“What we practice at a small scale sets the pattern for the whole system.” 
adrienne maree brown

An empty desk shouldn’t carry so much weight. It should signal a sick day, a family trip, maybe a senior skipping first period. But across recent reporting, that empty desk has taken on a different meaning.

Coverage from the Greater Good Science Center outlines how national immigration enforcement actions are reverberating far beyond policy debates and into classrooms. Research shows that when families live with the fear of separation, children experience elevated stress, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Absenteeism rises. Emotional regulation falters. The impact is not abstract: it is developmental, educational, and deeply human.

The current political climate surrounding immigration is affecting young people of all ages. High school students are describing how school feels different now; hallways feel different, empty desks represent classmates who are detained or too afraid to attend. What adults debate in headlines, young people feel in their bodies.

This impacts us at all levels; budgets and public priorities send a clear message about what, and who, we value. When enforcement expands without equal investment in children’s stability and well-being, schools and youth programs inevitably absorb the consequences.

These perspectives remind us that this moment in our country is not only political; it is profoundly personal for millions of young people. And for those of us in Expanded Learning, education, and youth development, it is also professional. We see the attendance shifts. We hear the worries during snack time and program. We witness both the fragility and the resilience of young people navigating uncertainty.

So where do we go from here?

As Heather Williams, Director for Policy and Outreach at CAN, reminded us during her keynote at the Virtual 2026 Site Coordinator Symposium, everything in this country is political: art, reading, food, teaching, medicine, Expanded Learning. It is okay to feel overwhelmed, but overwhelmed does not mean powerless. As adrienne maree brown writes, “What we practice at a small scale sets the pattern for the whole system.” The way we show up in our classrooms and programs matters. The safety we cultivate matters. The ways we engage matters.

Stand in your power as educators, mentors, and creators of safe spaces for the children, youth, and families in your communities who look to you as a source of steadiness amid the world’s uncertainty.

Moments like this test our systems. They also clarify our purpose. If we believe every child deserves to learn without fear, then our response must be steady, compassionate, and courageous. Let this be a time when we double down on connection, protection, and action so that our classrooms and programs remain what they are meant to be: places of possibility, even in uncertain times.

Remember, we are all change agents.

Here are some ways you can take action:

• Consider supporting advocates for immigrant children and youth such as the Children Thrive Action Network and the individual organizations in the coalition.
• Consider supporting organizations providing legal representation such as the National Center for Youth Law and the Young Center for Immigrant Rights.
• Consider supporting local mutual aid, immigrant rights, and neighborhood coalitions near you that are a lifeline for people afraid to leave their homes. 
• Join and support The 1 in 4 Immigrant Children and Families Project led by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.