Migration Fears Reach Schools: Hispanic Families Change Routines in the U.S.
Posted on 09/24/26 at 16:05
- 57% express migration concerns
- Families change school routines
- Parents seek more information
According to unotv, concerns related to migration policy are transcending immigration operations and reaching into school life: 57% of Hispanic parents surveyed said they feel at least some concern about the current migration environment in their family’s daily routine.
The impact appears in concrete decisions. Over the last 12 months, 17% claimed to have avoided a school activity or event due to these concerns, while 14% kept their children home on occasion for the same reason.
Communication with schools was also affected: 11% of participants stated they had avoided contacting teachers or staff members, a behavior that could reduce interaction between some families and educational centers.
Additionally, 10% modified the way they take, pick up, or transport their children to or from school. The percentages come from a national survey by Conoce tus Opciones Escolares, a program of the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.
Concern about ICE also influences school choice
According to telemundo, the concern is not limited to daily attendance. The survey found that 41% of the parents consulted said that migration concerns led them to consider, actively explore, or select a different school or educational modality.
Among the alternatives evaluated are traditional public schools, public charter schools, and home education, showing how an issue unrelated to academic performance can enter into some families’ educational decisions.
However, there is an important limitation in interpreting the results: the survey did not select participants based on their migration status nor ask about their status, so the 57% should not be presented as a percentage of undocumented parents.
The study included 559 Hispanic parents, guardians, and primary caregivers of children aged 5 to 18 and was presented in September 2026 in the context of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hispanic families ask for information and resources amid uncertainty
Facing this scenario, 41% of those surveyed identified receiving clear information about children’s right to access public education regardless of their migration status as a useful resource, according to the results disclosed by the organization.
Communication also occupies a relevant place: 27% pointed to having school communications and materials in Spanish as useful, while other families mentioned community resources, legal resources, and support to address the emotional impact on minors.
The concern registered in this survey coincides with broader research on the Latin population. Pew Research Center found in October 2025 that 59% of Latinos had seen or heard about ICE arrests or raids in their community during the previous six months.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED: Doral is left empty: Venezuelans speak of fear of ICE and «betrayal»
Pew also reported that 19% of Hispanic adults had recently changed their daily activities due to fear of being asked to prove their citizenship or migration status, showing that these changes in behavior go beyond the school environment.
What Hispanic parents should know about the results
The figures do not mean that 57% of all Hispanic parents in the United States have stopped participating in school activities: this percentage corresponds to those who expressed concern about the migration environment among the survey participants.
The specific behaviors present lower percentages, although relevant ones: 17% avoided school activities, 14% kept a child home, 11% avoided contacting educational staff, and 10% changed school transportation routines.
It is also important to separate migration concern from migration status. Pew estimated that in 2023, 82% of Latino adults had complete legal status, including U.S.-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and legal immigrants without citizenship.
The results show a broader effect: the perception of migration law enforcement can influence family decisions regardless of whether the survey allows knowledge of the individual migration status of those who responded.