Here’s What ICE Operations Have Meant for Students, Families, and Learning in Elgin
The most significant impact of ICE operations on U-46 has been fear; immediate, palpable, and destabilizing. We have seen students abruptly withdrawn from school, families stop accessing services they are legally entitled to including education, health services, food programs, health care, and attendance fluctuating as parents weigh education against perceived safety. In some cases, students arrive at school after witnessing the detention of a family member or neighbor and in others, they simply stop coming, leaving educators to wonder and worry.
More subtle, but just as damaging, are the insidious effects on learning. Chronic anxiety shows up as difficulty concentrating, withdrawal from discussions, and reluctance to ask for help.
Families who once collaborated with schools may become hesitant to complete forms, attend events, or seek support, even when assurances are given. This erosion of trust doesn’t happen overnight, once it takes hold, it changes how school is experienced, not as a place of safety, but as a place of risk.
Schools depend on relationships. When fear disrupts those relationships, the consequences affect academic progress, mental health, and long-term well-being. The financial impact of loss of jobs or wages also has a long-term impact on student health.
How Teachers and Schools Are Responding
From our schools, we observe a mix of exhaustion, resolve, and deep compassion. Teachers are carrying far more than academic expectations; they are supporting students who are often grieving or anxious. Educators are charged with trying to create calm, predictable classrooms when students’ lives outside of school are anything but predictable.
Schools are responding in the ways they know best: by connecting. Schools have coordination with social workers, counselors, and community partners. Staff are utilizing their trauma informed care training. And, principals are working to ensure families have access to resources and know that schools are safe spaces, regardless of immigration status.
Importantly, schools are focused on consistency including: routines, relationships, and reassurance. That steady presence is important. While schools cannot fix what students are facing, they can provide a sense of care and belonging that helps students feel safe and keep learning
Restoring Normalcy and Supporting the Long-Term Recovery
Restoring a sense of normalcy will take time and intentionality. Trauma does not disappear immediately. For students and families affected by ICE, they are impacted by ongoing fear, disrupted family structures, and lingering distrust of systems.
At the state level, coordination is essential. Schools will need sustained access to extended human services. Guidance from ISBE on student protections, data privacy, and family engagement is critical to rebuilding trust. Partnerships with community organizations and health services must be supported and expanded.
Most of all, school communities need stability including: consistent messaging, trusted resources, and the affirmation that educating children also prioritizes their safety. Students must feel safe, seen, and supported for learning to occur.
Dr. Suzanne Johnson is superintendent of School District U-46.