sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Teachers at Highland High School in sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 International District say the school has always been a 鈥渞evolving door鈥� of students coming and going from around the world.

鈥淲e used to get kids all throughout the year,鈥� said Rachael Sonia, who teaches English language development. 鈥淓very single week I would be getting new students.鈥�

After President Donald Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown, the constant trickle of international students has stopped, Sonia said.

鈥淪ince Trump was elected, and certainly since he came into office, we have stopped receiving newcomers,鈥� she said.

More than half of the students at Highland are or were enrolled in the English language learner program, one of the highest shares of any school in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Public Schools.

Between this school year and the last, Highland lost 91 students who were either enrolled in or had completed the English language learner program 鈥� a 15% decline from the year prior and the largest drop in more than a decade, according to .

And since August, Highland鈥檚 newcomer program for recent arrivals to the United States is down more than 60 students, Sonia said. Class sizes are so small that next year, she will be teaching world history.

An English language development position 鈥渉as evaporated,鈥� she said. 

A total of 851 English-as-a-second-language students left APS between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, more than double the number that left between the previous years, according to APS enrollment data.

The majority of the district鈥檚 English learners 鈥� almost 20% of its enrollment 鈥� are Hispanic, at 82.1%. Native American students make up 5.6% of English learners, Asian students 4.7%, white students 3.7% and Black students 2.2%.

Sometimes, teachers will get notice that students have been disenrolled, or that they鈥檙e transferring to online school, said Jessica Salazar-Chatt, another English language development teacher at Highland. This year, Salazar-Chatt said she has the smallest class sizes she鈥檚 had in a decade.

鈥淭here are some students that have straight up disappeared,鈥� Sonia said. 鈥淭here are absolutely some students who we know have been deported.鈥�

At least 2,000 undocumented children attended New Mexico schools in 2023, according to the most recent data from the , a nonpartisan think tank.

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, immigration has slowed both state- and nationwide. International migration to New Mexico fell about 73% from July 2024 to July 2025, according to the . The bureau that if trends continue, the country could see its first net negative migration in more than 50 years.

School as safe haven

The 2018 Yazzie-Martinez decision ruled that the state of New Mexico has a constitutional obligation to provide every student with an equal opportunity and a sufficient education, especially Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students 鈥� all of whom make up around 70% of New Mexico鈥檚 student population, according to the Public Education Department.

If English learners do not feel safe to come to school, Sonia said, the district is not fulfilling its court-ordered obligation.

鈥淲hat is happening is such a clear violation of Yazzie-Martinez,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom a legal standpoint, I feel like there鈥檚 so many clear injustices that are currently happening.鈥�

Enrollment of English language learners and students who completed the ELL program fell by 5.4% between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years 鈥� a drop 1.5 times larger than the district鈥檚 overall enrollment decline 鈥� according to enrollment data.                                 

Of the students who remain, some may have parents who are not of legal status, said Robert Frausto, who teaches Chicano studies and literature at Highland.

鈥淚鈥檝e had last year students just almost have breakdowns,鈥� Frausto said. 鈥淜ids won鈥檛 come to school because they鈥檙e worried they鈥檙e going to get home and their parents won鈥檛 be there.鈥�

Sonia said some of her students鈥� parents have been deported. In that case, children are often left on their own, she said.

鈥淲e have many, many students who are unaccompanied minors and are essentially homeless and couch surfing,鈥� Sonia said.

One of her students from Venezuela is alone after his mother and sister were deported, she said. He鈥檚 staying with friends鈥� families, but is not old enough to open his own bank account to support himself.

鈥淓very time that this child shows up to school, it is such a testament to how much he values his education,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause he is alone in this country, and he still shows up.鈥�

Some U.S.-born children of undocumented parents have opted to carpool or take the bus instead of being dropped off by their families because of immigration fears, said Felipe Rodriguez, executive director of New Mexico Dream Team, a nonprofit for undocumented students. 

鈥淲e hear a lot more of families having Signal group chats and keeping each other up to date with their whereabouts,鈥� Rodriguez said.

APS鈥檚 official policy is to not allow federal agents on campus at any time, district spokesperson Martin Salazar said. Any order or directive from immigration to go on campus or to retrieve a student would be denied and relayed to the school principal or to APS police. The district does not ask about or track students鈥� immigration statuses.

鈥淚 want our students, families and the public to know we are working to ensure safety and security for everyone while they鈥檙e on our campuses,鈥� APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said in a statement. 鈥淥ur staff members take the safety and well-being of our students seriously. It鈥檚 our job. It鈥檚 our duty.鈥�

Immediately upon taking office in January 2025, Trump rescinded previous federal policies preventing federal agents from accessing 鈥渟ensitive locations鈥� including churches, hospitals and schools.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a September statement Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would access schools not to arrest children, but to arrest 鈥渄angerous illegal alien felon(s)鈥� who may seek refuge in a school, or an undocumented school employee.

APS Board Member Heather Benavidez, whose district includes Highland High School, said ICE activity on campuses is a concern.

鈥淭he safety of our students is our main priority,鈥� Benavidez said. 鈥淭he students are aware. They know what鈥檚 going on in the world.鈥�

For some, school can be a place of stability and comfort.

Emanuel, a senior at Highland who is undocumented, said he doesn鈥檛 feel afraid at school, in part due to his teachers鈥� support. Some of his classmates worry for their parents, or feel scared when they鈥檙e out in public, he said, but since APS told students during the beginning of the year that they were safe on campus, some fears have been alleviated.

鈥淥f course, it鈥檚 not perfect, but I feel safe with my family and friends, and I have a lot of support in school,鈥� he said.

The passage of House Bill 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, makes Emanuel feel safer, he said. The bill prohibits state and local governments from contracting with ICE to operate detention centers in New Mexico. 

Last November, the Bernalillo County Commission also voted 4-1 to pass an ordinance banning ICE agents from hospitals, schools, courthouses, churches and worksites without a warrant.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really natural that everyone鈥檚 a little bit afraid of it, but now I鈥檓 more calm about it,鈥� Emanuel said.

During the first Trump presidency, when Emanuel was in third grade, 鈥渋t was chaos,鈥� he said. He couldn鈥檛 really understand what was going on. Now that he鈥檚 older, he鈥檚 able to grasp the ramifications, he said.

鈥淚t has affected me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really weird times to live in.鈥�

Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.