July 28, 2025 3:49 pm

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ICE arrest of high school theater manager raises questions on immigration verification in school hiring

KIRKLAND—Fernando Rocha, theater manager at Juanita High School in Kirkland, was arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as first reported by independent journalist, and senior fellow with Discovery Institute, Jonathan Choe on Sunday, July 20. Rocha’s arrest by ICE may signal a loophole in the Keep Washington Working Act that may now place students at risk when it comes to federal immigration status verification and school employment requirements.

Fernando Rocha, performing with his theatre troupe, Grupo Sonhus Teatro Ritual, in 2018. Source: Grupo Sonhus Teatro Ritual.

Choe’s reporting stemmed from a post by an Andrea Gibson Hallberg, an Instructional Assistant at Henry David Thoreau Elementary—part of the Lake Washington School District—in the Facebook group, Parenting Group of Middle/High School kids in LWSD which has over 7,500 members.

“I have just been told that our beloved theater director at JHS has been detained by ICE and I am wondering if anyone else in the theater community can confirm this, and if there is any way we can ensure he receives due process and help get him representation,” wrote Hallberg. “He has been an amazing mentor to my son and I want to do anything I can to help him.”

Posting by Andrea Gibson Hallberg, an Instructional Assistant at Henry David Thoreau Elementary in the Facebook group, Parenting Group of Middle/High School kids in LWSD, regarding Juanita High School theater manager Fernando Rocha. Source: Jonathan Choe.

Senator Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), deputy majority leader of the Washington State Senate, replied to Hallberg’s post writing, “My office has reached out to our federal delegation to try to get him released.”

In a follow-up post in the thread, Choe provided additional context: “Juanita High is located in Kirkland, WA. News of Rocha’s arrest was first reported on a parent’s FB group. It’s also unclear exactly where this bust went down.”

At 10:11 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2025, ICE Seattle posted to its X account the detainment Rocha.

“Fernando Alves-Rocha, 45, is a citizen of Brazil arrested by ICE Seattle in Monroe, WA. Alves entered the U.S. in 2018 under a tourist visa which he overstayed, and is wanted by law enforcement authorities in Brazil for theft. He’ll be detained by ICE pending removal proceedings,” ICE wrote.

Lake Washington School District Board Vice President Mark Stuart confirmed that the school district is aware of Rocha’s detainment by ICE in a response to the FB parent’s group thread.

“When I learned the news today, I tested Dr. Holmen,” wrote School Board VP Stuart. “He wrote back saying the district is aware and responding in accordance with employment requirements and various state and federal laws.”

 Stuart added that he is “pleased to see the post here from WA ST Senator Manka Dhingra.”

Posting by Lake Washington School District Board Vice President Mark Stuart in the Facebook group, Parenting Group of Middle/High School kids in LWSD, regarding Juanita High School theater manager Fernando Rocha. Source: Jonathan Choe.

According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Juanita High School is part of the Lake Washington School District, which serves communities in King County, including Kirkland. It has a 2024-25 enrollment of 1,785 students with 83.9% of students meeting English grade level skills, 65.7% in Math and 37% in Science.

The district employs both certificated staff, such as teachers and counselors, and classified staff, including support roles like theater managers. According to the school district’s job postings and website employment policies, employment is contingent upon successful background checks and fingerprinting.

Washington state law mandates rigorous record checks for school employees to ensure child safety. Under RCW 28A.400.303, school districts must require a record check through the Washington State Patrol criminal identification system and the Federal Bureau of Investigation before hiring employees who will have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children. This includes a fingerprint check using a complete Washington state criminal identification fingerprint card.

According to the state law (Section 1(d), “When necessary, applicants for employment may be employed on a conditional basis pending completion of the record check.” The law also allows waivers if a record check was completed within the previous two years, according to Section 1(e).

These checks focus on criminal history and do not explicitly address immigration status, which is typically verified separately through federal Form I-9 requirements for work authorization.

The Lake Washington School District follows these state guidelines, with job applications processed through systems like AppliTrack—now part of Frontline Education—where positions specify that candidates must pass criminal background checks.

Collin Sullivan, Communication’s Manager for the Lake Washington School District shared with the Lynnwood Times that the school district has been in contact with Rocha “to provide appropriate employment documentation” and is “monitoring the situation closely.”

Sullivan confirmed that the school district, “completes Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for all new hires – citizens and noncitizens alike.”

Salaries open data website GovSalaries shows the Rocha was paid by the Lake Washington School District $90,073 in 2024, first reported Choe.

Source: Alves Fernando Rocha | GovSalaries

According to his LinkedIn profile, Rocha is a professional actor with work experience as a theater director, a screenwriter, and a drama teacher. He attained a Master of Arts degree in Theatre from Universidade Federal de Uberlândia in Brazil.

LinkedIn profile of Juanita High School theater manager Fernando Rocha. Source: Jonathan Choe.

Editor’s Note: Article updated 9:46 a.m., July 23, 2025, to include statements from ICE and Lake Washington School District.

Mario Lotmore
Author: Mario Lotmore

20 Responses

  1. Something seems to be amiss. Perhaps state Senator Dhingra should find out the facts FIRST before she mouths off about releasing him.

    1. State Senator Manka Dhingra’s office is involved, stating Rocha is an asylum seeker, was here legally, and had no prior arrests, raising concerns about due process.

      1. Like many things Manka Dhingra says, this is not true. Thankfully, Washington dodged a bullet when she lost in the primaries for AG.

    2. Mary I’ll level with you, you sound like a nazi. ICE has repeatedly arrested immigrants with legal status and citizens alike, with no criminal record to speak of. He is a teacher with a masters in theater who is beloved by his community, I doubt you can say the same.

      1. This illegal immigrant was not a teacher. He was a theater manager. Most other news sources report that he is a wanted criminal in Brazil and is not an asylum seeker. Someone like him should not be around children. LWSD needs to do more than just monitor the situation. They need to do a deep dive into who hired him and how he got around background checks.

        1. Where are you getting your information? As a theater professional and colleague of Mr. Rocha I can assure you that he is NOT a wanted criminal and was following the legal process to become a US citizen.
          Please cite your sources for your accusations.

      2. Jenn, I’ll level with you, you sound like somebody who is incapable of independent thought. Mary made what is obviously a fair appraisal and suggestion, and your reply is “you sound like a nazi”??? Do you realize how that makes YOU sound? Let’s just say that that statement alone is enough to make most people with half a brain right you off as ignorant, and quite possibly dangerously imbalanced.
        You read a social media profile and accept it at face value without any question. In reality, Fernando Alves-Rocha is a FUGITIVE, wanted on criminal charges by his home country, Brazil. While he MAY have a masters degree in theater, I wouldn’t bet on it. “Beloved”??? So was John Wayne Gacy, until the bodies were found.

    3. He filled for asylum? Yes, this shows how people are abusing the asylum system by lying about being persecuted in their home country. Brazil has political stable for about 3 decades now. It is has not yet reached economic levels for people comparing to these of the United States, but people are doing much better now. People are doing much better now. He is not fleeing persecution, but consequences for a personal offense.

  2. Mary’s correct in her assessment as anyone who came here illegally broke the law and should either leave or be deported; period and for anyone caterwauling over his arrest is more in line with those who aid and abet criminals and should really ‘think’ about what they’re defending as it’s indefensible. The Fascist left would have you believe that upholding the law is somehow Fascist and yet ICE is doing what Congress empowered them to do and that’s restore protections at the border and across this nation. Nobody has a right to enter our nation or any other nation illegally and it’s unbelievable that so many like Dhingra and those of her party would seek to put illegals before American citizens. Thank God for ICE! Keep it up.

  3. I’ve also contacted Congress and will follow up with state legislature tomorrow. We cannot allow our communities to be attacked like this.

    1. Thank you for contacting members of Congress. We cannot allow our communities to be invaded by wanted criminals from other countries. They certainly must not be employed by our local public schools either.
      Let’s hope those overstaying their tourist visas are not allowed to conveniently become asylum seekers.

  4. These comments supporting this illegal alien are ridiculous and u American. ICE are immigration law enforcement. These are laws that are prescribed in our constitution. If you disagree you are anti American. ICE officers are being attacked by Marxist Communists in our state for protecting us. All of these people are Democrats and most of them work in our school system. They are more interested in this law breakers that no one really knows who he is over the safety of our children. It’s clearly metal illness on display.

    1. People who have been allowed asylum and work permits who are attending immigration proceedings and abiding by the law are not illegal aliens. It is legal to apply for asylum on a visitor visa if it becomes a threat to return home. Theft charges at the time of entry would have disqualified him from a visitor visa. Failed background checks during applicant screening would not have resulted in employment. We have no details about this alleged crime, and the family has no knowledge of it. There are tons of people with the name Fernando Rocha.

  5. Rocha entered the U.S. legally as a tourist, then applied for asylum, which was also a lawful thing to do. Asylum proceedings take years, and he is legally waiting while final determination is made. While Brazil has economic stability, it has a poor human rights record. Rocha’s departure from Brazil coincides with the time Bolsonaro was in power. During Bolsonaro’s years there was a lot of political repression and many people had to go into exile. Bolsonaro has many allies to this date, and Brazil still has a less than stellar record on human rights. Outspoken people in performing arts are common targets. Repressive regimes do make up charges against the people they persecute, and it is possible Rocha might be one of those cases. We don’t know, but U.S. laws assume innocence until proven otherwise. To find truth, due process is needed. Fact: At the time of his detention Rocha was legally permitted to stay and work in the U.S. and was a productive member of the community with zero brushes with the law, which makes me question ICE’s priorities at the very least.

    1. Entering on a tourist visa with the intention to overstay and THEN claim “asylum” is NOT LEGAL:
      Under U.S. immigration law, specifically INA section 214(b), visa holders must demonstrate their intention to return to their home country after their visit.
      Also, fleeing criminal prosecution is NOT a basis for asylum. The Refugee Act can provide asylum protection for persons “fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” Not for pocketing the High School Drama Club petty cash…
      Lastly, Rocha entered the US on that tourist visa BEFORE Bolsonaro became President, so…
      Fact: He’s an international fugitive, wanted in his home country.
      Fact: He entered on a tourist visa with no intention of ever leaving, which is a crime.
      Fact: As you said, due process is needed. ICE has begun that due process by detaining him until his extradition to Brazil can be affected, and that IS the process that is DUE.

      1. Fact: You are legally permitted to apply for asylum on a tourist visa, so long as it is within a year of entry. Visitors are generally granted up to 6 months. A simple Internet search will confirm this for you.
        Fact: Bolsonaro came into power within a year of Fernando’s entry, coinciding with conditions on asylum for temporary residents.
        Fact: Bolsonaro famously persecuted many races, religions, nationalities, social groups, and political opinions. Those who do not know Fernando personally can only speculate his reasons for asylum. I personally know him.
        Fact: Crimes of theft make you ineligible for a tourist visa, so there was no evidence that he had charges at the time of entry.
        Fact: A background check was done as a condition of employment
        Fact: He is well known in the community for his service, character, knowledge, and talent
        Fact: He has young children who depend on him
        Fact: He has been gainfully employed and without criminal activity the entire duration of his US residence
        Fact: He was detained while attending a routine immigration proceeding, and has been compliant in every part of the asylum process
        Fact: It was not specified whether he allegedly stole a candy bar, a piece of mail, a wallet, a coat, or a car. No details were provided about when he was charged. I find this suspicious. I imagine context might make a difference to some people.
        Fact: It is reasonable to intend to return home, but decide differently when circumstances change in a way that makes you feel threatened.
        Fact: A man who has a degree in theatre is not unjustified or scandalous working a job in theatre. I don’t know how you think theatre budgets work, but they are generally not raking in profits, especially not a grade school. I don’t see why a man making $90k on top of paid acting work would be interested in taking “petty cash” away from kids

  6. This is awful. These ICE raids are crippling our country. This is a productive and beloved member of my community. I lament the loss of America being the land of opportunity, and welcoming the immigrant and the asylum-seeker.

    1. Bless you all. He was a privilege to know and perform with. I’m praying for his family during this difficult time.

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