Chicago, IL – March 6, 2026 – A new report by Kids First Chicago and the Coalition for Authentic Community Engagement reveals that federal immigration enforcement actions in fall 2025 triggered a sharp drop in school attendance, with thousands of students—particularly English Learners—missing class due to fear and safety concerns.
Titled Protecting Student Learning in the Era of Immigration Enforcement, the analysis compared weekly attendance data from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) across the 2024–25 and 2025–26 school years.
During the height of “Operation Midway Blitz” (Weeks 4–13 of SY26), English Learner attendance diverged sharply from prior trends, with high school EL students showing the steepest declines.
Key findings include:
- In Week 7 alone, more than 3,000 English Learners who would normally be in class were absent—equivalent to over 100,000 lost instructional hours in one week.
- 38 of Chicago’s 77 community areas saw attendance drops above the district average, with 40% of those areas having large immigrant or Latine populations.
- On September 29, 2025—the Monday after highly visible enforcement activity downtown—nearly 14,000 students at predominantly Latine schools were absent (about 12% of enrollment at those schools).
- The most sustained declines occurred in Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Pilsen, Little Village, Archer Heights, Chicago Lawn, and Gage Park, where roughly 1 in 40 students who would normally attend were absent during peak enforcement.
“Even short-term absences disrupt instruction, meals, services, and routines,” said Daniel Anello, CEO of Kids First Chicago. “It’s heartbreaking that students of all backgrounds—who have a constitutional right to an education—are missing out on learning because of fear.”
Community organizations responded quickly, organizing walking school buses, carpools, and neighborhood watch efforts. However, the report argues that stronger alignment between schools, city agencies, and communities is needed to reach more families if enforcement resumes.
The report offers five actionable recommendations to prepare now:
- Prioritize high-risk communities with targeted safety planning and absenteeism tracking.
- Formalize School-Based Sanctuary Teams with Parent Action Teams.
- Expand Safe Passage coverage and pilot transportation supports.
- Establish and publicize a citywide safe haven network.
- Bolster mental-health support, academic continuity, and case-by-case remote access when safety risks are documented.
Kids First Chicago will host a virtual briefing on Thursday, March 11, 2026, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. (English only) to discuss findings and next steps. Register at kidsfirstchicago.org/safepassage. The full report is available at the same link.
With federal officials signaling possible renewed enforcement in spring 2026, the report calls for proactive steps to protect student learning and wellbeing amid immigration uncertainty.
