Jessie* has never been on a family vacation. In third grade, upset that her family never traveled to places like Disney World, Jessie asked her mom why.
“That’s when my mom told me we legally can’t,” Jessie said.
Jessie is the child of undocumented immigrants, a circumstance that has affected many aspects of her family’s way of life. Because of her family’s situation, Jessie has taken on complex responsibilities and appreciates the value of hard work.
“My immigration status hasn’t only impacted my family’s life, it’s been our life. Overall, it’s given me a stronger work ethic since my parents sacrificed so much just to provide a better life for me. I’ve grown up having to translate everything, handle important phone calls and fill out paperwork,” Jessie said.
Immigration, a topic that has always been at the forefront of Jessie’s life, now dominates national politics. A 2024 Gallup study found that 55% of Americans wanted to decrease immigration, the highest figure in years. Analyzing this trend, Christian Paz from Vox wrote that anti-immigrant sentiment is likely derived from fears of increased economic hardship, a prioritization of law and order and the surge of border crossings in the last three years.
Leaning into these public frustrations, President Donald Trump ran his presidential campaign championing immigration policy reform.According to the Brookings Institution, Trump promised large-scale deportation efforts and a reduction in the number of incoming immigrants.
As these policies are enacted, Jessie fears for her family’s safety and for the undocumented population of this country, a number PBS estimated to be at least 13.7 million as of 2023.
“I have seen how my family’s safety is no longer as secure as I once felt. The younger me did not understand any of the political stuff. All I knew was that Trump had the power to take my parents away from me. Thankfully, nothing happened and I got over the fear,” Jessie said. “Now, the fear has come back.”
Jessie’s fear is present among immigrant communities across the nation, as law enforcement ramps up deportation efforts. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency in charge of upholding immigration law, has conducted more raids and arrests of undocumented immigrants since January 2025.
The increased media coverage of ICE’s activities Has lead to some of the information presented to be inaccurate or exaggerated, potentially leading to Misconstrued views of the truth. Moreover, when federal agents entered Hamline Elementary, a Chicago school, many ran to TikTok to post videos claiming that the agents were ICE. Some time later, NBC news proved this claim false, reporting that it was Secret Service agents instead.
Although some reports may be false, the communities’ emotions are anything but. This is in part due to the fact that recent changes in government policy gave ICE greater jurisdiction over the locations in which it can conduct raids.
Consequently, teachers and students have raised concerns that schools may be subject to federal immigration enforcement. Viridiana Carrizales, the co-founder of ImmSchools, a non-profit that works with schools to aid immigrant families and students, has received numerous calls from concerned educators and parents. Carrizales, however, emphasizes that schools may actually be the safest place for immigrant students, contrary to public opinion.
“While there’s no place right now that is the safest for immigrant families, in many ways, schools are safer than even our own homes,” Carrizales said in an interview for CNN. “That’s one of the things that we’re trying to tell families: Your kid might have more protections, or might be even safer at school, than if you keep them at home.”
This safety is also protected at BHS. Principal Steve McWilliams explains that under long-standing Illinois law, students on community school property cannot be subject to ICE searches except in special circumstances.
For Jessie, this policy is effective and allows schools to be a safe environment.
“Not to speak for other students, but I’ve personally never been in a situation where I felt unsafe or scared at school. There have not been any major changes to the school system to make it feel ‘unsafe,’” Jessie said.
In addition to the fear of deportation that undocumented students may feel, there is also the more subtle barrier many immigrant students face: feeling separated from their community. BHS student John* battles with this struggle.
“Being an immigrant makes me feel different than everybody else. I’ve received racist and anti-immigrant sentiment personally, whether it’s people being mean or filling out ICE forms as a joke. It used to really get to me when people would say such things,” John said.
John’s parents moved to this country on work visas when he was a toddler. Since settling here, John’s father has established a business while his mom works as a doctor. After more than a decade of living what many consider the ‘American Dream,’ John’s family still has not received their green card despite establishing careers and putting down roots. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Agency, this is a document granting a family or individual permanent residence in the country.
Because of his experience with both society and the immigration system, John feels disgruntled and distinct in the country where he grew up.
John is one of many immigrant students affected by their status. According to the Harvard Graduate School of Immigration, immigrant-students and students from mixed-immigration status households – who make up 27% of all students – can feel unique financial, emotional and mental burdens. Monica Barreiro, a guidance counselor, asserts that the Wellness Department is ready to serve these students in a way that won’t risk their safety or well-being.
“For any situation a student brings to a counselor, it remains a confidential and safe space. A student should feel safe coming and speaking to their counselor about whatever issue they might have,” Barreiro said. “We don’t ask about documentation nor status. That is not something that is collected in public schools. It’s not information that we’re entitled to and we don’t request that information.”
Barriero recognizes that these emotions and experiences can be straining for students and ensures no student needs to face them alone. Amid recent ICE activities, her advice to immigrant students is to reach out.
“Talk to a trusted adult, whether it’s a parent, coach, staff member or teacher. And our office is always available. I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek help and support in any kind of stressful situation. We don’t want students to feel like they have to manage these things alone,” Barriero said.
In spite of the stress endured by immigrant students, many, like Jessie, are proud of their families. Jessie has deep respect for immigrants like her parents and hopes others can gain that same appreciation.
“For me, immigration is not just about policies, but people. People who fled their country to build a better life, not for themselves, but for their kids,” Jessie said. “There are immigrants here who have lived here longer than their home countries. They left everything they once had behind. They own houses, cars and pay taxes. I hate for them to be seen as criminals for simply trying to live the best life for their kids.”
*Psuedonyms used to protect students’ anonymity .