In Maui, Hawaii, something serious happened that worried a lot of people—but don’t worry, everyone is okay now.
Twelve Filipino teachers who are working in Maui schools were stopped by ICE agents (that’s short for Immigration and Customs Enforcement). ICE is a group in the U.S. government that checks if people are following immigration laws.
These teachers were living in the U.S. with a J-1 visa. That means they’re allowed to be in America temporarily as part of a special exchange program to work and learn.
The ICE agents came to a house in Maui where some of these teachers live. It was part of a raid—which means the government came with permission from a judge to look for something as part of an ongoing immigration investigation.
At first, this made people nervous, because it sounded scary. But here’s the good news:
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No one was arrested.
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The teachers were only checked to make sure all their papers were okay.
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Everyone is safe and okay.
The Philippine Consulate in Honolulu (a group that helps Filipinos in the U.S.) said they talked to the teachers right away. They also promised to keep watching the situation closely and help the teachers if needed.
Consul General Arman Talbo, one of the Filipino leaders in Hawaii, told the news that:
“The teachers said they were not arrested, and they are safe and in good condition.”
Even the Hawaii Department of Education (the group that takes care of schools) said they talked to the teachers and are ready to support them. In their message, they said:
“All of the teachers are safe and accounted for. No arrests were made.”
Right now, there are more than 100 Filipino teachers working in Hawaii. Many of them are part of the J-1 exchange visitor program, which lets teachers and students from other countries come to the U.S. for a while to work, study, and share their cultures.
So, while the raid was unexpected, what matters most is:
📌 The teachers are okay
📌 No one got hurt
📌 Help is ready if they need it
