In Denver, a real immigration raid led to significant absenteeism among students, prompting Denver Public Schools to file a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging that immigration policies interfere with educational access.

In response to the climate of fear, local school officials are actively working to inform families of their rights and provide support resources, including legal advice and emergency assistance.

Some school officials have inadvertently contributed to the anxiety by incorrectly informing parents about the presence of Border Patrol agents on school buses, which was later proven false.

Schools across the United States are grappling with heightened anxiety and confusion over immigration policies enacted during the Trump administration, which have led to increased absenteeism among students.

The implications of these immigration policies are significant, with an estimated 600,000 K-12 students lacking legal status and nearly 4 million having at least one parent living in the country illegally.

In Fresno, California, school attendance has plummeted by 700 to 1,000 students daily since Trump took office, largely due to fears of immigration raids.

Parents, like Angelib Hernandez from Aurora, Colorado, have begun keeping their children home from school out of fear of detention and family separation stemming from immigration enforcement.

Research indicates that immigration enforcement actions negatively affect the academic performance and school attendance of Hispanic students, regardless of their immigration status.

In Tennessee, lawmakers are pushing a bill to allow school districts to decide on admitting undocumented students, which could challenge existing legal protections for these children.

In Oklahoma, a proposed rule requiring proof of citizenship for school enrollment was vetoed by the governor, despite support from the state superintendent, due to concerns it would discourage enrollment.

Conservative lawmakers in Oklahoma and Tennessee are proposing measures that could restrict access to education for undocumented children, raising concerns about legal challenges to long-standing educational rights.

School officials are also engaging in community outreach efforts to support immigrant families amidst fears surrounding immigration enforcement.