Effects of the Deportation Policy
By Marlo Drexler | Features | Oct. 17, 2025
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA) — Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has enacted several immigration policy changes affecting people all across the United States. At Stanton College Preparatory School, students have voiced anxiety over raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which have left some families unsettled. Students who have undocumented or naturalized relatives face the threat of separation, which to them now feels far closer than before. In Jacksonville, these policies create uncertainty in schools and homes alike.
“Personally, the immigration policies have been annoying for me and my family,” Jon, an anonymous Stanton junior said. “There are a lot more opportunities for [people] to get picked up on the street [by ICE].”
Raids are part of broader enforcement efforts that extend beyond deportation. On June 11, 2025, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate directed federal attorneys to prioritize denaturalization cases nationwide. Denaturalization, the process of revoking citizenship even after it has been legally granted, has raised concern among students who once assumed their families’ futures were secure. The news sparked conversations and stories, with emotions ranging from anxiety to uncertainty. Some students also pointed to immigration policies affecting relatives abroad.
“Pretty much every family member I have [lives in Colombia]; it is really hard for them to get a visa or permission to come work here,” Dante, another anonymous Stanton student said. “The Colombian government has been heavily affected by the [immigration] policies the U.S. has been implementing in South American countries.”
The changes in U.S. immigration policy include limiting immigrant rights and enforcing stronger deportation laws. This broad scope underscores how immigration changes extend into multiple stages of legal status, amplifying concerns for many families. These developments target undocumented residents, permanent resident card holders, individuals pending naturalization, and even those who have already completed the documentation process. Stanton faculty are worried for their students and their families.
“I worry for friends and family who have come into the country in whatever way [legally or not] but have made homes here,” Mrs. Mallory Melady, Stanton’s International Baccalaureate coordinator, said. “I worry about our students and what that means for them and their families.”
Other Stanton faculty members have echoed similar concerns regarding the effects of the policies on their students and families. Several said deportation policies weigh heavily on Stanton’s student body.
“There are people who have family members here who will be affected,” Ms. Tamla Simmons, Stanton’s assistant principal, said. “I have heard about some students who have had emotional responses to their family members that have been threatened with deportation.”
These responses from students are likely affected by increased immigration enforcement funding in the United States. According to National Public Radio, the recent budget increase known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law July 4, 2025, added an estimated $170 billion for immigration regulation which involves expanded border security and $75 billion in additional ICE funding.
With President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” ICE is on track to become the most federally funded law enforcement agency. With more funding, equipment, and personnel, ICE can perform more thorough immigration sweeps. These lead to more rigorous searches and a higher chance of success regarding raids, allowing them to deport more people than ever before. The increase has caused Stanton students to question the morals behind ICE’s actions and the impact those actions could have on families and communities.
“ICE is inhumane because they use unnecessary violence while conducting raids,” sophomore Mert Kekec said. “They are barging into people’s houses without a warrant, which is [unethical].”
Concerns at Stanton mirror those elsewhere in the country. In Los Angeles, residents expressed frustration after a lower court ruling was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In September 2025, the court’s decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo granted an emergency stay on an order from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The order allowed immigration agents to resume stops based on language, ethnicity, and accent. According to the American Immigration Council, people of different racial profiles are more likely to be stopped, enabling profiling during sweeps. In Florida, the Jacksonville City Council has considered a proposed ordinance that would permit local police to assist federal immigration agencies in detaining undocumented residents. The proposal drew criticism from immigration attorneys and community organizations, who said it could foster mistrust and fear among immigrant families.
“This ordinance does not just go after the undocumented. It paints a target on anyone who looks like an immigrant,” immigration attorney Andrea Reyes said during a Jacksonville City Council meeting on April 3, 2025, as reported by Jacksonville Today. “That should terrify every single person in this room and every single person who is listening.”
In cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City, residents have organized protests against ICE actions. In Jacksonville, local demonstrations have mirrored those held nationwide. On June 14, 2025, according to The Florida Times-Union, about 2,000 demonstrators joined the national “No Kings” movement at several locations across the city to protest President Trump’s immigration policies and broader concerns over authoritarianism. Organizers have announced a second nationwide day of protest for Oct. 18, 2025, reflecting continued opposition to the administration’s immigration agenda.
Students are voicing their frustration and disappointment with the policies, fearing enforcement could one day affect their families. Students critical of these policies frame immigration debates in the context of election cycles and broader political strategy.
“I feel immigration is used as a scapegoat for people in power to try and create a sense of fear in poorer communities,” junior Kole Fleming said. “Immigration is a way to further divide the lower class through arbitrary differences.”
The division grows when families face uncertainty about their safety and stability. Immigration laws and increased enforcement can lead to the removal and separation of family members. They may also cause financial hardship through the loss of employment. These effects, which extend beyond individuals, reach entire communities.
Luca, an anonymous Stanton student, said their mother first entered the United States without legal status. She later became a legal immigrant and even joined the U.S. military. Despite her service, the student explained their mother continues to receive emails flagging supposed problems with her documentation. The student expressed anxiety about what this could mean for them or their mother.
“Even though she went through the right way of getting legally processed, it is still worrisome,” Luca said. “It is always something I have in the back of my mind, that one day someone can just pick up my mom and she will be sent back to Mexico.”
Despite poor experiences regarding the new immigration measures, the Center for American Progress announced measures like the “One Big Beautiful Bill” successful in 2025. According to NBC News, illegal border crossings dropped by 92% between July 2024 and January 2025. Despite the statistics supporting President Trump’s immigration policies, people vocalize disapproval.
Critics of the policies argue they are harmful, while the administration says they have had a positive effect on natural-born citizens. According to an analysis by EconoFact, removing 500,000 immigrants from the workforce would result in about 44,000 job losses for U.S.-born workers. Many industries rely on immigrant labor to keep businesses running, and those jobs often support or are connected to the employment of U.S.-born workers.
“Right now, we are seeing American workers being put first,” U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a Department of Labor press release on July 15, 2025. “Native-born workers account for all of the job growth, and that is key.”
Supporters interpret these benefits as evidence of success, while data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows that since Dec. 31, 2024 arrests have nearly doubled and the number of people in detention has reached a record high. These enforcement increases are paired with legislative changes that have shifted attention to the future of legal residency.
While enforcement has expanded, changes in immigration law have raised new concerns. According to the American Immigration Council, President Trump approved bills that make it harder to obtain a green card, raising fears he could eventually revoke them. Other residency pathways are also under scrutiny. In September 2025, the administration targeted H-1B work visas when President Trump issued a proclamation imposing a $100,000 application fee for employers sponsoring foreign workers. Green cards, which grant the right to live and work permanently in the country and provide a path to citizenship, remain a related concern. Stanton students express fear over what these changes could mean for their families.
“I worry for future green card users, especially since my grandma is a green card holder,” sophomore Erin Bag said. “I am afraid [President] Trump might take them away.”
Fear among green card holders is common. A survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in May 2025 found 61% of lawfully present immigrants worried that they or a family member could face detention or deportation. According to an August 2025 poll of 234 Stanton students conducted by the Devil’s Advocate, 32% said they have at least one family member who holds a permanent resident card. Nationally, about 3.8% of the U.S. population are green card holders, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This comparison shows that immigration policies impact a significantly larger portion of Stanton’s student body than the national average, making the issue especially relevant within the school community.
The fear these students feel reflects broader national trends. The Migration Policy Institute shows children in undocumented or mixed-status families cite heightened stress and anxiety in polls. Studies highlight the academic toll stress can take on students. A National Institutes of Health study states high levels of stress can impair cognitive function, attention, and memory retrieval. This leads to difficulties in concentrating, processing information, and retaining new knowledge. For many students, this means the emotional stress connected to immigration policies can directly affect their classroom success. Local education officials have also spoken about the importance of addressing these concerns.
“We have a duty to educate every single kid that walks through our doors, regardless of their status,” Duval County School Board District 4 Representative Darryl Willie told Jacksonville Today on Feb. 5, 2025. “If we do not say anything, students may assume the opposite and feel even more fearful.”
For a rigorous school like Stanton, this added burden of legal stress combined with a heavy workload can take a significant toll. Beyond grades, students feel the weight in their extracurricular activities and long-term planning. Guidance counselors report immigration-related worries sometimes shape students’ academic success and potential college decisions.
“It is already pretty challenging here at Stanton, just given the academic expectations. Adding this extra layer of stress can be very difficult for them to cope with,” Stanton guidance counselor Kyle Fessenden said. “It is important in education that any student feels safe in the environment in which they are being educated.”
Concerns at Stanton reflect wider trends in Florida, where nearly one in five workers are foreign-born, according to the Florida Policy Institute. Many are employed in hospitality, healthcare, and agriculture, which make up a large share of the state’s economy. According to USAFacts, immigrants account for about 28.6% of the U.S. construction workforce. Because immigrant workers make up a large portion of several industries, changes in federal policy can affect local communities and professions. CNBC reports that foreign-born employment has fallen by more than 30 million, a decline tied to recent enforcement and visa restrictions.
At the national level, the issue has become increasingly divisive. A 2025 Pew Research Center poll found 68% of Republicans expressed a favorable view of ICE, compared with 13% of Democrats. Research from the University of California, Los Angeles Civil Rights Project in 2020 reported that immigration enforcement in a community correlates with lower attendance and achievement among immigrant youth, underscoring the connection between enforcement and education. These national divides echo in the classroom at Stanton where students say the political debate feels deeply personal.
“Sometimes it feels like people outside the school do not understand how personal this is for us,” Kai, an anonymous Stanton sophomore said. “It is not just politics. It is people’s lives.”
Stanton’s classrooms bring together students from a wide range of backgrounds, and immigration policies shape their experiences in ways both direct and indirect. For some, enforcement and legal changes raise fears about the future of their families. For others, the issue surfaces in conversations with classmates, in organized demonstrations such as the No Kings protest in Jacksonville, and in national headlines. Together, these perspectives show how decisions made in Washington, D.C. ripple through schools like Stanton, where students continue to navigate both academic expectations and the uncertainty surrounding immigration’s future.