Trump decides against halting immigration arrests in schools, leading families to reconsider school enrollment.

SAN FRANCISCO — As the administration of President Donald Trump intensifies its crackdown on undocumented immigrants, many families are feeling apprehensive about sending their children to school.
In numerous districts, educators have actively endeavored to reassure the parents of immigrant children that schools remain safe environments. However, tensions escalated following the announcement that federal immigration agencies could now conduct arrests in locations deemed sensitive, including schools and churches, effectively overturning a policy that had been upheld since 2011.
“Oh, dear God! I can’t imagine why they would do that,” expressed Carmen, an immigrant from Mexico, upon learning about this policy change. On Wednesday, she took her two young grandchildren, ages 4 and 6, to school in the San Francisco Bay Area after receiving assurances from school officials regarding their safety.
“What has helped calm my nerves is knowing that the school stands with us and promised to inform us if it’s not safe at school,” Carmen, who preferred not to disclose her last name for fear of being targeted by immigration authorities, shared.
The anxieties among immigrant communities nationwide have heightened as implications of Trump’s immigration policies loom. Although initial fears of immediate raids did not materialize, the rapid shifts in immigration policy have left many feeling confused and concerned about their futures.
Schools across the country have reported receiving numerous calls from anxious parents regarding rumors of potential immigration enforcement actions. However, it is still too soon to ascertain whether a significant number of families are choosing to keep their children at home.
Missing school poses serious consequences for students, particularly those from low-income households, where educational institutions often provide essential access to food, mental health services, and other vital support.
The recent policy revision to permit arrests in schools marks a significant departure from earlier guidance that restricted enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in sensitive locations. The Department of Homeland Security stated, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
Daniela Anello, the head of D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School, expressed her disbelief and concern over the announcement. “It’s horrific,” she remarked, emphasizing that the notion of hiding individuals within schools is unfounded.
In the memo that rescinded the former policy, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman indicated that strict rules dictating immigration enforcement locations were unnecessary. However, he emphasized that agents should still exercise discretion and common sense when considering enforcement at schools and similar locations.
An estimated 733,000 school-aged children in the U.S. are undocumented, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute. Additionally, numerous children who are U.S. citizens have parents living in the country without legal status.
In response to evolving fears, education officials in several states and districts have committed to advocating for immigrant students’ rights to public education. California officials, for instance, have reminded educational institutions about state laws that restrict local participation in immigration enforcement. Similarly, New York City schools have reiterated policies preventing them from collecting information about students’ immigration statuses.
In November, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education passed a resolution ensuring that schools would not assist ICE in immigration law enforcement. “We’re trying to simplify for our staff, making it clear we’re just not going to interact with ICE,” stated district CEO Pedro Martinez. He anticipated minimal backlash from recent directives aimed at investigating local officials obstructing federal immigration actions. Martinez indicated that should federal agents approach any of Chicago’s schools, they would need to present a valid court order to proceed. “Even then, they’re going to have to go through my legal department,” he added.
The district has been actively informing families that schools still represent the safest environments for their children despite the surrounding noise of political rhetoric. “It’s hard because there is so much noise,” Martinez acknowledged. “There’s just a huge megaphone that we’re fighting against.”
In some districts, however, reassurance for immigrant families has not been forthcoming. Educators from Georgia Fugees Academy Charter School noted that even families legally in the country reported feeling intimidated by the broader implications of Trump’s immigration policies. “They’re not even at risk of deportation and they’re still scared,” said Chief Operating Officer Luma Mufleh.
Officials at the Atlanta charter school, which primarily serves immigrants and refugees, had anticipated a notable number of student absences following Trump’s inauguration, prompting them to adjust their exam schedules to accommodate this concern.
On Tuesday, when asked for attendance statistics, school officials hesitated to share, citing concerns over targeting from immigration authorities. “We don’t want our school to be targeted,” Mufleh remarked.
The newly instituted policy regarding school immigration enforcement is likely to deter some immigrant parents from sending their children to school, even if they face little immediate risk of deportation, according to Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights. He expressed belief that this aligns with a broader aim of making life increasingly challenging for immigrants in the U.S. to compel them to leave voluntarily.
While there is support among many U.S. adults for targeted deportations, data suggests that an increase in enforcement actions at schools would encounter substantial opposition. A survey indicated that only about 20% of U.S. adults support the notion of arresting children who are undocumented while attending school.
For Iris Gonzalez in Boston, schools represent a refuge in a climate filled with uncertainty as an undocumented individual. With nearly a decade of experience navigating the Boston school system, she feels reassured that no one will question her or her daughters’ residency status there, allowing them to continue their education. Gonzalez, who entered the U.S. illegally from Guatemala 14 years ago, remains vigilant about potential encounters in other public spaces, such as courthouses or during driving. “What if they stop me?” she fears.
Gonzalez expressed her sleepless nights filled with anxiety about her precarious situation, making it challenging to search for work and navigate daily life.
Carmen, the grandmother from Mexico residing in California, also mentioned that returning home is not a feasible option for her family. They fled threats from drug trafficking gangs in Michoacan after her son-in-law was kidnapped.
Her family entered the U.S. under a previous asylum-seeking program, but the recent actions taken by the Trump administration have led to concerns about her pending asylum request. “My biggest fear is that we don’t have anywhere to go back to,” Carmen shared. “It’s about saving our lives and protecting our children.”