Beaverton, Oregon — What began as an ordinary morning for 38-year-old Mahdi Khanbabazadeh quickly spiraled into a harrowing confrontation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leaving a community shaken and a toddler traumatized.
On July 15, Khanbabazadeh, an Iranian national and licensed chiropractor, was driving his young child to Guidepost Montessori preschool near Oregon 217 when two ICE agents boxed in his vehicle in the school’s parking lot.
A newly released dashcam video, obtained by Oregon Public Broadcasting and shared with The Oregonian, captures the moment agents approached both sides of Khanbabazadeh’s car. One agent requested ID, while the father, visibly concerned, responded, “Why? What’s going on?”
Inside the car, his toddler pointed out the window and uttered, “Daddy, police.”
Khanbabazadeh calmly reminded agents of the child’s presence. “There is a baby in the car,” he said. “Is it hard to wait three minutes?”
But waiting wasn’t in the agents’ plan.
According to ICE, Khanbabazadeh—who originally came to the U.S. on a student visa—had overstayed the terms of his status. A spokesperson claimed the agents allowed him to park before proceeding with the arrest but said he “resisted” and “refused to exit,” prompting them to smash a window to complete the arrest.
Footage shared by the family shows the father trying to reassure his child. “Mommy’s coming,” he says softly, reaching into the backseat.
The video cuts to another moment. The child is no longer visible. Agents shout for Khanbabazadeh to exit. He replies, “Hold on. I’m getting out.” Seconds later, the sound of glass shattering breaks the silence.
“Well, you should have done that already,” one agent responds.
To the child, none of this makes sense.
To millions of Americans, it shouldn’t happen at all.
A New Frontline in Immigration Enforcement
Khanbabazadeh’s arrest marks a chilling milestone: the first publicly known ICE arrest on or near school grounds in Oregon since the Trump administration returned to power and overturned Obama-era protections that had designated schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses as “sensitive locations.”
Those protections had been in place since 2011, providing a degree of safety for undocumented individuals and mixed-status families in essential public spaces. But with the renewed immigration crackdown, boundaries once deemed sacrosanct are now up for grabs.
In Oregon, immigration arrests have reportedly quadrupled since the start of Trump’s second term. While agents have previously apprehended individuals near courthouses or immigration hearings, this appears to be the first case in Oregon involving a preschool.
“It’s terrifying,” said Caroline Medeiros, an immigration attorney and fellow parent at Guidepost Montessori. “To have ICE arrest someone with their toddler in the car in a school parking lot—it sends a message. No place is safe.”
Medeiros, who is not representing the family but has been advising them, confirmed that Khanbabazadeh came to the U.S. on a valid student visa, completed his studies in March 2021, and legally transitioned to Optional Practical Training (OPT), a status that allows international graduates to work in their field.
He later married a U.S. citizen in July 2021 and applied for a green card. That petition has since been approved, Medeiros said. The family had their green card interview four months ago and were awaiting the final decision.
“He did everything by the book,” Medeiros added. “He’s a professional. He has a U.S. citizen spouse. A pending green card. A child in preschool. And still… this.”
Trauma, Silence, and Unanswered Questions
The child, according to ICE, was physically unharmed. But trauma runs deeper than bruises.
The family has not spoken publicly. Their lawyer declined comment. For now, Khanbabazadeh remains in ICE custody in Tacoma, Washington, facing deportation proceedings. His future—and that of his family—remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, critics say this moment signals something more disturbing: the normalization of once-unthinkable tactics.
“They waited until he had a child in the backseat. They followed him to a preschool,” one advocate said. “This wasn’t about safety. This was about power.”
And somewhere in Oregon, a child still waits for a father who promised: “Mommy’s coming.”
But no one said what happens after Daddy’s gone.