Politics
Baltimore students describe deportation fears as council considers response to ICE
Students told Baltimore City Council members that immigration enforcement has left them anxious about their families and safety at school. City Schools reported an 8.1% year-over-year decline in end-of-year enrollment among multilingual learners.
BALTIMORE — Baltimore students told a City Council committee Thursday that encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have affected their families, mental health and sense of safety in school and their neighborhoods.
The hearing was the council’s second examination of ICE’s effects on children and families, following a resolution passed in December calling for monitoring of immigration enforcement and its impact.
A student identified as Kimberly said an encounter with ICE led to the deportation of her grandfather, aunt and her aunt’s boyfriend. She told committee members that afterward she became more anxious, watched her surroundings closely and worried about her parents’ safety.
Another student, Dilene, said children should not be afraid to leave home, attend school or be in their own community.
Baltimore City Public Schools presented data showing that end-of-year enrollment among multilingual learners fell 8.1% last year compared with the prior year. Testimony also focused on students’ fear that friends or relatives could be deported.
Pediatrician Dr. Sarah Polk warned that the stress could contribute to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress among children.
Councilman Mark Parker, a Democrat representing District 1, said the effects extend beyond students directly affected by immigration enforcement, with particular consequences for young people vulnerable because of their immigration status or appearance.
Parker said the council expects to hold more hearings and consider drafting legislation. No specific proposal or timeline was announced in the hearing account.