A qualitative research report released on August 4 by New York University associate professor Sophia Rodriquez examined the impact of immigration enforcement on educators and immigrant students in schools. The study, conducted in partnership with the National Immigration Law Center, included interviews with 37 educators across 14 states from January to April 2026.
The research coincides with a significant policy shift. In January 2025, the Trump administration rescinded a longstanding protective policy that had previously exempted schools and school bus stops from immigration enforcement activities. Following this change, educators nationwide have reported markedly increased federal immigration agent presence in school communities. Educators in Pennsylvania, for example, noted that what had been rare occurrences of federal agent presence in prior years became a nearly weekly phenomenon. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated on August 10 that ICE does not conduct school-based arrests, though the agency did arrest a couple at the dropoff line of an elementary school in Baltimore in June.
The heightened enforcement presence has corresponded with measurable changes in school enrollment and attendance patterns. Educators reported that immigrant families have withdrawn from schools due to safety concerns, with some schools that anticipated enrolling hundreds of newcomer students instead enrolling only dozens. An EdWeek Research Center survey of 753 district leaders, principals, and teachers found that 18% of respondents reported enrollment declines linked to immigration enforcement, while 39% reported increased student absences. A separate working paper from Brown University’s Annenberg Institute similarly documented that community-level enforcement actions produce sustained patterns of student absences.
In response to these challenges, educators have implemented various supportive measures, including assigning staff to escort students to school, conducting parent-teacher conferences online to reduce family movement in communities, and assisting families in developing emergency preparedness plans. The study indicates that educators themselves have experienced considerable emotional strain. Teachers reported difficulty maintaining instructional focus amid widespread social-emotional distress, and many described the challenge of providing comfort to students asking about the agents they observed. The EdWeek survey found that 57% of educators working with immigrant students reported observing fear and anxiety among their students related to enforcement activities.
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