LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second-largest school district in the United States, is experiencing a steep decline in newcomer student enrollment. Educators say the trend has been sharply intensified by stepped-up immigration enforcement and growing fear among immigrant families.
After years of enrollment erosion driven by rising housing costs and declining birth rates, LAUSD schools are now facing added pressure from federal immigration crackdowns. District officials warn that continued student losses could significantly affect school operations, as government funding is closely tied to enrollment figures.
Overall Enrollment Down, Immigrant Student Losses More Severe
According to LAUSD data, total enrollment across the district’s 783 schools stands at 398,487 students for the 2025–26 academic year. That represents a decrease of 9,596 students from the previous year and a drop of 21,262 students compared with the 2023–24 school year.
The decline is far more pronounced among immigrant students. The number of English learners fell from approximately 75,000 last year to about 62,000 this year, with Hispanic students accounting for a majority of the decrease. In 2018, LAUSD enrolled more than 157,000 English learners, meaning the population has been cut nearly in half over the past seven years.
While the numbers have been falling, district officials point to widespread enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a central factor behind the accelerating decline.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said in a recent press conference that falling enrollment reflects a climate of fear and instability created by ongoing immigration enforcement.
“When families are afraid of being seen or can no longer afford to remain in their communities, they are far less likely to enroll or keep their children in school,” Carvalho said. LAUSD estimates that enrollment losses could translate into an annual budget shortfall of approximately $140 million.
Immigration Fears Reach School Campuses
Earlier this year, LAUSD, the City of Los Angeles and the State of California adopted a firm stance against the immigration crackdown announced by President Donald Trump. Measures included issuing guidance to block ICE activity on school campuses and advancing related legislation at the state level.
Those efforts were tested in April, when ICE agents appeared at two LAUSD elementary schools seeking access to student information and attempting to enter campus grounds. School administrators denied the agents entry, but the incident heightened fear among immigrant families.
Since June, at least four LAUSD students have been arrested and detained by ICE outside school grounds, according to district officials. One of those students was released this month, while others have reportedly already been deported.
Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, an 18-year-old senior at Van Nuys High School, was detained by ICE on August 8 while walking his dog. He was transferred to multiple immigration detention centers, including one in Arizona, before being released on November 11 under a federal court order after four months in custody. By contrast, a 9-year-old elementary school student from Torrance, and a Los Angeles–born high school student have reportedly been deported to Honduras and Guatemala, respectively.
National Trend Mirrors Local Declines
The decline in immigrant student enrollment is not limited to Los Angeles. A nationwide study by UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA), based on surveys and interviews with more than 600 high school principals, found that 63.5% of respondents had experienced increased student absenteeism linked to immigration-related policies or political rhetoric. Additionally, 57.8% reported that immigrant parents or guardians left their communities during the school year.
Schools are responding by implementing protective measures. More than three-quarters of principals said their schools have developed plans to respond to visits by federal agents, while more than half have created protocols to support students if parents or guardians are deported. Nearly 45% reported providing professional development for staff on how to support students from immigrant families.
The study also highlighted a rise in hostile school climates. More than one-third of principals reported incidents of bullying targeting students from immigrant families, including remarks such as, “Show me your papers” and “Go back to your country.”
Impact Extends to Higher Education and the Economy
Immigration policy is also reshaping enrollment in higher education. According to a recent report by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a nonprofit affiliated with the U.S. State Department, U.S. colleges and universities enrolled 1,177,766 international students in the 2025–26 academic year.
While undergraduate enrollment rose 4% year over year to 357,231 students, graduate enrollment declined 3% to 488,481. New international student enrollment dropped 7% overall, with undergraduate newcomers increasing 5% but new graduate students plunging by 15%. Education officials cite stricter visa screening and longer processing times as key factors, linking the trend to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
By country of origin, India accounted for the largest share of international students at 366,019, followed by China (265,919), South Korea (42,293), Canada (29,903) and Vietnam (25,584). Enrollment from South Korea fell 2% year over year, while Chinese enrollment declined by 4%.
The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that international students contributed $55 billion to the U.S. economy in 2024 and supported more than 355,000 jobs nationwide.
Esther Kim, director of Gateway Academy, warned that restrictive immigration policies could undermine the nation’s long-term competitiveness.
“If the United States wants to attract top global talent, it must remain open to international students,” Kim said. “As more students abandon the U.S. because of visa and immigration barriers, economic growth and progress across academic fields will inevitably slow.”
This story is part of “Aquí Estamos/Here We Stand,” a collaborative reporting project of American Community Media and community news outlets statewide.
