ECISD Struggles to Register Migrant Students Amid Growing ICE Fears

ECISD Struggles to Register Migrant Students Amid Growing ICE Fears

Door-to-Door Effort to Reach Migrant Families

The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District (ECISD) is actively working to register migrant students and their families for its Migrant Education Program. However, officials say the process is becoming increasingly difficult due to rising fears surrounding ICE operations and changes in U.S. immigration policies.

The district’s Migrant Neighborhood Identification and Recruitment Program has successfully helped hundreds of students over the years. Recruiters go door to door, reaching out to families who may qualify for additional learning services, primarily in reading and math.

How the Migrant Program Supports Students

The program provides a lifeline for migrant students, offering them educational support, counseling, and additional training to help them succeed despite frequent relocations.

“The whole purpose of the Migrant Education Program is to share opportunities, give them training, coping skills—everything they need—to become successful in school,” said an ECISD official. “They have someone to go to, someone they can be counseled by, and someone they can trust.”

For families like Alejandro Hernandez’s, the program has made a significant impact.

“The program helps them. I don’t think they’ve fallen behind because the program has helped them a lot. They send people to teach them, send materials, and send books no matter where we are,” she said.

Declining Enrollment & Immigration Concerns

According to Migrant Coordinator Patricia Escamilla, registration numbers have declined since the pandemic, and immigration fears have only made things worse.

“ICE is one of the things they fear, especially those families that are undocumented. Some are working through the process of getting proper paperwork because they’ve been in the fields for so many years and are trying to get legal status,” Escamilla explained.

These concerns have also affected migrant labor, as families opt out of farm work due to the uncertainty of their immigration status.

How to Get Help

ECISD’s Migrant Education Program also offers counseling services for students. Families who need more information or assistance with registration can contact the district at 956-289-2300.

For updates on migrant education programs and resources, visit:

• ECISD Migrant Program – https://www.ecisd.us
• Texas Education Agency (Migrant Education) – https://tea.texas.gov
• U.S. Department of Education – Migrant Resources – https://www.ed.gov

As ECISD continues its efforts to reach migrant students, officials urge families to take advantage of the program’s services, ensuring their children stay on track despite the challenges they face.