The people standing between students and ICE? Teachers.

February 26, 2026

Teachers across the United States are struggling to maintain normal school operations as heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration disrupts education and traumatizes students. Educators report widespread student absences, emotional distress, and families going into hiding after the administration lifted protections for schools as "sensitive locations" against ICE operations. Teachers have responded by escorting students to school, providing financial assistance to families, organizing neighborhood patrols to spot federal agents, and offering counseling to children whose parents have been detained or deported.

Who is affected

Students at schools with significant immigrant populations, particularly Hispanic students
Liam Conejo Ramos (5-year-old detained in January) and other detained students
Parents and family members who have been detained, deported, or are in hiding
U.S. citizens who fear detention due to their appearance or surnames
Teachers including Peg Nelson, Mandi Jung, Kathryn Anderson, Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona, and Kat Zamarrón
Valley View Elementary in Columbia Heights, Minnesota (two-thirds Hispanic enrollment)
St. Paul Spanish immersion program students
Chelsea Public Schools in Massachusetts (lost 400+ students, facing cuts of 100 staff positions)
High school near Downtown Los Angeles (lost 200+ students, cut 3 teacher positions)
Chicago North Side elementary school
School staff including social workers, counselors, and bus drivers
Immigrant families receiving groceries and support from schools

What action is being taken

Valley View teachers are escorting students to and from school on foot
Teachers have obtained special licenses to drive children to school in district vans
School staff are delivering groceries to 140 vulnerable families at Valley View
Teachers at Valley View wrote letters to ICE officials with students to process emotions
Therapy dogs are visiting Valley View classrooms
Mandi Jung is paying rent for families affected by enforcement
Social workers in Chelsea are developing grief groups for students
Teachers in Los Angeles are patrolling neighborhoods before and after school to spot federal agents
Teachers are communicating with clusters of schools to monitor ICE presence
Kat Zamarrón is serving as sanctuary team lead, preparing her building for potential immigration enforcement
Minnesota school districts and educators sought an emergency order in federal court on Monday to stop immigration operations near schools
The National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers filed a motion earlier this month to stop ICE from operating near sensitive places

Why it matters

This situation represents a fundamental disruption to public education affecting thousands of students nationwide. The lifting of protections for schools as "sensitive locations" has transformed educational institutions from safe havens into places of fear and anxiety, making basic learning nearly impossible for many children. Teachers report this crisis is more disruptive than the COVID-19 pandemic because the threat is unpredictable and constant, affecting students both at school and at home. The enrollment losses are creating budget shortfalls that threaten to eliminate hundreds of teaching positions, further destabilizing affected school districts. Beyond academics, children are experiencing trauma from witnessing family separations and living in constant fear, with some as young as elementary school age asking if helicopters overhead are ICE agents. The crisis is forcing educators to become social workers, security monitors, and financial supporters rather than focusing on teaching, while they themselves face exhaustion and fear of retaliation.

What's next

Chelsea Public Schools may cut up to 100 staff positions (one-eighth of its workforce) due to budget shortfalls from declining enrollment
Social workers in Chelsea are developing grief groups to support children who have lost family members to detention or deportation
Teachers express concern about potential revocations of Temporary Protected Status and other existing protections against deportation
Minnesota school districts and educators are awaiting a decision on their emergency court order filed Monday to stop immigration operations near schools
The National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers are awaiting a decision on their motion to stop ICE operations near sensitive locations

Read full article from source: The 19th