SAN FRANCISCO (AP) 鈥� As President Donald Trump in the U.S. illegally, some families are wondering if it is safe to send their children to school.
In many districts, educators have sought to reassure immigrant parents that schools are safe places for their kids, despite the president's campaign pledge to carry out mass deportations. But fears intensified for some when the Trump administration announced Tuesday it would allow federal immigration agencies to , churches and hospitals, ending a policy that had been in effect since 2011.
鈥淥h, dear God! I can鈥檛 imagine why they would do that,鈥� said Carmen, an immigrant from Mexico, after hearing that the Trump administration had rescinded the policy against arrests in 鈥渟ensitive locations.鈥�
She took her two grandchildren, ages 6 and 4, to their school Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area after school officials assured her it is safe.
鈥淲hat has helped calm my nerves is knowing that the school stands with us and promised to inform us if it鈥檚 not safe at school,鈥� said Carmen, who spoke on condition that only her first name be used, out of fear she could be targeted by immigration officials.
Immigrants across the country have been anxious about Trump's pledge to . While fears of raids did not come to pass on the administration's first day, rapid changes on immigration policy have left many confused and uncertain about their future.
At a time when many migrant families 鈥� even those in the country legally 鈥� are assessing whether and how to go about in public, many school systems are watching for effects on . Several schools said they were fielding calls from worried parents about rumors that immigration agents would try to enter schools, but it was too early to tell whether large numbers of families are keeping their children home.
Missing school can deprive students of more than learning. For students from low-income families, including many immigrants, schools are a primary way to access , mental health services and other support.
Tuesday鈥檚 move to clear the way for arrests at schools reverses guidance that restricted two federal agencies 鈥� Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection 鈥� from carrying out enforcement in sensitive locations. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America鈥檚 schools and churches to avoid arrest.鈥�
Daniela Anello, who heads D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School in the nation鈥檚 capital, said she was shocked by the announcement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 horrific,鈥� Anello said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as hiding anyone. It doesn鈥檛 happen, hasn鈥檛 happened. ... It鈥檚 ridiculous.鈥�
An estimated are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Many more have U.S. citizenship but have parents who are in the country illegally.
Schools work to reassure parents
Education officials in some states and districts have vowed to stand up for immigrant students, including their . In California, for one, officials have offered guidance to schools on state law limiting local participation in immigration enforcement.
A passed by Chicago Public Schools鈥� Board of Education in November said schools would not assist ICE in enforcing immigration law. Agents would not be allowed into schools without a criminal warrant, it said. And New York City principals last month were reminded by the district of policies including one against collecting information on a student鈥檚 immigration status.
That's not the case everywhere. Many districts have not offered any reassurances for immigrant families.
Educators at Georgia Fugees Academy Charter School have learned even students and families in the country legally are intimidated by Trump鈥檚 wide-ranging proposals to deport millions of immigrants and roll back non-citizens' rights.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not even at risk of deportation and they鈥檙e still scared,鈥� Chief Operating Officer Luma Mufleh said. Officials at the small Atlanta charter school focused on serving refugees and immigrants expected so many students to miss school the day after Trump took office that educators accelerated the school鈥檚 exam schedule so students wouldn鈥檛 miss important tests.
Asked on Tuesday for attendance data, school officials did not feel comfortable sharing it. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want our school to be targeted,鈥� Mufleh said.
The new policy on immigration enforcement at schools likely will prompt some immigrant parents who fear deportation to keep their children home, even if they face little risk, said Michael Lukens, executive director for the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights. He said he believes it's part of the administration鈥檚 goal to make life so untenable that immigrants eventually leave the United States on their own.
While many U.S. adults are on board with the idea of undertaking some targeted deportations, a shift toward arresting people in the country illegally at places like schools would be , according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It found only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults somewhat or strongly favor arresting children who are in the country illegally while they are at school.
Some parents see school as one of the last safe places
For Iris Gonzalez in Boston, schools seem like just about the only safe place for her to go as someone in the country illegally. She鈥檚 had children in Boston schools for nearly a decade and she doesn鈥檛 expect anyone there to bother her or her daughters for proof they鈥檙e here legally. So her children will keep going to school. 鈥淓ducation is important,鈥� she said in Spanish.
Gonzalez, who came to the U.S. from Guatemala illegally 14 years ago, does worry about entering a courthouse or driving, even though she has a license. 鈥淲hat if they stop me?鈥� she wonders.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 sleep,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of uncertainty about how to look for work, whether to keep driving and what鈥檚 going to change."
Carmen, the Mexican grandmother who now lives in California, said returning home is not an option for her family, which faced threats after her son-in-law was kidnapped two years from their home in Michoacan state, an area overrun with drug trafficking gangs.
Her family arrived two years ago under former President Joe Biden鈥檚 program allowing asylum-seekers to enter the U.S. and then apply for permission to stay. Following his inauguration Monday, Trump promptly that processed these and other arrivals and has promised to 鈥渆nd asylum鈥� during his presidency.
Carmen has had several hearings on her asylum request, which has not yet been granted.
鈥淢y biggest fear is that we don鈥檛 have anywhere to go back to," she said. "It鈥檚 about saving our lives. And protecting our children.鈥�
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Olga R. Rodriguez, Moriah Balingit, Bianca V谩zquez Toness And Jocelyn Gecker, The Associated Press
