As immigration crackdowns continue, LAUSD has faced decreases in enrollment, and officials warn of long-term effects.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is reporting a 4% drop in enrollment compared to last year. With district officials pointing to the recent increase in immigration crackdowns by the Trump Administration.
Alberto Carvalho, LAUSD Superintendent, said in a statement, “these declines reflect a climate of fear and instability created by ongoing immigration crackdowns, which disrupt family stability, housing, and mobility.”
Enrollment numbers for the 2025-26 school year are nearly 2% below projections. This year, the district enrolled 392,954 students compared to the previous year with 409,108. On top of the decrease in overall enrollment, there has been a steeper decline in newcomer students who were born outside of the United States.
If issues are not addressed at the state level, Carvalho says schools across the state are going to “face long term ramifications that will affect classrooms, staffing, programming, and the future of public education itself.”
Los Angeles Unified is the nation’s second-largest school district, and has around 1,000 schools, serving hundreds of thousands of students. Including elementary, middle, high schools, and other specialized campuses/programs.
ICE raids have intensified since June, sparking widespread protest and fear in communities across Los Angeles.