High school principals see stark impacts of ICE enforcement

A report based on surveys and interviews with high school principals across the United States finds that federal immigration enforcement efforts are creating a climate of fear on campuses—driving down attendance, increasing bullying, and forcing contingency plans.

The report, “The Fear is Everywhere: U.S. High School Principals Report Widespread Effects of Immigration Enforcement,” was released this week by the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access. It is co-authored by the institute’s director, UCLA professor John Rogers, and UC Riverside’s Joseph Kahne, a distinguished professor in the School of Education.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey conducted in the summer of 2025 with 606 public high school principals. Forty-nine principals also participated in follow-up interviews. The research focused on the impacts of intensified immigration enforcement during the first months of the second Trump administration.

The responses reveal deep and widespread disruptions. Nearly two-thirds of principals (63.8%) said immigrant students are missing school due to fears stemming from immigration policies and hostile political rhetoric. More than a third (35.6%) reported bullying of students from immigrant families, including students being taunted with comments like, “Can I see your papers?” and “Go back home.”

“The findings raise urgent questions about whether our public schools can continue to be safe, inclusive spaces for all students,” Kahne said. “When families are forced into hiding, and students are bullied or stay home out of fear, we are failing the very purpose of public education.”

“Given the harsh, even hateful rhetoric and aggressive immigration actions of the Trump administration, the effect on students and schools should not be surprising to anyone,” added Rogers. “But the widespread nature of the harmful impact and deep level of concern are alarming. As one principal told us, ‘The fear is everywhere.’”

Additional findings include:

•   70.4% of principals reported that their schools were affected by heightened concerns among immigrant students about their own safety and that of their families.

•   77.6% said their schools had developed plans to respond to potential visits from federal immigration agents.

•   47.2% reported creating protocols to support students if their parents or guardians were deported.

•   44.8% said they implemented professional development for staff on how to support students from immigrant families.

Several principals described the toll this environment is taking on students and families.

“Immigrant students are suffering the most,” said a principal in New York. “Chronic absenteeism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety are interfering with their opportunities for success. They and their families live in a culture of fear.”

Others said immigrant parents are avoiding basic activities like grocery shopping to reduce the risk of detention. A Tennessee principal noted that “students weren’t eating properly” because their parents were afraid to leave the house. In Nebraska, a principal said some students stopped attending school regularly because they had to stay home with younger siblings after a parent was detained.

Kahne emphasized that despite the challenges, school leaders are taking action.

“Principals are creating safety plans, working with families, and building partnerships to ensure students from immigrant families receive support—but they are doing so amidst immense pressure and uncertainty,” he said.

The survey was conducted online between June and August 2025. The follow-up interviews took place in July, August, and early September. The full report was published on December 9, 2025, and is available on the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access website.