On February 25, several students walked out of their sixth-period classrooms to participate in the ICE Out Walkout.

This walkout followed an increase in ICE shootings and intensified ICE deployment over the past few months, especially in Minneapolis. Notably, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two Americans, were fatally shot in two separate Minneapolis ICE protests by federal immigration officers. Junior Huxley Sidari, an organizer of the ICE Out Walkout, spoke on the walkout’s purpose: “I feel like during the walkout we were able to sort of rally the troops and show our excitement for being together in a community supporting one common goal, which at the end of the day, I believe is more about humanity and respecting everybody else and their right to be here.”

The walkout began at the start of sixth period in the quad, where two event organizers, including Sidari, spoke about the protest’s importance. When asked about the importance of the walkout to her, Grace Roman, a senior who attended the protest, said, “The walkout was important to me because it let students peacefully express their opinions about immigration. It felt meaningful to stand with other students who care about the issue” After the speeches, students walked out of the building with their signs and up to the crossing between Nautilus St. and Fay Ave. When asked how many students attended the walkout, Sidari said, “From Ms. Shelly’s Google Form sign-out, I know there were at least 85 people there.” Midway through the protest, a student started driving past the crowd, waving American flags out of the windows. Initially, most student protesters believed the driver was supporting the protest until he started flipping off the crowd in an attempt to counter-protest. The walkout concluded at the end of sixth period.