(NewsNation) — Border Patrol raids in North Carolina aren’t just sweeping up adults; they’re emptying classrooms and threatening school funding as the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement push continues.
The so-called “Operation Charlotte’s Web” is now in its sixth day, and schools in and around Charlotte and Raleigh reported more than 45,000 absences on Tuesday alone, as raids rattle communities and families fear sending their children to school.
Charlotte students protest ICE raids
More than 200 people have been arrested since the crackdown began last week, sources confirmed to NewsNation. Agents have made arrests at work sites, grocery store parking lots and Home Depot locations.
At Charlotte’s East Mecklenburg High School on Tuesday, students staged a walkout to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
According to district records, the school — where about 40% of students are Hispanic — reported 653 absences on Monday, more than double from the week before.
Teachers said the impact has been immediate and severe.
“My homeroom class typically has 16 students in it. We had four,” said teacher David Gillespie. “They should be able to come there to get their education. They should be able to come there and spend time with their friends, socialize — they should feel secure.”
‘Children cannot learn when they are in survival mode’: North Carolina parent
According to nonprofit KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, heightened immigration enforcement leads to an increase in school absences, decreases in enrollment and wider gaps in academic performance.
KFF’s research reveals it also harms children’s health, a statistic parents and counselors highlighted at a school board meeting this week in Raleigh.
“Children cannot learn when they are in survival mode,” said Wake County parent Amanda Paolini. “Fear destroys the conditions required for student achievement, focus, memory, emotional regulation and a sense of safety.”
With hundreds of Border Patrol agents preparing to deploy to Louisiana, the situation in North Carolina classrooms could be a preview for other states.
1 in 6 children live with a noncitizen adult: Report
New data from KFF and the Urban Institute show approximately 1 in 4 U.S. children live with at least one immigrant parent — and 1 in 6 live with at least one noncitizen adult who could be affected by fears surrounding immigration enforcement.
The numbers are especially high in states such as Texas and California. Texas reported nearly 1.4 million children living in immigrant families, while California has about 2 million.
In both states, school funding is tied to daily attendance, meaning even short-term drops after a raid can reduce funding for classroom instruction and student support services.