‘Fear is everywhere’: ICE activity leads to bullying, missed days at U.S. high schools

The UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access today published “The Fear is Everywhere: U.S. High School Principals Report Widespread Effects of Immigration Enforcement,” which provides a timely and detailed portrait of the broad impact of immigration enforcement in educational settings.

The paper presents the results of a new nationally representative survey of more than 600 high school principals who responded in the summer of 2025 to questions examining the educational impact of intensified immigration enforcement during the first months of the second Trump administration. The research, which also draws on interviews with 49 of the principals, shows that significant majorities of high school leaders across the nation report troubling effects.

“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,” said UCLA education professor John Rogers, director of UCLA IDEA and lead researcher of the project. “But the widespread nature of harmful impact and deep level of concern are alarming. As one principal told us, the fear is everywhere.”

The survey results and interviews make it clear that intensive immigration enforcement poses challenges to principals across the country and undermines the purpose of public education. 

Key among the findings:

• More than two-thirds (70.4%) of U.S. public high schools were impacted due to heightened concerns of students from immigrant families about their well-being and the well-being of their families.
• A strong majority of U.S. public high schools experienced declines in the attendance and learning of students from immigrant families. More than half of principals (57.8%) reported that “immigrant parents and guardians left the community during the school year.” Almost two-thirds of principals across the nation (63.8%) reported that “students from immigrant families missed school due to policies or political rhetoric related to immigrants.”
• More than one-third (35.6%) of U.S. public high schools experienced incidents of bullying directed toward students from immigrant families, with principals reporting that some of their students have threatened Hispanic classmates with comments such as, “Can I see your papers?” or “Go back home.”
• A large majority of U.S. public high schools have taken actions to address the needs of students from immigrant families. More than three-quarters of principals (77.6%) report they have “created a school plan to respond to visits from federal agents.” Nearly half (47.2%) of principals reported that they have “created a school plan to address student needs if parents or guardians experience deportation.” Almost half of principals (44.8%) reported that they have “created professional development for staff on how to support students from immigrant families.”

Read the full report on the UCLA IDEA website.