"We're not really sure who they're going to go after," said Durham Public School counselor Carmen Ramos. "They are fearful of walking to school and getting detained or questioned. Somebody putting a gun in their face. They are fearful of their parents going to work. Going outside of the household."
The school district is offering multiple levels of mental health support to students. They are recommending that parents have honest conversations with their kids.
"Obviously, the younger they are, the different words you might want to use, but you want to be transparent and truthful. It's happening. They're going to see it," she said.
According to Durham Public Schools, Latino students are one of the largest demographics within the school district. They make up about 35 percent of its student population.
With several reports of federal immigration enforcement agents being spotted, district leaders tell ABC11 that attendance among Latino students dropped on Tuesday.
"I just left a school and saw some tears. This balance that families are balancing with sending my kid to school, but also keeping my kid safe," said DPS Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis.
Dr. Lewis said the school district is distributing messages of reassurance in both English and Spanish, all in an effort to reach the communities it serves. He called student safety a top priority.
"We have protocols in place that any visitor coming to our school must follow, whether you're a federal law enforcement agent or not. You must follow the same procedures. We don't just let anybody in our buildings," Dr. Lewis.
SEE ALSO | Lawmakers respond to federal enforcement actions in North Carolina
He admits that this is something that's tugging on his heart as he said principals are grappling with how to stay strong for their students.
"When we have, and I'll just say nonsense that's going on around the country, that impacts that, just think about the decision families have to make the night before or in the morning," said Dr. Lewis. "Sending my kid to school or not. Do I feel comfortable walking my kid to school as a parent?"
The school district said it doesn't request immigration status from any of its families because it is not required.
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