May 1, 2026

 In recent times the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been a controversial topic. The purpose of this agency is “to enforce federal laws and protect national security and public safety by imposing immigration and customs laws”, but people have noticed that Trump's administration mass deportations have been identifying, arresting, and removing foreign nationals from the U.S. Numerous high school students around the country have taken a stand against this issue and have been organizing walkouts in protest to these actions. Across the country, high school and middle school students have walked out of classrooms to protest the actions of ICE, especially in the recent incidents involving federal enforcement and taboo subjects. 

As these protests become more popular around the nation, we question, “Would CHS students be willing to organize an ICE protest in the school building?” Several students have been surveyed with the same question above. Here are their responses:

Jesse Little - “Yes, I think its important to show how the wrong doing of it affects every one throughout the world and standing for what we think is wrong”.

Jeremy Vince Bendal, a new student from the Philippines - “Yes, especially in Copley because there are a lot of immigrants.” He also explained that he feels the struggles and fears of the immigrants in the school since he is one himself.

Groups of schools and students that are doing this movement are doing it for the many individuals that were in high-profiling killings related to ICE raids like Renee Good and Alex Pretti. But some people feel that doing school walkouts for any opposition or argument are meaningless or unnecessary. Others even say that ICE is doing the right thing or “they’re just doing their job”. 

As of now, states that have already experienced ICE protest demonstrations are: Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, Nevada, Maryland, Minnesota, and Illinois. Specifically, student-led action has been seen in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Atlanta. These brave students are demanding an end to deporting tactics, expressing solidarity to immigrant communities while also defying school threats of suspension. Most of these demonstrations have acquired the attention of News reports and have been going viral on social media. These news channels have documented bold signs, unified student groups, mass suspensions, as well as many assaults casted on students and government authorities.

 Social media has played a crucial role in organizing, documenting, and amplifying the student walkouts and broader protests. The primary platforms used have primarily been TikTok and Instagram, while Facebook has been used by parents and older generations. The protests have been organized through social media via communication methods like Instagram pages and group chats. These methods of communication have allowed students all across the country to develop conversations and plans around organizing a student led protest. Now, even though these walkouts/protests recently going viral have influenced more schools to orchestrate their own demonstrations against ICE, negative impacts have resulted as well. 

Some of the harmful effects associated with these protests have been widespread student suspensions, safety risks, and intense backlash from community members and officials. Although the actions of these students have been nothing short of pure bravery and confidence, many of these students have faced suspensions or detentions for leaving class, with other school districts taking a harder approach. The safety hazards that exist are due to students jumping fences and unsafe, unmonitored situations being created as students group together outside of school.