Immigration advocates worry that race-based policing in schools can contribute to the "school-to-deportation pipeline" in Texas.
Research from immigrant rights groups has revealed a pattern of disparate policing of immigrant children by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This places immigrant students at a higher risk of deportation due to perceived crimes and misbehavior.
Schools' role in these practices has come into sharp focus after the passage of House Bill 6 in Texas, which allows school districts to carry out swift discipline for student misconduct, including incidents involving first-time offenders.
Through interviews with experts in the Texas educational system and immigrant rights groups, this project examines the Texas school system’s usage of school discipline and the role it can have in preventing or perpetuating the "school-to-deportation pipeline."
Caption: Lorena Tule-Romain, co-founder of ImmSchools, is shown in Dallas on February 7, 2026. ImmSchools is an immigrant-led, nonprofit organization that supports undocumented students. Image by Ben Torres. United States.
