The Impact of Immigration Enforcement Policies On Teaching and Learning in America’s Public Schools

There has been considerable discussion in news outlets about the impact of immigration enforcement policies on children and families. Recent incidents across the country and reported in the press have raised alarm throughout immigrant communities. Clearly there is great fear in this hypersensitized environment. To what extent is this ramped-up immigration enforcement impacting our nation’s public schools? How does it vary by region and what is the “collateral” fallout for nonimmigrant students? How are educators reacting, and to what extent is this affecting them? What rights do students have and what happens to U.S.-citizen children when they are sent to a country and school system they do not know? To address these questions, four research papers were presented with brief highlights. The studies include:

• A national survey of the impact of immigration enforcement on teaching and learning in the nation’s schools
• The impact of immigration enforcement on educators  
• Federal and state policy affecting the children of immigrants and their schooling
• What happens to U.S.-citizen students caught up in deportation of family members 

The event recording is available here. 

Speakers:

Patricia Gándara, Co-Director, Civil Rights Project, University of California-Los Angeles

Bryant Jensen, Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University

Shena Sanchez, Research Associate, University of California-Los Angeles

Julie Sugarman, Senior Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute

Moderators:

Claudio Sanchez, Education Correspondent, National Public Radio

Introduction:

Christopher Wilson, Deputy Director, Mexico Institute, Wilson Center

Commentators:

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, President, National Education Association 

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