Public school parents organize amid immigration enforcement disruptions

Federal immigration enforcement actions and a deadly school shooting disrupted the school year in parts of Minnesota and Maine, bringing threats, lockdowns and a heightened law enforcement presence around schools.

Families — especially immigrants and nonwhite parents — described fear about routine activities and about children being detained or witnessing arrests, and some districts reported sharp attendance drops while others offered remote learning as an option.

Teachers, principals and fellow parents expanded the roles of schools as community hubs, providing rides, food and culturally relevant meals, monitoring sidewalks for agents and arranging visits to detained family members.

Educators and advocates warned that the disruption hampers learning and could have lasting effects on children, and called for broad community support to help students recover while noting that similar enforcement could affect other communities.

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