Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Immigration enforcement has received significant attention in media and policy, but the relationship between immigration enforcement and student absenteeism from school has been overlooked in current policy and research. This study examined the relationship between immigration enforcement and absenteeism of students in a small, urban California school district. Specifically, this paper collected information from local media outlets to examine how enforcement activities via documented raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) impacted absenteeism for students in high school. Using student-level administrative data, this study utilized OLS regression analysis supplemented with school and student fixed effects modeling. Findings indicate that the number of documented incidents of immigration enforcement related to a sharp increase in absenteeism for all students in the school district. Each incident that resulted in an arrest or deportation conducted by ICE related to an increase in missing an average of 4.75 periods of instruction- nearly an entire day of school- and a 2% increase in the likelihood of chronic absenteeism that year. These associations were driven primarily by increased unexcused absences during the weeks following heightened enforcement activity. Results were pronounced for migrant students, Hispanic students, students on free-reduced lunch, students who are designated English learners, and students with lower GPAs. Implications for schools, local officials, and policymakers are discussed.