Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

President Donald Trump held true to campaign promises to overhaul the U.S. immigration system by signing 10 executive orders focused on immigration on his inauguration day. The sweeping nature of these orders has rocked immigrant communities across the country. 

For educators, one of the most jarring shifts is that schools are no longer considered areas that Immigration and Customs  Enforcement (ICE) should largely avoid. “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman declared the day after the inauguration.

Huffman went on to say that the administration trusts agents to use “common sense” on or near school campuses to realize the promise to enact mass deportations. This contradicts long-standing policy that sets aside schools, churches, and hospitals as sensitive locations where ICE agents should not carry out enforcement activities.

Already, the threat of such raids has stoked community-wide fears, affecting undocumented family members and neighbors, citizens and residents working to resettle family members, and those whose legal status has just been revoked. 

For schools, research and experience tell us what will happen next: Students who are undocumented or in families with mixed legal status will stop attending school and fall behind; families will no longer participate in school events; and they may limit or stop communicating with teachers and schools altogether. 

Akin to pandemic-related school closures and disruptions, many school districts with immigration populations – both in border states and elsewhere – will once again face disruption and crises to manage this. Educational leaders and K-12 educators are on high alert as they consider how to respond to immediate threats of enforcement and the ongoing, wide-ranging effects of mobilizing fear. Furthermore, those supporting immigrant communities are now under threat to comply with enforcement actions they may oppose. 

With the scope and speed of immigration changes underway, educational leaders can assume that the impact and ripple effects of federal (and some state) actions will broadly impact their school community as a whole. 

First, we know from research that heightened enforcement affects students’ and families’ sense of safety and belonging at school: a chilling effect on the school climate can lead to student absenteeism, deep-set fears, and potentially trauma that may reverberate throughout a classroom, even affecting non-immigrant peers. Academic performance may also decline after an immigration raid. 

Second, immigration enforcement tests students’ and families’ trusting relationships with educators, making it harder for educators to know, assess, and respond to student and school community needs if schools are deemed unsafe. Even elementary-aged students may choose silence and avoid activities that disclose family immigration histories. This can undo work that district and school leaders have done across the country to strengthen relationships with families.

Third, educators perceive ICE in different ways and with different levels of awareness of immigration policies and laws that protect students. Many education leaders are highly committed to their immigrant students, involving personnel in a  range of positions to support them. Some will already have district support with clear policies in place, while others are now scrambling to find ways to legally respond to dynamic policy changes.

Given all this, what can school leaders do? We offer the following suggestions:

1. Establish guidelines and train all staff about what to do if there are reports of ICE agents either in the neighborhood or trying to enter school. Several districts in immigrant-serving communities have already established policies that call on all staff – including security, front office staff, and teachers – to follow a particular protocol if needed. This might include steps to ensure ICE agents do not enter the building or engage with students or staff; district leaders and the legal department are immediately notified; and outreach is made to community partners such as immigrant rights organizations. Some districts have worked with these organizations or with immigration attorneys to offer know-your-rights workshops for staff, families, and in some cases, students, to prepare for enforcement actions. 
2. Anticipate sustained uncertainty by supporting immigrant families and training educators in preparedness planning. Because schools are often trusted sites of care and support for immigrant communities, educators or community liaisons should help families develop plans for what happens in case of a raid or detention. If a parent or guardian is detained during school hours, school administrators need additional contacts in place, ready to step up. If these contacts are unavailable or under threat, educational leaders need to rely on relationships with local social services or community-based organizations to navigate next steps. Legal counsel is a crucial part of preparation; identifying local immigration law resources in advance is necessary.
3. Deepen ongoing efforts to create cultures of care amid disruption by addressing issues of safety and belonging now. Just as in the pandemic, educators are responding to crises that may upend business-as-usual and require flexible policies and practices. Educators can affirm their support for immigrant communities and foster strong relationships with families and community-based organizations to mitigate the anticipated chilling effect that increased enforcement will have on school attendance and family engagement. 

Essentially, educational leaders can prepare by focusing on strengthening relationships, identifying local resources, and preparing for ongoing disruptions. Immigrant communities live with uncertainty about the coming weeks and months; so do the educational leaders who support them.

Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter