ICE Raids Ripple Through Schools, Forcing Educators to Become Safeguards
Across several Minnesota communities and increasingly elsewhere, public school teachers and volunteers are now accompanying students on their bus routes, ensuring they reach homes where caregivers haven’t been apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids during the school day. The escalating enforcement actions are creating a climate of fear and forcing schools to adapt in unprecedented ways to protect their students.
“The president’s decision to send thousands of masked, heavily armed agents into our communities has forced educators to adapt in many ways,” Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota, told Truthout. “Many teachers are working full days and then patrolling bus stops, guarding school entrances, and riding buses to ensure students get home safely. And it’s not just educators. thousands of parents are joining us to patrol school property and provide the mutual aid many Minnesota families need to survive. What’s so infuriating about this situation isn’t the extra work; it’s that it’s all been created by the cruel choices of a few people in power in Washington. None of this pain and fear is inevitable. It’s intentional.”
The situation has prompted schools to develop new safety protocols, going beyond standard emergency drills. A teacher featured in a recent video released by the National Education Association explained that their school now has staff present at all bus stops, every day, as a direct response to ICE activity. The concern stems from instances where students have been left alone after school when parents were detained by ICE.
Aneesa Parks, an immigrant rights activist running tutoring programs in the Twin Cities, explained that the urgency for these new accompaniment policies arose after reports surfaced of children returning home to empty houses following ICE detentions. Schools are also providing food boxes for families afraid to leave their homes and ensuring students learning remotely have the necessary resources, including computers and textbooks, and opportunities to connect with classmates via Zoom.
“Schools, of course, exist to educate our children,” Parks said. “But they are also communities, and ICE has made everyday life dangerous for these communities. This has forced schools to step up. Thankfully, there is a lot of solidarity between teachers and they’re committed to supporting one another and protecting their students.”
Despite these efforts, the emotional toll on students is significant. Parks described the children she works with as “scared, scared, scared.” This fear manifests in various ways, including a 16-year-old U.S. Citizen repeatedly cautioning his mother to be wary of erratic vehicles, suspecting they might be ICE personnel. A young Venezuelan child, recently arrived in the U.S. And unable to speak English, expressed profound grief over the loss of her father, who died en route to the country, after finally being able to communicate with a Spanish-speaking tutor.
The trauma extends beyond Minnesota. A Latine therapist, requesting anonymity, reported hearing of a young client in Florida expressing fear after witnessing deportations in her community. Similarly, Allison Brown, a social worker in Corona, New York, received a call from an Ecuadorian mother whose elementary-aged child was absent from school due to ICE presence in their neighborhood – a rare absence for the student. Brown also recounted the case of a father detained by ICE after being approached on the street, subsequently deported over the Christmas holidays, leaving his daughter distraught.
Approximately 5.62 million children in the United States live with at least one undocumented family member, and an estimated 1 million students are themselves immigrants. Despite the 1982 Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe guaranteeing undocumented students the right to a free public education, advocates say the current climate of fear is undermining that right.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, 2 million people were removed from the country during the first nine months of the second Trump administration, including 1.6 million men, women, and children who DHS says left “voluntarily.”
Alejandra Vázquez Baur, co-founder and director of the National Newcomer Network, emphasized the need for proactive measures. “A year ago, the administration announced that schools, hospitals, and places of worship were no longer going to be considered sensitive locations, exempt from ICE raids, and we’ve seen that play out,” she said. “Schools and school districts have had to pull together plans to keep students safe if ICE arrives at their school, and have had to protect and support kids waiting at bus stops.”
Communities are establishing neighborhood networks to accompany children to and from school, providing afternoon pickups for after-school activities, and assisting families with paperwork, including Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavits. They are also creating trauma-response groups and multilingual referral networks to support affected children.
Experts at the American Psychological Association confirm that children of deported parents often experience heightened fear, insecurity, and difficulty trusting others. They may exhibit changes in eating and sleeping habits, anxiety, sadness, anger, and withdrawal. Older children may assume increased responsibilities for siblings and seek employment to support their families.
Gabrielle Oliveira, a professor at Harvard, highlighted the challenges faced by families who self-deport, noting the disruption to children’s education and the difficulties of adjusting to new schools and environments. She also pointed to the fear and uncertainty experienced by families remaining in the U.S., and the need for schools to provide support and advocacy.
Alan J. Singer, a professor emeritus at Hofstra University, stressed the importance of open discussion about these issues in classrooms. “This is a national emergency that every teacher needs to address within their classrooms,” he said. “Silence protects no one.”
In Minnesota, educators and parents are demonstrating a commitment to action and solidarity, recognizing the long-term struggle ahead. As Carol Hornbeck, part of the group ISAIAH, stated, “Our model is action and reflection followed by rest. It’s a necessary cycle. When I’m resting, I know that someone else is taking action. I want everyone to understand this so they can remain active for the long struggle ahead.”
