The morning after last year’s Election Day, a civics teacher and ESL coordinator at a South Florida school with a predominantly Latino student population, found herself taking on an unexpected role.

By the end of that day, more than two dozen students had approached her, deeply concerned about potential changes to immigration enforcement under the possibility of another Donald Trump presidency.

“‘Are they going to deport all of us now?’ ‘Who will be deported first?’” Teacher recalled her students asking anxiously during class.

Since then, the concerns have persisted. She noted that one student has already stopped attending school due to immigration-related fears, and she suspects more students may follow. “I am very suspicious that we will have [more] kids that will be withdrawn or just stop showing up to school,” she shared.

Teacher is one of several educators across six states who shared with a media, their experiences of fielding questions about potential mass deportations under the Trump administration. These educators are navigating a delicate situation, aware of scenarios like immigration officials seeking student information, children discovering their parents have been detained, or students dropping out due to fear of deportation.

Educators find themselves grappling with a stark reality. “I became a teacher knowing I’d talk about civics,” she said. “But I never in a million years thought students would ask me these kinds of questions or share fears about immigration.”

Tensions Surrounding Immigration Policies

Supporters of stricter immigration enforcement argue that such measures are necessary to curb crime and deter illegal border crossings. However, critics raise concerns about family separations and the widespread fear such policies create in vulnerable communities.

Educators and advocates stress that schools should be a safe haven for all students, regardless of legal status. A head of communications for a Mississippi school district with a significant English-learner population, emphasized this point. “School should be a safe space,” she said. “Students shouldn’t be worrying about outside factors while they’re getting an education.”

However, discussing immigration issues publicly can be fraught with challenges for school districts. “It’s tricky to talk about,” said an assistant principal in California, speaking anonymously. “Even if we’re just explaining how we support students, we risk pushback from families and community members.”

This fear of backlash has led to reluctance in some schools to openly seek resources or information about immigration enforcement. A co-founder of the nonprofit ImmSchools, noted that schools worry they could become targets if they publicly address these issues.

Still, demand for resources is growing. After the election, ImmSchools received inquiries from 37 schools seeking training and guidance for staff on immigration-related issues. Just before Christmas, the organization hosted a virtual session for 29 superintendents on how to prepare for potential immigration raids affecting students.

The Impact on Students and Families

Educators report seeing signs of fear in their communities. In Michigan, ESL teacher shared that students have asked if they might be deported, while parents have expressed fear of even driving to school. In Texas, elementary teacher —a DACA recipient herself—said parents have asked her for reassurance about their family’s future. “I told one parent, ‘I hope so,’ because I couldn’t honestly say yes,” she explained.

Under federal law, schools cannot deny students a free public education based on immigration status. Protections like the Fourth Amendment also limit the ability of federal officials to conduct enforcement actions at schools. Nevertheless, the Trump administration’s plans to end the “sensitive locations” policy—barring immigration enforcement at schools, churches, and hospitals—has heightened anxiety in many communities.

Some school districts are proactively issuing statements about the importance of providing “disruption-free learning.” Denver Public Schools in Colorado and the Canutillo Independent School District in Texas have both emphasized their commitment to protecting students’ education.

Preparing for the Worst

This is not the first time schools have faced immigration-related challenges. During Trump’s first term, a series of ICE raids in Mississippi led to the arrest of 700 workers at food processing plants. Local schools had to provide safe spaces for children whose parents were detained. In some cases, bus drivers were instructed to ensure a parent or guardian was present at drop-off—otherwise, children were taken back to school to spend the night.

Drawing from past experiences, some advocacy groups and educators are taking proactive steps to support families. In Tucson, Arizona, nonprofits are helping families create “emergency packets” containing critical information like power of attorney documents, emergency contacts, and guardianship plans in case of detentions.

In California, an assistant principal shared that she and her colleagues have even offered their homes as temporary shelter for students whose families might be deported. “We’ve told families that their child can stay with us if needed,” she said.

Looking Ahead

For educators, the uncertainty surrounding immigration policies has added an emotional burden to their work. While they strive to provide support and stability, they also recognize the immense challenges their students and families face.

“Schools should be a place of safety and learning,” one educator said. “But right now, for many of our students, fear is making that nearly impossible.”