Educators in Chattanooga, Tennessee warned that proposed state action to require schools to collect students’ immigration status could undermine trust and reduce enrollment, especially among immigrant families. Eastside Elementary’s principal said immigration enforcement fears last year contributed to enrollment declines, and that adding mandated status tracking would likely worsen the impact. The legislative proposal would challenge the 1982 Supreme Court precedent Plyler v. Doe that protects undocumented students’ access to free public education. Tennessee is one of three states considering legislative pathways to limit access, according to an EdWeek analysis, while additional related efforts have been introduced since the Trump administration’s re-election. Advocates say the proposals would push schools into conflicts with federal law, with earlier versions reportedly allowing tuition charges or denial of enrollment. In the current narrower version under debate, the concern remains that data collection requirements could still function as a barrier to attendance and worsen student mental health and wellbeing.