WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. (KOMO) — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid last week in Washington state nabbed the parent of a student, the district's top leader confirmed.

The raid reportedly happened last Wednesday at a Langley laundromat.

In a letter to the district's community, South Whidbey Island School District Superintendent Jo Moccia wrote, "It has come to our attention that one of our school parents has fallen victim to the immigration raids that have begun in our country. Our hearts go out to their spouse, children, and friends."

Moccia offered district families a link to recent guidance from the Office of Public Instruction on Immigration Reform Assistance.

The guidance outlines requirements concerning student privacy, access to educational services, and immigration enforcement on school campuses. Requirements include enrolling all students regardless of immigration or citizenship status, ensuring undocumented students have access to all aspects of the regular school program, and having a policy for responding to immigration enforcement actions using the awareness that schools have no legal authority to enforce U.S. immigration laws.

"At South Whidbey, we will do everything we can to protect our students when they are at school, no matter their citizenship status," wrote Moccia in the letter.

KOMO reached out to the district, which said it cannot share any details about the age of the student or what school they attend in the district.

Moccia also confirmed the arrest did not happen on school grounds.

"[Wednesday's] South Whidbey ICE pick up did NOT occur on our school campuses. It occurred on Second Street in Langley. It is our understanding that ICE officers are patrolling the area. You have rights under the U.S. Constitution," Moccia wrote in a second email to the school district community the day after the arrest.

In an email responding to KOMO, School Board President Brook Willeford said the community has rallied around those affected "beautifully," and the school district is doing everything it legally can to protect their students.

"One fantastic thing that people can do to prepare themselves is to download and print out Red Cards so that they know what their rights — and the rights of those around them — are," Willeford wrote.

Red Cards, meant to be shared among communities, offer advice on how to deal with immigration raids and affirm constitutional rights. The cards tell the holder to not open the door, not answer any questions, and not sign anything during a raid. They also include a script informing the ICE agent that the holder is using their constitutional rights.

Later in the day, KOMO caught up with Willeford, who said he was shocked to learn that a student was separated from their parent so suddenly.

"I was frankly in disbelief because South Whidbey doesn't feel like the kind of place this would happen," Willeford said, "Having one of the first incidents in the area happen in Langley really shows it can happen anywhere."

Willeford echoed what the district superintendent’s concerns of making sure students know they will be protected regardless of immigration status, that their parents understand their rights, and have a plan if they're undocumented migrants.

"My heart goes out to the rest of the family who were going about their daily lives when they learned about this."

He declined to offer any information about the student whose parent was arrested, citing privacy reasons. We also asked what he might know about the parent arrested and whether any crimes were involved.

"I have no reason to believe there is a record involved, but I don’t know one way or another for sure," Willeford said. Jennifer Marcelynas, a parent with two students in the South Whidbey Island School District, nine and 12 years old, said she too was shocked to learn of an immigration-related arrest in Langley, a city she described as tightknit and friendly.

"I feel like they are humans just like us trying to make a living trying to better their lives here with us. We are a small community, and we will take you in. We love people," Marcelynas said, "It breaks my heart because I’m also a single parent. It takes a village, you got to have your family."

Inside the laundromat where the raid reportedly happened last Wednesday, Gary Milne was doing a load of clothes. He’s a lifelong Washingtonian and 15-year resident of Langley who said he thinks a laundromat is an "odd" place to make an I.C.E arrest. He said he worked in the garment industry for five years alongside undocumented migrants and had no issues with them, but believes the immigration raids, arrests, and potential deportations happening are for good reason. He said he's not a Republican or a Democrat but supports the leaders of our country.

KOMO reached out to ICE for information on the identity of the parents, why they were targeted, and if they have a criminal record. We have not yet heard back.