Schools in Chicago’s immigrant neighborhoods are experiencing a notable rise in student absences. Children are staying home, often because they fear their parents might be detained while they are away in class. Teachers report that many young people are taking on the responsibility of caring for younger siblings or even taking paid jobs, as undocumented adults are increasingly hesitant to leave their homes.
This heightened anxiety stems from “Operation Midway Blitz,” a federal immigration enforcement initiative actively operating across several Chicago communities. Despite schools being designated as sensitive locations where enforcement is generally avoided, the fear has permeated even school gates.
[Image: ICE crackdown leads to rising school absences in Chicago immigrant communities]
According to data reported by Chalkbeat, attendance at one high school saw a 4 percentage point drop within the first month of the immigration operation, nearly tripling the citywide decline during the same period. Attendance among English learners also fell more significantly than the district average.
Educators are now describing this situation as an educational crisis unfolding within a larger immigration crisis.
Why school suddenly feels unsafe
Public schools in the United States are legally bound to enroll every child, regardless of their immigration status. For many families in cities like Chicago, schools have traditionally been viewed as the safest places in their neighborhoods.
Now, parents are grappling with fundamental questions: Who will take their children to school? Who will pick them up? What if the journey to or from school involves an immigration checkpoint?
A Chicago mother shared her concerns with Chalkbeat, admitting her fear for her daughter, even though the teenager is a U.S. citizen. Other parents have withdrawn their children from after-school activities and sports that would require them to be outside after dark.
The fear is most intense during drop-off and dismissal times. Teachers describe an atmosphere reminiscent of the early pandemic months, but with a distinctly different kind of threat looming.
The aftermath of every missed day
Skipping school carries significant long-term consequences.
Research conducted in multiple states has consistently shown that immigration crackdowns negatively impact student engagement and academic performance. For example, education researchers at Stanford University observed an average 22 percent increase in school absences in one California region following the first Trump inauguration. Similarly, a study in Connecticut by Brown University found higher rates of chronic absenteeism among English learners in neighborhoods where immigration enforcement escalated.
English learners already face existing learning disparities, and every day of missed school only exacerbates this gap.
Chicago teachers report that newly arrived students with limited English proficiency are missing the most school days. These are precisely the students who benefit most from consistent personal interaction and structured school routines.
Counselors are also deeply concerned about the psychological trauma. Younger children, though not fully understanding the situation, are absorbing the pervasive tension. Teenagers are quietly preparing for worst-case scenarios, contemplating what would happen to their siblings if their parents were to disappear.
Schools search for solutions
Chicago Public Schools informed Chalkbeat that principals have been instructed to treat absences caused by fear or anxiety as excused. This means students will not face punishment for missing school and will have opportunities to make up academic work.
Some teachers have initiated walking groups, escorting children to and from school. Parent volunteers are also organizing informal “walking trains” to ensure no student travels alone.
One strategy adopted from community groups is “Know Your Rights” training. Schools are educating students on how to identify themselves, when to remain silent, and who to contact if they are detained. Additionally, staff members are positioned outside during arrival and pickup times, ready to alert families if anything unusual occurs.
The Chicago Teachers Union has urged the district to expand its Virtual Academy, allowing families who feel unsafe to continue learning from home. However, officials currently state that a governor’s emergency order would be necessary to reinstate large-scale remote learning.
A national education challenge
What is unfolding in Chicago reflects a broader national trend. Federal immigration enforcement has become more visible in cities across the country. Local school districts, despite not setting immigration policies, are directly experiencing the profound consequences.
Educators worry that students are receiving a distressing message: while education is important, it may not be important enough to guarantee their safety on the way to school.
Many school leaders are advocating for clear public statements from both city and federal officials, assuring that schools and their surrounding routes will not be targeted. They believe that attendance will only improve when families feel genuinely protected by more than mere verbal assurances.
The larger question
Schools are traditionally places where children learn reading and math. For millions, however, they also become places where children learn about their place in a country.
Teachers in immigrant communities across the United States are now grappling with a question that has no easy answer: How do you convince a child to come to school when the journey itself feels dangerous?
The answer to this question will determine more than just attendance figures. It will profoundly shape whether students in these communities continue to believe that education is their pathway to a brighter future.