US public school enrollment declines amid low birth rates and deportations

Public schools across the United States are facing a significant decline in student enrollment, driven by a combination of long-term shrinking birth rates and recent large-scale immigration enforcement. U.S. Census data indicates that the population of children under age 18 began falling nationwide after 2010, with a projected decrease of approximately 2.1 million children through 2025.

In Los Angeles, the second largest school district in the country, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has lost more than 300,000 students over the last two decades. Local officials report that recent federal deportation efforts have accelerated these trends. Following the weakening of restrictions that previously prevented ICE agents from operating near schools, many immigrant families have reportedly gone into hiding.

A study by the Migration Policy Institute found that as many as 1.9 million people left the U.S. during the first 18 months of the Trump administration's second term. Experts note that the simultaneous occurrence of low birth rates and low immigration levels represents a demographic challenge not seen since the Great Depression.