U.S. citizen students with undocumented parents are increasingly hesitating to complete the FAFSA, fearing federal data-sharing could expose family members to immigration enforcement. The Education Department’s longstanding position is that student information should not be used for immigration enforcement, but reporting and analysis indicate those norms are being disregarded. A University of Washington Center for Human Rights analysis, reviewed by ProPublica, found detention activity for parents of U.S. citizens has risen sharply. Separately, The Hechinger Report, using federal and state data, found declines in FAFSA completions among mixed-status families in California between 2025 and 2026, even as overall state applications grew. Admissions counseling advocates say the practical impact is uneven access to federal financial aid for students who may otherwise qualify. National Association of College Admissions Counseling Director of advocacy Sean Robins said schools are hearing directly from students who report growing apprehension about how family information could be used. For enrollment and student success offices, the development signals that FAFSA simplification gains may be partially offset by compliance and trust issues affecting immigrant communities.