A new nationwide survey has found that immigration enforcement crackdowns across the US have created a "culture of fear" in public high schools, leading to increased bullying, absenteeism, and emotional distress among immigrant students, media reports said on Wednesday.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles' Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA) surveyed over 600 high school principals across the country about the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity on their school communities, according to The Guardian.
"Students from immigrant families have expressed concerns about their well-being or the well-being of their families," said the report, with 70.4% of principals confirming the trend.
Attendance and academic performance also dropped, with 57.8% of principals reporting that families had left the community during the school year.
One principal in Michigan said Hispanic students were called "border hoppers," while another in Minnesota reported white students saying, "Can I see your papers?" to their Latino peers.
In Nebraska, the language used against immigrant students was described as increasingly "hostile and derogatory."
The report found that 63.8% of principals had students missing school due to immigration-related rhetoric or policies, and over one-third reported instances of bullying or harassment against immigrant students.
Despite limited authority over immigration matters, 77.6% of schools developed plans to respond to potential visits by federal agents.
Nearly half created contingency plans for students whose guardians may be deported.
"Principals are telling stories of students being dropped off at school and worrying that will be the last time they see their parents," IDEA Director John Rogers was quoted by the newspaper as saying. "It speaks to a normalization of a system that creates extraordinary trauma."
In response, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized the study as "fear mongering," stating that ICE does not target children in schools.
"Those blaming ICE for students getting bullied and low attendance are smearing law enforcement," she said.
