Newly elected President Donald Trump has established many executive orders, including  Executive Order 14148, also known as Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions. This order nullified several of Biden’s executive orders, including some relating to the government’s role in managing immigration. 

On the first day of Trump’s second term, acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Benjamine Huffman issued a directive that allows the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct enforcement in formerly protected and “sensitive” areas such as hospitals, religious settings and schools.

One of the ways ICE is enforcing immigration laws is by deporting immigrant students in schools. While ICE can conduct enforcement in schools, ICE officers cannot enter a school without a warrant signed by a federal judge, the consent of a school employee or a subpoena — a legal order typically issued by a court.

ICE has started to detain students as the Trump administration revokes visas. According to The New York Times, about 800 student visas have been revoked as of April 11, and scholars at prestigious universities such as Georgetown, Columbia and Brown have faced deportation efforts.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate and pro-Palestinian activist, was arrested and detained for deportation under what President Donald Trump characterized as “un-American activity.” However, Khalil holds a green card and is a U.S. permanent resident. Another Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestinian activism, Yunseo Chung, is suing President Trump and administration officials after immigration officials tried to arrest and deport her on March 31.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmember Peter Ortiz also confirmed that there was an ICE operation near South White Road, Tully Road and King and Story Roads on Jan. 26, sparking fear amongst local immigrant families. 

Anonymous immigrant student John Doe said the constant worrying about the possibility of ICE raids makes it difficult to focus at school.

“Knowing that friends, neighbors or even classmates could be taken away at any moment is heartbreaking,” Doe said. “There’s always that lingering worry — what if someone I love is next?”

Due to the stress and lack of focus, maintaining grades has become a struggle for Doe.

“Sometimes, I find myself losing sleep over these thoughts, and when I’m tired, it’s even harder to understand what the teacher is saying. My grades have taken a hit because I’m always preoccupied with the fear of raids and the uncertainty of my future here,” Doe said. “It feels like I’m not just fighting for good grades. I’m also fighting for a sense of safety and normalcy every day.”

Despite the mental impact of the fear of ICE, Doe feels encouraged to go against immigrant stereotypes.

“ICE raids affect my motivation and future plans. They make me question if I will ever truly belong or if all my efforts to succeed could be taken away in an instant,” Doe said. “At the same time, they push me to work even harder — to prove that I deserve to be here, to fight for those who can’t and to show that immigrants are not the enemy.”

Some individuals perceive immigrants as a threat to America, influenced by stereotypes suggesting they take jobs from citizens, rely on government assistance and contribute to crime.   

Prominent Republicans, including President Trump, have espoused these claims. However, many undocumented immigrants pay taxes. In 2022, immigrant households paid $579.1 billion in taxes, including $35.1 billion in taxes paid by undocumented households, according to the American Immigration Council. These taxes funded social services for low-income families and contributed to some programs that undocumented immigrants cannot claim benefits from, including Social Security and Medicare. 

Additionally, the National Immigration Law Center says that most federal aid programs, including Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are unavailable to undocumented immigrants. Even legally residing immigrants are generally ineligible until they have lived in the U.S. for at least five years.

Before the 2000s, immigrants helped build America by expanding the labor force, contributing to taxes, increasing consumer spending and making innovations. Historically, immigrants created railroads, developed alternating current electrical systems, invented the telephone and more. 

“It feels like no matter how hard we work or how much we contribute, we’re still seen as outsiders or threats,” Doe said. “It creates a feeling of isolation because sometimes it’s hard to talk about these fears with people who don’t understand what it’s like to live with this uncertainty.”

According to The New York Times, if citizens lost jobs to immigrants, countries would experience economic decline as their populations grew. However, the opposite occurs. According to American Immigration Council analysis, the immigrant population in the U.S. contributed to $1.6 trillion in economic activity in 2022. This is because immigrants not only expand the labor force but also drive demand for goods and services, ultimately contributing to economic growth.

Ethnic Studies and U.S. history teacher Stefanie Menera said illegal immigration is being seen as a more serious offense than it actually is. 

“A harmful rhetoric that I’m starting to see is undocumented [immigrantion] being framed as a dangerous, even violent, criminal offense,” Menera said. “I have fears that’s going to start to impact the perspective of students who might not be directly affected, to start to exclude compassion and empathy from the way that they view these communities.” 

The national crime rate dropped by 60.4% from 1980 to 2022, even as the immigrant population more than doubled since then, according to the American Immigration Council.

In response to Trump’s executive orders regarding immigration, Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo sent out an email reassuring families and students about campus safety.  

“I want to remind the community that our district remains committed to keeping our schools safe spaces for all students and families regardless of citizenship status,” Bravo wrote. 

He said that immigration authorities cannot freely enter campuses. 

“If federal law enforcement was to come to campus, or if federal law enforcement was to ask for any information about a student or their family, we’re not going to just hand those things over,” Bravo said.

In accordance with California Education Code 234.7, school officials in California do not collect information regarding students’ or their families’ immigration status. Therefore, if immigration authorities request entry to a campus, the school has no immigration status information to report. 

“It doesn’t matter what the status of your family is or isn’t. If you’re under 18 in our country, you should have a place in school,” Bravo said. In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe that states cannot deny undocumented students access to free, public K-12 education. “Everybody’s entitled to an [education], and we want schools to be placed where people feel that they can safely come and learn and develop.”

Additionally, Branham staff have been trained to not allow immigration enforcement onto campus. 

Jada Chiu, communication and engagement coordinator, said in an email that the district’s top priority is ensuring the safety, well-being and educational access for all students.

“We have been actively conducting refresher training with staff on board policies, protocols and federal student data privacy protections,” Chiu wrote. “We have also been proactively equipping students and families with resources, educational materials and information about their rights to ensure they are well-informed and empowered.”

Menera said the district is aware and vigilant of what’s happening. She said the administration has been clear about how teachers should react to the “shift” in the community and how it could potentially impact the campus.

“The district has been clear in emphasizing to us that our schools are safe places for all students, regardless of immigration status and at Branham,” Menera said. “I’m appreciative of our administration and that they’ve shared these resources and they’ve taken time to participate in training.”

Despite the fear of ICE, Bravo encourages students to remain in school.

“I hope students will do everything they can on their part to persist in their studies because falling behind academically isn’t going to help,” Bravo said. “I understand the anxiety, I hope they get informed [and] if they need access [to] counseling resources they [can] talk to staff. We’re going to be monitoring school attendance and looking for cases where we’re concerned that somebody’s not coming to school.”

According to NBC News, there’s been a decrease in student attendance since immigrant families have been pulling their children out of schools in order to protect them. In Denver, Colorado, Denver Public Schools has reported the attendance rate has dropped by 10% since Feb. 5.  

“[ICE] increased fear and uncertainty around what it means to be an undocumented student, as well as their families, especially around issues related to deportation and access to education,” Menera said.

Students already face stress from assignments and exams, but those concerns are compounded by the anxiety and safety issues created by the threat of deportation. Menera said the stress and worries stemming from this threat create barriers to students’ learning and overall well-being. 

“It can be challenging to focus on something like coming to school or completing a math packet when your safety and well being is at risk,” Menera said.

Menera said that in her classes, she encourages students to engage in critical discussions about both historical and current immigration issues, fostering a compassionate approach to the topic.

“As a teacher, I feel a personal responsibility to do my part in making sure that schools remain to be places that stand firmly against this kind of dehumanization,” Menera said. “Education has always been a powerful tool in creating and when students learn history, they gain knowledge and courage to recognize and push back against injustice.”

The fundamental purpose of school is to educate, and the fear of potential ICE raids is actively inhibiting some students’ learning. 

“Schools should be a place where we can focus on learning, not a place where we live in fear of ICE raids,” Doe said. “Real people are affected by this. Families get separated, kids are scared to go to school and entire communities live in fear. If we don’t talk about it, nothing will change. More people need to understand what’s actually happening so we can push for better solutions.”

Illustration by David Tran/Bear Witness