In one testimonial after another, teachers detailed the profound ways President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has shaped their work and their students' lives.
In a court filing Thursday, educators from across the country described alarming rumors of imminent immigration raids that frightened students into staying home, while many immigrant parents ceased sending their children to school altogether. They recounted stories of parents and students, including middle schoolers, being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at school bus stops.
The tales were shared as part of a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's policy that exposed schools, places of worship, and medical facilities to immigration enforcement. Farmworker unions, teacher unions, and religious organizations filed this lawsuit in federal court in Eugene, Oregon, arguing the policy was arbitrary and capricious.
In response to the escalating impact of immigration enforcement on schools and healthcare facilities, plaintiffs petitioned a judge to suspend the Trump administration policy while the lawsuit is ongoing.
In recent months — and especially amid increasing enforcement actions — immigration agents have made disturbing incursions around essential community institutions like schools and healthcare facilities, attorneys noted.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding these claims.
Administration officials have previously defended the policy, stating that designating schools and similar spaces as off-limits could create sanctuaries for criminals. They claimed ICE does not target educational institutions; however, multiple recent instances show enforcement actions occurring near school properties.
For over thirty years, the government barred immigration authorities from making arrests in schools and places of worship. However, this policy was rescinded under the Trump administration, which encouraged agents to use 'common sense' when considering arrests near these protected areas.
As Trump intensified deportation efforts, arrests began to occur near schools during the crucial pick-up and drop-off times. For example, an Oregon preschool witnessed ICE agents attempt to detain a man in the parking lot after he dropped off his infant son.
In Chelsea, Massachusetts, teachers union president Kathryn Anderson claimed immigration enforcement has been more disruptive to learning than the COVID pandemic, which forced the school system to move online for months. She noted significant student absenteeism due to fears of family separation.
Teachers shared numerous anonymized testimonials detailing how the fear of deportation has inhibited students from attending school. One middle school teacher reported that half of their students stayed home amid rumors of enforcement actions; shortly after, a student was indeed detained at a bus stop.
Overall, the testimonies outlined an increasing sense of dread and disillusionment among both students and educators, raising urgent questions about the future of educational environments amid stringent immigration policies.
