A notable drop in California high school seniors completing FAFSA applications, declining by 25% or approximately 48,000 students, has raised concerns among education officials. Analysts link this trend to fears of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, particularly impacting students with undocumented parents, whose applications have decreased by 44%. The California Student Aid Commission is actively working to address this issue and has extended the state aid deadline in certain counties. The fears stemming from deportation campaigns, recent wildfires, and doubts about the value of a college education contribute to this alarming situation.
"This is very alarming," said Daisy Gonzales, executive director of the commission, in an interview about the application declines. "It's a crisis in the sense that we have a perfect storm."
The Trump administration has not announced plans to use application information to target people for deportation.
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