Hundreds of K-12 students nationwide are facing suspensions and disciplinary actions after participating in anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) walkouts protesting federal immigration enforcement actions, according to multiple local reports and national coverage.
In Prince William County, Virginia, 303 students at Woodbridge High School were suspended for three days after a student-led protest on Feb. 13 in which participants left school grounds to demonstrate against federal immigration enforcement tactics.
School officials said students who left campus without permission were disciplined under the district’s behavior code, and Prince William County police assisted in managing public safety during the demonstration.
Elsewhere, about 30 students at East Central High School in San Antonio were disciplined after walking out of class in protest of ICE operations in Bexar County earlier this month. Some schools also threatened further consequences such as removal of privileges for students who participate in walkouts.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched formal investigations into several school districts, including those in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Manor, over claims that they failed to prevent or improperly allowed walkouts, underscoring heightened Republican pressure against schools perceived as facilitating anti-ICE activism.
These demonstrations are part of a broader wave of anti-ICE protests that have drawn student participation across dozens of states in recent weeks, connected to national outrage over federal immigration enforcement tactics and fatal encounters between federal agents and civilians.
School officials and legal experts note that while students retain First Amendment rights, walkouts during instructional hours especially involving leaving campus are not protected in the same way and can lead to unexcused absences and disciplinary action under district policies.
Students and organizers are planning additional protests this week despite the disciplinary actions, indicating the movement may continue through the school year.
