Federal immigration agents conduct an enforcement operation near a university campus in Minneapolis during a surge that rattled students and faculty across the region. The Trump administration's mass deportation campaign has introduced new challenges and fears for students from immigrant families, even for many immigrants who are legally in the United States. Photo: PBS NewsHour
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June 8, 2026
ICE agents surged in Minneapolis, and students on college campuses felt it immediately. Here is what happened at Augsburg University and what it means for the future of higher education for immigrant students across the country.
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For years, researchers and advocates have documented the barriers students from immigrant families face when pursuing higher education. But the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign has introduced new challenges and fears, even for many immigrants who are legally in the United States. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Minnesota for our series Rethinking College.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
In this segment, Minnesota Representative Isaac Schultz says that financial aid to undocumented immigrants takes away aid from students with "legal status." But what does that mean when fewer immigrants are admitted into the United States for study, work or because of refugee status? Watch the following segment and then discuss:
Explore dozens of rich, engaging resources to teach about immigration policy, history, and awareness with preK-12 students.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
