Imagine this: BANG! The shot was fired in the film at the same time the door burst open. You almost didn’t notice. Almost, until your father was getting dragged out by men in masks. Your brother stares at you; your home feels so much different. The sting of fear in your throat starts to swell as they shove your father in a car. For many kids across the United States, this isn’t a hypothetical situation; this is real. Many kids of all ages across the United States have traumatizing experiences with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lots of kids in the US have been affected terribly by ICE, firsthand or secondhand. To support kids in this period of time, schools all around the United States should implement programs to teach kids about their rights related to ICE. And what to do in the situation they have an encounter with them, at home and at school.
See, far too many kids are facing problems with deportation and the trauma it leaves in students in schools across the United States. An example of this is in the article, “The Trauma Immigration Raids Leave in Classrooms.” by National Education Association Today. For context, it says kids who have dealt with Immigration and Customs Enforcement are often more prone to mental health struggles. In the article, it says, “‘What is particularly worrisome to me as a child psychologist is that the stress, the anxiety, and the trauma … can become chronic, leading to both immediate and long-term damage to children’s mental and physical health.’” This shows that kids who have dealt with ICE face horrible mental conditions that can even shape their adulthood, leaving them with immense trauma.
Even in this difficult time, there can still be a solution to this problem. Schools can work to the best of their abilities to ensure the safety and well-being of the students by implementing obligatory lessons for staff and students about what to do if they have an experience with ICE. If children are educated on this matter, they can also be more prepared if they have a confrontation with ICE. For context, in “Protecting Children in Schools Against Immigration Enforcement: What Schools and Parents Can Do,” it talks about resolutions to help kids when they have encounters with ICE. In the article, it says, “Schools can also work with local organizations to provide Know Your Rights training to their staff, students, and the community at large.” This evidence clearly shows how schools can take a step of action to support their students so that they can be more prepared if they have an encounter with ICE.
It is clear that ICE has major effects on kids’ mental health across the United States, which can affect them whether first-hand or second-hand. I wrote this essay to fully show the truth and spread awareness about what happens to the kids in these situations, and how it affects them.
