Data obtained by the Sahan Journal reveal a sharp decline in student enrollment across Minnesota’s schools that serve large numbers of English‑learner children. Between October 2025 and March 2026, 29 districts and charter schools reported a net loss of roughly 1,700 students – a stark contrast to the less‑than‑80‑student drop recorded during the 2024‑2025 school year.
Operation Metro Surge and family displacement
The enrollment loss follows the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation known as “Operation Metro Surge,” an aggressive campaign aimed at arresting as many immigrants as possible in the Twin Cities. Families report that ICE agents detained parents at school bus stops and at school doors, forcing many to leave their homes and, in some cases, the state entirely.
One family from St. Paul described fleeing in the middle of the night with only a baby’s diapers and a small suitcase, eventually relocating to New York City. Similar stories emerged from other districts, with some children being deported to their home countries and others moving to neighboring states to stay with relatives.
Impact on schools and communities
Superintendent Brenda Lewis of Fridley Public Schools called the situation “unprecedented,” noting empty classrooms and the heartbreak of not knowing where many children had gone. In Fridley, a district of about 2,600 students, enrollment fell by 55 students – roughly 2% – during the surge.
Educators across the metro area report that many families chose to keep children at home rather than risk detention. Bilingual staff, such as José Pecina Galvan, a Spanish‑language assistant, say they lost contact with 10‑15 families, some of whom moved out of state or returned to their countries of origin.
School responses
Districts and charter schools responded by expanding online learning options, serving more than 20,000 students at the peak of the surge. Fridley provided groceries and rent assistance to families, and created an online enrollment track that helped stem further losses.
Despite these efforts, the number of students removed from enrollment after 15 consecutive absences tripled in the 2025‑2026 school year, rising from four to twelve in Fridley alone.
Looking ahead
Teachers’ unions and advocacy groups warn that enrollment could continue to decline in the fall as families who spent the summer preparing to self‑deport may not return. Mara Solis, a fourth‑grade teacher at St. Paul’s Wellstone Elementary, cautioned that “big enrollment surprises” are likely when final counts are taken in October.
The data suggest that immigration enforcement actions are now a significant factor in school enrollment trends, joining declining birth rates and out‑migration as drivers of student population changes in Minnesota.
Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.
