Families of immigrants express apprehension over potential deportations as the school year commences under Trump's administration
In the last school year, student absenteeism spiked in Texas school districts and during summer learning due to fear of federal law enforcement, according to Carrizales and Alday. This trend was not limited to Texas, as several school districts across the USA, including those in California and New York, reported similar issues.
In response, some school districts began implementing new policies and protections for immigrant families during Trump's second term. The Los Angeles and Chicago school districts, for example, returned to class with new guidance and protections in place.
However, the heightened anxiety among undocumented families has led some to unenroll their children from the district due to perceived threats from ICE and detention orders received in the mail. Immigrant families nationwide are afraid of deportation from school campuses due to the Trump administration's measures to curb illegal immigration.
According to Carrizales, these families now dread dropping their kids off at school due to the risk of being detained. This fear has extended to back-to-school nights and other parent-teacher obligations, as reported by Franklin.
Despite these concerns, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that no arrests have been made on K-12 school grounds during Trump's second term. ICE has yet to raid any K-12 campuses during this period, according to McLaughlin.
McLaughlin also clarified that the majority of DHS' arrests so far have prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. However, Carrizales argued that the administration's policies are causing parents to withdraw their kids from school and critical programs, which could negatively impact everyone.
Attendance has also been a problem for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), according to board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin. Many schools are concerned that projected enrollment for this school year could drop due to continuing fears, according to Carrizales.
In an effort to provide a safe environment for all students, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho emphasized that the district will provide students with a safe space "regardless of immigration status." Chicago Public Schools has prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or federal law enforcement from accessing its facilities without a criminal warrant signed by a federal judge.
Despite these efforts, the fear permeating through immigrant families like never before after Trump took office, as reported by Alday. The uncertainty surrounding immigration policies has left many families feeling vulnerable and unsure about their future.
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