Minneapolis Schools Struggle Amid Ongoing Unrest

Hundreds of students missing as district tracks absences amid fears of ICE raids

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A superintendent at a national conference described the dire situation in Minneapolis, where school districts are keeping detailed spreadsheets tracking hundreds of missing students. It's unclear if the absences are due to fear or if the students have been taken away by immigration authorities.

Why it matters

The ongoing unrest and crackdown in Minneapolis is having a devastating impact on the city's schools and families, with hundreds of students unaccounted for and unable to access education due to the climate of fear and uncertainty.

The details

According to the superintendent, school districts in Minneapolis are maintaining detailed spreadsheets to track the hundreds of students who have stopped attending classes, unsure if they are staying home out of fear or have been taken by immigration enforcement.

  • The unrest in Minneapolis has been ongoing for 76 days as of February 15, 2026.

The players

Minneapolis School Districts

The public school systems in Minneapolis that are grappling with the impact of the ongoing unrest and crackdown on families in the city.

ICE

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement actions that are feared to be impacting Minneapolis families and students.

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What they’re saying

“As bad as we imagine it, it's far worse. Districts are keeping spreadsheets of kids that are missing, into the hundreds of kids. No way to know if they're not coming to school out of fear, or if the ICEholes have taken them away.”

— Unnamed Superintendent, Superintendent of Schools (fark.com)

The takeaway

The ongoing unrest and immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis are having a devastating impact on the city's schools and families, with hundreds of students unaccounted for and unable to access education due to the climate of fear and uncertainty.