Fort Smith, Ark. — The anxiety surrounding potential ICE raids has become a daily fear for many parents in Benton County, Arkansas, particularly those in immigrant communities. For one local mother, the possibility of her child witnessing an immigration enforcement action at school is a source of constant worry.
Rhianna Coc Cal, a Benton County resident, expressed deep concern for her daughter’s emotional well-being in light of the growing uncertainty surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. Coc Cal fears that her child could return from school to an empty home if her family members are detained or deported.
“I don’t think a lot of people are aware of how heavily it’s affecting our community,” Coc Cal said. “Parents are saying a prayer over their kids every single morning when they drop them off at school because they don’t know if it’s going to be the day that ICE comes or not.”
The fear is not isolated to Coc Cal alone. Numerous parents in Benton County, particularly in immigrant communities, have been expressing their fears about the safety of their families. Many have reported feeling afraid to leave their homes, whether it’s to go grocery shopping, attend church, or send their children to school.
Coc Cal explained that the uncertainty of each day is taking an emotional toll, not just on her but on the entire community. “It’s scary. There’s a lot of uncertainty. People are scared to go to the grocery store. People are scared to send their kids off to school. People are scared to go to church because churches aren’t considered a safe place anymore,” she said.
Local schools, however, are working to ease some of those fears. Dr. Jeff Perry, the superintendent of Rogers Public Schools, has made it a priority to reassure families that their children are safe at school. Perry emphasized that the district is committed to protecting all students, regardless of their immigration status.
“I want all of our Hispanic families to know, that you’re welcome here, that you’re safe here. And that there is no safer place other than school,” Perry stated.
Perry also sought to calm fears regarding student confidentiality, explaining that the school district adheres strictly to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects students’ personal information. He clarified that even if ICE were to attempt to access student records, there would be no identifiable information that would reveal the immigration status of students.
“The law is the law. We can’t give out records to just anybody,” Perry emphasized.
Despite these reassurances, Coc Cal’s concerns remain. While she agrees with Perry’s sentiment, she questions what would happen if ICE were to show up at her daughter’s school or bus stop. “What happens if a child comes home from the bus stop and ICE is there? What happens when a child’s parents are detained during the school day? What happens to that child?” she asked.
Coc Cal’s worries are shared by many others in the community, who fear the long-term psychological impact of living in such a heightened state of anxiety. For now, these families continue to navigate the uncertainty, holding onto hopes for safety while grappling with the emotional toll of living under constant fear.