{"id":27572,"date":"2025-10-28T21:50:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T21:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/27572\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T21:50:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T21:50:08","slug":"with-threats-of-a-federal-enforcement-action-absences-spiked-in-oakland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/27572\/","title":{"rendered":"With threats of a federal enforcement action, absences spiked in Oakland"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oakland district leaders saw a spate of absences last week among the district\u2019s immigrant students, prompted by news that federal agents were arriving in the East Bay<\/a> for a potential immigration enforcement operation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

District leaders suspect that many families kept their kids home out of fear that they could be apprehended on the way to or from school.<\/p>\n

Schools don\u2019t record the immigration status of their students, but attendance rates for newcomers\u00a0 \u2014 students who have been in the United States for fewer than three years \u2014 and English language learners can be a proxy for those of immigrant families.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Between Monday and Wednesday last week, students learning English averaged about 700 absences each day. On Thursday, the day agents began arriving at Coast Guard Island in the Oakland Estuary, absences spiked to more than 1,100, said Nicole Knight, executive director of the English Language Learner and Multilingual Achievement office that supports immigrant and newcomer families. For newcomer students, Monday through Wednesday saw about 200 daily absences, while on Thursday they shot up to 427, Knight said.<\/p>\n

At Oakland International High School, which serves new immigrants, 67% of students came to school on Thursday, 11 points lower than the average attendance rate at the high school this school year. The funding to support immigrant students<\/a> is frequently tied to attendance and enrollment, so fluctuations can lead to future reductions in revenue.<\/p>\n

Before Thursday, OUSD\u2019s average attendance rate<\/a> this school year was 93%. For the day of Oct. 23, it dipped to 91.1%.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy inference around all of this is that families were very, very nervous last week and that led to an increased number of absences of our immigrant student population \u2014 in particular, our newly arrived students,\u201d Knight told The Oaklandside. \u201cOn Friday, we still saw higher absences than average, but improved attendance, which indicates perhaps some of our communication and assurances around our protocols and supports were helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018We do not tolerate the kidnapping of children\u2019<\/p>\n

After news broke that federal agents were arriving in the Bay Area to carry out an operation, OUSD reassured families and the community that its schools are sanctuary spaces safe from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Last Wednesday, OUSD sent out a message to the school community that the district received notice about immigration enforcement actions beginning in the Bay Area as soon as Saturday. The message reiterated that OUSD is a \u201csanctuary district, inside Oakland, a sanctuary city, inside California, a sanctuary state.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means we support all students, families, and staff, no matter where they came from or how they got here,\u201d the message said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OUSD interim superintendent Denise Saddler echoed those sentiments during a press conference on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s be clear: We do not need outside troops or agents coming into our city to intimidate, bully, or separate our families,\u201d Saddler said. \u201cOakland has never been a place where fear rules. We do not tolerate the kidnapping of children or the tearing apart of communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Starting Thursday morning, community members held protests<\/a>, marches<\/a>, and vigils to oppose the feds\u2019 presence in the Bay.\u00a0<\/p>\n

News that the operation was being paused began to spread on Thursday, first with a 10 a.m. announcement by President Donald Trump on his social media platform Truth Social that he was calling off the federal deployment<\/a> to San Francisco after calls with Mayor Daniel Lurie and other \u201cgreat people\u201d such as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Later that day, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez confirmed the pause extended to Oakland<\/a> and the East Bay as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OUSD\u2019s protocols<\/a>, which Knight said have been viewed hundreds of times since last week, state that if immigration officers arrive on campus, school staff must direct them to the principal and may not provide any information about any students, families, or employees. It says ICE agents will not be allowed on campus unless they have a warrant signed by a judge that has been verified by the district\u2019s legal team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Alameda County Office of Education also sent a message<\/a> encouraging families to make plans for immigration emergencies<\/a> that include organizing childcare, identifying your legal options, and learning your rights. Alameda County is the fourth most diverse county in the nation, with 57% of students living with an immigrant parent, the office said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bay Resistance, the Bay Area social justice organization, is also offering training for people who want to participate in foot patrols around schools<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A 2025 state law, Assembly Bill 49, prohibits immigration officers from entering schools without a judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order and prevents school employees from providing information about students and their families to immigration enforcement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Knight said the district has prepared for this moment and has protocols in place to protect students and families.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a reminder to review our protocols, take a deep breath, and then remind folks of our values: that we support all students, all students and families are welcome in our schools, and we are here to make sure that we have places of learning that are free from fear as much as possible,\u201d she told The Oaklandside. \u201cWe\u2019re continuing to remind people that everyone has rights in this country, and we have resources to support you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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