In New Haven, Connecticut, where one in six residents is foreign-born, the fear of immigration enforcement is keeping children out of classrooms. Cora Muñoz, assistant principal at Wilbur Cross High School, recently received a distressed call from a student's guardian, who revealed that immigration agents had detained a student. The incident underscores the heightened anxiety among immigrant families under the second Trump administration, which has eased rules for enforcement actions in schools and launched a mass deportation campaign.
New Haven public schools have worked to build trust with immigrant communities, providing resources such as attorneys, social workers, and food, and hosting sessions on legal rights. Despite these efforts, the fear persists. Enrollment of English language learner students in Connecticut dropped by nearly 3.8% between fall 2024 and fall 2025, with a 7.3% decline in New Haven. Many families who were expected to return to school have simply disappeared.
Chronic absenteeism rates fell in New Haven during the 2024-25 academic year, but after President Trump took office, students reported being told by their families to skip extracurricular activities or early college courses to avoid potential encounters with immigration enforcement. Some students have adjusted their aspirations, feeling that a college degree is now less attainable. Teachers have observed students withdrawing from class participation after friends were detained, wondering if they could be next.
“I live with fear,” said D, a Central American high school student who has lived in New Haven for two years. “Sometimes I don’t even want to attend school because it makes me afraid to go out of the house.” Julie Sugarman, associate director for K-12 education research at the Migration Policy Institute, noted that anecdotal reports indicate children are missing school, which leads to lost opportunities for academic development, literacy, and English language skills.
New Haven, a city known for its seven institutions of higher learning, is also a hub for immigrants, with over 70 languages spoken in the public school system. At the Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy, a K-8 school, notices are sent home in multiple languages, and a poster in the hallway declares, “We all smile in the same language.” Despite these inclusive measures, the climate of fear continues to impact children's education.
