Fears of Deportation Keep Los Angeles Students Home From Class
Amid heightened concerns over immigration enforcement, a growing number of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are staying home, fearing deportation. The trend, impacting the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year, underscores the pervasive anxiety within immigrant communities following recent immigration raids.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho reported the increase in absences, attributing it directly to worries about potential immigration actions. “During the first semester, we saw across our community, with deep impact to our schools, immigration raids that have created fear in every single neighborhood,” Carvalho stated, according to a report from local ABC affiliate KABC.
The district has moved to reassure families that schools are considered safe zones, protected from immigration enforcement without a valid, signed judicial warrant. Despite these assurances, the fear persists. “Attendance matters. Showing up every single day on time makes a huge difference,” emphasized Karla Estrada, LAUSD Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, highlighting the importance of consistent school participation.
To address the situation, the LAUSD is providing training to its employees, equipping them with knowledge of their rights and protocols for interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. This proactive step aims to empower staff to support students and families during potentially sensitive encounters.
The anxieties extend beyond Los Angeles. Similar concerns have prompted action in other states. Reports indicate that schools in Minnesota temporarily shut down, with the teachers union demanding ICE refrain from operating within city limits. In Oregon, parents and teachers have formed networks to monitor ICE activity near schools. Chicago Public Schools have implemented a policy allowing unlimited absences for children facing these circumstances.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has acknowledged the widespread impact of these fears, stating that approximately 133,000 undocumented children attend the state’s public K-12 schools, with many more having parents or relatives without legal status. Bonta referenced concerns stemming from the previous administration’s deportation policies, noting, “I know many California teachers and administrators are wondering how best to protect their students amid the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate, callous mass deportation campaign.”
In December, Bonta announced new state laws designed to bolster a “safe” environment for all students. While acknowledging California’s limitations in interfering with federal immigration enforcement, Bonta affirmed the state’s refusal to assist with what he termed the “President’s inhumane agenda.” He added, “We have a number of new laws on the books designed to protect the rights of California’s students… In California, our diversity is our strength, and we will continue to stand up for our immigrant communities.”
Superintendent Carvalho’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the ongoing situation. The situation underscores the complex intersection of education, immigration policy, and community well-being, and highlights the challenges faced by school districts in navigating a climate of fear and uncertainty.
