Chicago Students Walk Out in Mass Protest Against ICE Enforcement at Federal Plaza
Hundreds of students from across Chicago and its suburbs walked out of class on Friday, February 13, converging on Federal Plaza to protest recent immigration enforcement operations. The demonstration was part of a coordinated national school walkout, with participants demanding an immediate end to what they described as “violent” deportation tactics by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The rally brought together students from Columbia College Chicago and multiple Chicago Public Schools, including Jones College Prep, Amundsen, Mather, Northside College Prep, and Roosevelt High School. Carrying signs that read “ICE OUT” and “ABOLISH ICE,” the crowd marched from their respective campuses to the Loop, chanting slogans such as “Hey hey, ho ho, ICE has got to go!” and “Out from the shadows, into the streets.”
“I am a child of immigrant parents and I’m also half Latina,” said M. Santillan, a first-year illustration major at Columbia College who participated in the march organized by the activist group Dare to Struggle. “It was really important to me to be a part of a cause I believe in. One voice alone isn’t going to do it, showing up makes all the difference.”
The demonstrations in downtown Chicago were mirrored by walkouts in suburban areas, fueled in part by an incident earlier in the week in Aurora. On Monday, a similar student protest at East Aurora High School resulted in confrontations with police, leading to the detention of three teenagers. That event galvanized students in surrounding districts, including Bolingbrook and McHenry High Schools, to join Friday’s national action.
“We are choosing to walk out and show that we care,” said Lydia Moscato, a sophomore at Columbia College. “If young people are so opposed to it that they’re walking out, you know it’s a big problem.”
School administrators responded to the walkouts with warnings regarding attendance policies. Officials from McHenry High School and Bolingbrook High School issued statements clarifying that while they respect students’ rights to express their views, the district does not endorse walkouts that disrupt the educational process. Students who left class were told they would receive unexcused absences. In DeKalb, a counter-protester displaying a sign reading “illegals out” briefly confronted the student group before retreating as the crowd chanted over him.
Federal officials and supporters of stricter immigration enforcement maintain that ICE agents are simply executing federal laws enacted by Congress. In response to similar protests nationwide, including clashes in Los Angeles and walkouts in Florida, DHS officials have stated they are focused on preserving public safety and upholding the rule of law.
The Chicago protest took place against the backdrop of heightened tension in the city, a designated sanctuary jurisdiction. Activists pointed to recent enforcement surges, such as “Operation Midway Blitz,” as primary drivers for the unrest. Local officials in suburbs like Bolingbrook emphasized their adherence to the Illinois Trust Act, which limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents, attempting to distance local police from ICE operations.
“I think that the system we’re living in needs to change,” said Maeve Kelly, a senior fashion design major who helped coordinate with student organizers. “It’s important that they have a spot where they can show how they feel and actively work to make the change that they want to see.”
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