Schools Fight Back: How Communities Protect Students From ICE Enforcement

Across the United States, school communities have mobilized to shield students and families from immigration arrests and deportations near campuses. What began as informal online coordination — group chats, shared spreadsheets and word‑of‑mouth meetings — has grown into organized local campaigns focused on safety, legal support and community resilience.

Local Organizing and Tactics

Educators, parents and students report a range of grassroots responses: “walking school buses” that escort children to and from campus, community alert networks that identify and verify federal agents, meal trains and ride‑share programs for affected families, and legal defense funds. Teachers in several districts patrol neighborhoods at drop‑off times to look for immigration agents and send out warnings. Students have organized walkouts and rallies to protest sweeps and to support impacted classmates.

Cristal Medina, 17, with her father, Yasser Ricardo Gomez Flores, and brother Yasser Izam Gomez Guillen Jr. (Cristal Medina)

Personal Stories and Community Impact

Marissa Bejarano, a middle and high school teacher in southeast Louisiana, attends private community meetings that participants are often asked not to publicize on social media. “For me, it feels like my nervous system is part of a collective,” she told reporters, describing the relief she felt after finding community support. She helped a mother who had gone into hiding by arranging groceries, discussing child‑care plans and providing a reliable local contact.

In Charlotte, 17‑year‑old Cristal Medina described how her father, Yasser Ricardo Gomez Flores, a Nicaraguan national, was detained on Oct. 21 after dropping her off at East Mecklenburg High School. He remains in detention in Georgia facing possible deportation. Hundreds of students in Charlotte walked out on Nov. 18 to protest the enforcement operations and support immigrant families.

Amiin Harun, a Minneapolis immigration attorney and charter school board chairman. (Amiin Harun)

Broader Reactions and Legal Pushback

Department of Homeland Security public‑affairs official Tricia McLaughlin disputed claims that schools were being targeted, saying enforcement actions are not aimed at campuses and expressing concern about threats to officers. Nevertheless, families and advocates report multiple detentions on or near school property since intensified operations began earlier in the year — operations sometimes known locally by names such as “Swamp Sweep” and “Charlotte’s Web.”

At the state level, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation limiting immigration enforcement around state courthouses and making it easier to pursue civil‑rights claims against agents. Across cities, protesters have blocked raids, and local officials and community leaders have trained volunteers to spot and verify federal agents and to alert neighbors.

Juan Diego “J.D.” Mazuera Arias (center), who was sworn into office on the Charlotte City Council on Dec. 1, with his campaign supporters in September. (Facebook.com/juan.mazuera)

Community Strain and Student Well‑Being

School districts are seeing tangible effects: attendance and academic performance have suffered as families keep children home or avoid typical drop‑off times. The Charlotte‑Mecklenburg School District recorded 30,399 absences after enforcement operations began. Educators report widespread emotional exhaustion: students are distracted, parents live under fear of separation, and extracurricular participation has been disrupted.

“I know right now we are frustrated, mad, sad, worried, scared and confused,” said senior Zara Taty, a student organizer in Charlotte. “During these difficult times the most important thing to do is stick together, show empathy and show love.”

Coordination Across Communities

Immigration attorneys and community leaders describe growing cooperation across ethnic and faith communities. In Minneapolis, Somali and Hispanic neighbors are sharing protection strategies via mosques, churches, community centers and encrypted platforms. In Los Angeles, families walk in groups to school, organize food drives and prepare family contingency plans in case parents are detained.

Advocates warn that even after immediate operations subside, the social and emotional effects on children may endure, shaping memories and academic outcomes for years to come.