The Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement has created deep anxiety among immigrant families nationwide, yet early attendance data from major school districts suggests no dramatic systemwide collapse in student enrollment.
In Chicago, where President Donald Trump deployed additional federal troops in September to bolster immigration operations, Chicago Public Schools reported attendance “largely consistent” with last year. Officials noted only isolated dips tied to “discrete events” this fall. Washington, D.C., which experienced a 30-day federal takeover in August and September, also reported minimal change; preliminary data showed attendance within one percentage point of the previous year across all demographic groups, according to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second-largest system, posted a 94% attendance rate for 2025–2026. However, LAUSD still recorded a drop of more than 16,000 students at the start of the school year. Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said enrollment patterns are “deeply connected” to the fear gripping immigrant communities. “When families are afraid to be seen… they are less likely to enroll, reenroll, or stay in public schools,” he said.
The administration recently lifted restrictions that previously prevented ICE from conducting enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools, churches and hospitals. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that raids inside classrooms are not occurring and that officers require supervisor approval for operations near schools, calling such actions “extremely rare.”
Still, the fear is palpable. In Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, 30,000 students were absent on the first school day after a major ICE operation known as “Charlotte’s Web,” a 14% drop from normal attendance. Teachers there reported receiving emails from parents saying their children would stay home until the situation “continues to be clear.”
Districts in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte have expanded remote learning options as families weigh whether attending school is worth the risk. Advocates warn that children are bearing the burden. “We do not need violence, chaos and fear… We need a plan that protects all of our children,” said Vanessa Cárdenas of America’s Voice.
