Students within the Las Vegas valley are uniting with people nationwide by participating in walkouts to demonstrate against decisions and actions connecting to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
These protests are gaining attention not just nationwide but from the Las Vegas community, causing controversy about the true intentions of ICE.
Cade Seitman ‘26 stated, “I think that ICE actions impact students and families in Las Vegas because of the tension it creates between families, communities, and friends. It’s become very divisive and ultimately polarizes society even more. I think a lot of it stems from the massive contrast the nation has in political views. At the end of the day the goal of ICE is to protect the US and deport illegal aliens. Whether or not they are correctly executing this is up to interpretation and should be handled on a political matter, not in the streets with physicality.”
Hundreds of students from the Clark Country school districts (CCSD) held walkouts on Jan. 21-22 to protest recent ICE activities and express their opinions on the matter. Students from Cheyenne High School, Canyon Springs High School, Desert Rose High School, Rancho High School, Desert Pines High School, Western High School, Las Vegas Academy, and Northeast and Southeast Career and Technical Academies left their classrooms to protest on school grounds and the streets. It begs the question: are these students trying to communicate that they do not feel safe in our society anymore through these protests.
Sophia Lagomarsino ‘26 remarked, “Students should never have to worry about being detained by immigration enforcement; not in a place where they should feel safe to learn. The fact that ICE is circling around schools in other states (like Minnesota), is causing a fear in students here. They are speaking up, hoping to catch the attention of anyone with power.”
These protests follow the devastating deaths of Renee Goode and Alex Jeffrey Pretti that occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Renee Goode was shot by ICE agent Jonathon Ross on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti, who was carrying a concealed licensed handgun, was shot multiple times by United States Customs and Border Protection agents during a widespread protest on Jan. 24. These situations have become widely known on social media and are controversial all around the world. The country is discussing the purpose of these protests and if there is a bigger problem happening than the US realizes.
Seitman explains, “I think the fact that students are becoming involved with this issue shows how the younger generation is not afraid to speak their minds. Standing up for what one believes in is crucial for democracy and the future of our country, regardless of the issue. The important part is keeping disagreements peaceful. This is something that I cannot emphasize enough. Civilization is lost when people start using force to battle differences in opinions.”
Not only are schools in the Las Vegas valley participating in these walkouts against ICE raids and immigration policies, but also high schools from different states all over the country including Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, California, Arizona, Washington, Indiana, and Illinois. There have also been big events occurring in major cities such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, and Tucson.
Some people believe that these students don’t know the full information and are simply following what everyone else is doing. Seitman expresses his opinion, “I think these students are ultimately trying to communicate that they do not stand with ICE. While important to speak up, I think that many students are not well informed and are simply hopping on the bandwagon. A lot of students know that they are protesting ICE, but they cannot name why they are there beyond a surface level excuse or what is actually happening.”
However, on the other hand, some people believe that what these students are doing is important to inform the government of the harmful effects of ICE. Lagomarsino mentioned, “Ice walkouts around the city show that people are starting to realize that what’s happening in our country is truly an abuse of power by our government. By these walkouts, the people can try to push our representatives and senators to use their votes to ensure ICE is limited, and doesn’t get any more funding.”
CCSD has spoken out expressing that they encourage student’s rights to free speech and to participate in peaceful protests. Even though they are supporting the community engagement of their students, the students will still receive unexcused absences. CCSD emphasizes the importance of schools making sure students are safe during these ICE protests.
