Hundreds of students from several Chicago Public Schools staged a walkout and rally on Monday to protest federal immigration enforcement actions under President Donald Trump’s administration. The demonstration drew participants from Amundsen High School, Mather High School, Northside College Prep, and Roosevelt High School, all located on the city’s North Side.
The student-led march began around noon as groups left their respective schools and made their way to River Park. Along the route, students chanted slogans such as “ICE out” and used whistles to draw attention. Supporters in passing vehicles honked horns while some residents showed encouragement from their windows.
A Roosevelt High School student who immigrated from Colombia with his mother shared his concerns about safety at school. “We came here for a better future. And now the majority of students I know are too scared to come to school because we’re all afraid of immigration agents coming to trap us,” he said.
Recent federal operations have heightened fears among immigrant communities in Chicago and other cities. Last fall, Operation Midway Blitz resulted in fatal encounters between federal agents and local residents in Chicago. Similar incidents occurred in Minneapolis, where two individuals were killed by agents, prompting nationwide rallies and calls for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Roosevelt Principal Dan Kramer commented on the effect these events have had on students: “For the past year, the ICE deportation activity has had a deeply traumatic impact on our families and school community. It is very important to know that this affects us all, not only families in transition to citizenship.” He added, “As a school community, we have experienced threats, intimidation and intentional harm. I am proud that many of our students stood up today to say that our school stands tall in resistance to these tactics, and that this cruelty is not who we are as the community of Roosevelt High School.”
Albany Park resident Robyn Seale described her reaction when she heard whistles during the march: “I love it. We can’t mutual aid our way out of state failure. But in times of terror and crisis, it’s heartwarming,” Seale said. “It’s good to have this safety in community.” She noted that although ICE activity has lessened since last year, detentions continue at an average rate of about one person per day.
Students organized Monday’s event with help from adults serving as chaperones and marshals for logistics support at River Park. Aldermen Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) and Andre Vasquez (40th) assisted during the rally.
“These kids are incredible. They are leaders,” Rodriguez-Sanchez said. “The families that bring their kids to those school communities are a target. And they are hyper-aware of that and they’re coming out to raise their voices against them because they want to protect their families and their classmates’ families.”
Vasquez distributed hand warmers during the rally before helping amplify speakers’ voices with a portable speaker held above his head for over an hour: “I think what we’re all witnessing is what hope looks like, right? These are our future generations and our present generations, organizing on their own, to have this kind of event to make sure their voices are heard,” Vasquez said.
Luis Delgado, a 16-year-old student at Northside College Prep who addressed attendees at River Park stated: “Let’s be clear, the human cost of harsh immigration enforcement is disgusting… These masked Nazi agents terrorize our schools. No, we will not allow them any longer. Chicago, Minneapolis and other cities around this country — we are fed up.”
