In a March 25, 2026, opinion piece published in Education Week, Deborah Loewenberg Ball and other members of the National Academy of Education Board of Directors urge the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to implement protections for students, families, teachers, and schools when making immigration enforcement decisions. They outline the dire consequences of immigration enforcement activity on school children:
These enforcement actions harm not only students in immigrant families but also classmates and schools more broadly through disrupted learning environments; fear for themselves, friends, and classmates; strained student supports; and attendance-linked funding impacts in many states. As the research and news reports demonstrate, immigration enforcement actions in communities—regardless of where they occur—have a chilling effect on student attendance, harm students’ well-being, and impact the climate of the entire school.
They offer four research-informed policy recommendations to address these impacts:
Reinstate and publicly publish a clear directive that civil immigration enforcement actions will not occur at or near schools, except under tightly defined exigent circumstances.
Define “near” schools in operational terms (e.g., bus stops, drop-off/pick-up zones, school events, sidewalks, entrances, parking areas, and adjacent spaces commonly used by students and caregivers such as playgrounds), so families and school leaders can rely on the policy in practice, not just in principle.
Require written, trackable supervisory approval for any proposed enforcement action implicating school settings, with prompt post-action reporting and meaningful accountability mechanisms.
Issue training and implementation guidance for ICE personnel and relevant partners to ensure consistent compliance nationwide.
Read “What Our Students Deserve From New Homeland Security Secretary Mullin”