Fear and Absence: The Impact of Immigration Raids on Chicago Schools

As Operation Midway Blitz brings federal immigration agents to several Chicago communities, schools in immigrant neighborhoods are witnessing a significant rise in student absences. Students are staying home because they fear their parents might be detained while they attend class. Teachers report that young people are taking on babysitting responsibilities or accepting paid shifts to care for younger siblings as undocumented adults avoid leaving the house.

Key Takeaways:

• According to data reported by Chalkbeat, attendance dropped by 4 percentage points at one high school in the first month of the immigration operation, nearly triple the citywide decline during that period.
• The attendance decline among English learners was more than the district average, exacerbating the already existing learning gap for these students.
• Research in multiple states has shown that immigration crackdowns affect student engagement and performance, with a 22 percent average increase in school absences in one California region after the first Trump inauguration.
• English learners already face a significant learning gap, and every missed day widens it; Chicago teachers report that newly arrived students who speak limited English are missing the most days.
• Schools are implementing strategies such as excusing absences due to fear or anxiety, providing Know Your Rights training, and creating a sense of community through "walking trains" and parent volunteers.
• The Chicago Teachers Union has asked the district to expand its Virtual Academy to allow families who feel unsafe to continue learning from home.

Statistics:

• 4 percentage point drop in attendance at one high school in the first month of Operation Midway Blitz (Chalkbeat).
• Average 22 percent increase in school absences in one California region after the first Trump inauguration (Stanford University research).
• Higher rates of chronic absenteeism among English learners in neighborhoods where immigration enforcement rose in Connecticut (Brown University study).

Sources:

• Chalkbeat
• Stanford University research (no-date)
• Brown University study (no-date)
• Chicago Teachers Union website (no-date)