Families and staff across Illinois Head Start and Early Head Start programs are sharing how increased enforcement activity in their communities affects daily life.
These stories focus on real experiences—attendance challenges, changes in family engagement, stress on children, and the extra work programs do to support families. Identifying details have been removed to protect privacy.
The purpose of sharing these stories is awareness and understanding.
Stories are reviewed and edited to remove names, locations, dates, or details that could identify a person, family, or program. We do not publish information that could put anyone at risk.
These stories help illustrate how broader policies and enforcement practices show up in everyday life for children, families, and Head Start programs.
“ICE activity is near-daily in our communities.”
ICE patrols have been reported near centers, administrative offices, grocery stores, clinics, and neighboring schools. Some CPS schools have entered lockdowns due to nearby activity. Families have shared videos of detentions on neighborhood streets. Staff report that enforcement presence has permeated daily life across multiple communities.
“It was a very scary day.”
ICE activity was reported at two elementary schools, with agents observed outside classrooms and in surrounding neighborhoods. Helicopters circled during a children’s Halloween event. A community member affiliated with a Head Start site was detained nearby in front of family members. Staff described widespread fear and disruption across programs that day.
“Fifteen people in our area were picked up.”
Multiple detentions have occurred in the surrounding community, including a father picked up near a partner site while his child and spouse were inside the center. Staff report organizing protective presence efforts when ICE agents are known to be nearby schools.
“Even staff are afraid to enter and leave the building.”
Programs have made special arrangements for staff entering and exiting buildings. Some staff fear detention despite legal status, creating ongoing stress and operational strain.
Teacher’s Aide Story – Fear in the Classroom
A longtime teacher’s aide began missing work after ICE activity in her neighborhood. She feared leaving home because her children were scared she would not return. Toddlers in her classroom noticed her absence immediately. Anxiety rose in children who relied on her consistency, disrupting classroom stability.
Family Advocate Story – Workforce Disruption
A bilingual family advocate stopped coming to work after a close family member was detained. She had served as a bridge between families and critical services. After her departure, enrollment dropped, participation declined, and families disengaged due to fear and loss of trust.
Home Visitor Story – Community Trust Broken
Families began canceling home visits following ICE activity in their area. Even documented parents were afraid to open their doors. One parent shared, “We don’t know who to trust anymore.” Years of relationship-building were undermined in a matter of weeks.
Parent-Employee Story – An Impossible Choice
A parent who also worked as a classroom assistant faced a choice between coming to work and staying home to protect her children after ICE activity near their school. She said, “I can’t teach other people’s children if I don’t know my own are safe.” She ultimately left her position.
Director Story – Program Stability at Risk
After enforcement activity in the region, one director reported increased staff turnover, rising absenteeism, and families withdrawing children. “This is not just an immigration issue,” she said. “It is a workforce issue, a child development issue, and a community stability issue.”
Franklin Park – A father was shot and killed during an ICE traffic stop while dropping his children off at school.
Multiple news accounts report that on September 12, 2025, Silverio Villegas González, a 38-year-old father, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a traffic stop in Franklin Park, Illinois. Reports state he had just dropped off one of his children at school when the encounter occurred.
Federal sources characterize the incident as involving an attempt to flee and a vehicle striking an agent, prompting lethal force. Local police body camera video and community reactions describe the event and its aftermath with differing details, raising calls for transparency.:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Following the incident, programs reported increased fear during school drop-off and pick-up and described supporting grieving children and families affected by the event.
Note: This story reflects both publicly reported information and community-reported accounts shared by Head Start programs and staff.