that policy,” he said.
Federal authorities have seen record surges in illegal migration at the southern border in recent years.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection made more than 2.3 million migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022 and more than 250,000 in December alone, making it the highest month on record.
The Providence Police Department didn’t respond to a request for comment. The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families told the DCNF they’re aware of the situation, but couldn’t comment further due to confidentiality laws.
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