School attendance had been declining for years before increased immigration enforcement. NPR reports that smaller family sizes and lower birth rates have led to fewer children in schools. Stricter immigration enforcement has accelerated this trend. In the Los Angeles area, over 300,000 students have left the school system in the past 20 years.
Many school districts nationwide were already seeing declining enrollment when the Trump administration began detaining foreign citizens in 2025, many of whom had children in local schools. Federal officials also relaxed restrictions that had previously kept ICE agents away from schools. In Los Angeles, district leaders anticipated a 2% enrollment drop for the 2025-26 school year, but the actual decline was about 4%. As the second-largest public school district in the country, LAUSD saw thousands of students affected by this change.
Nationwide, school enrollment has also declined. Experts note this is the first time in nearly a century that both birth rates and immigration are low. The Department of Education reported that enrollment peaked in 2019 and dropped by 1.5 million students by 2024, before recent immigration enforcement measures. Low birth rates, pandemic-related withdrawals, and ongoing reluctance to return to public schools have contributed to this trend. With increased immigration enforcement, some areas have experienced a sharp drop in attendance. Researcher Thomas Dee found a 20% increase in student absences in California communities affected by ICE raids in 2025.
The duration of these trends remains uncertain. Some researchers believe it depends on how long the government maintains current enforcement levels. Continued strict immigration enforcement will likely result in more children missing from classrooms.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical you get the right advice.