Students walked out of classrooms across Orange County mid-day on Friday as part of a national shutdown to protest ICE raids.
The protests were motivated around the controversy surrounding ICE enforcement In Minneapolis, where starting in December 2025, Operation Metro Surge began targeting undocumented immigrants for deportation.
The operation has drawn heightened protests after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents.
Although the Trump administration argues that immigrants with a history of violent crimes are the ones being targeted, recent data has shown that many of the detained immigrants have no record of criminal convictions.
As of Dec. 26, detention data from the U.S Department of Homeland Security shows only 31% of detainees have criminal convictions.
Walk-outs occurred in schools across the county, stretching from Dana Point to Lake Forest to Anaheim and Santa Ana.
“I think students should protest. I think you should get organized with other students, and I think you should just look back at the civil rights movement,” said Adan, a 16-year old student from Anaheim High School protests.
These walk-outs are unique because, according to OC Indivisible Coalition Organizer Amy Stevens, they are all created by students.
“This is about the students… its all student led, all student organized there are not adults pushing this at all,” said Stevens.
At Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, hundreds of students poured out of classrooms at 11 a.m. to join the nationwide movement, bringing signs and posters to protest down Marguerite and Avery Pkwy.
“What they’re doing is fundamentally wrong, people are getting murdered on the streets,” said Leon, a Capistrano Valley Senior.
Rogelio, a sophomore at Capistrano Valley also participated in the walkout, saying that he, “Wanted to support that ICE isn’t welcome here.”
“People should feel safe wherever they want,” said Rogelio.
In Santa Ana, Godinez High School students made their way down Edinger Ave. carrying poster boards with all sorts of anti-ICE messages.
“We came to kick ICE out of Santa Ana,” said Godinez student Kiara.
“I came here to support my family and to kick out ICE because what they are doing is not right. Every human being is just a human being, and they should respect that there is no difference between people, no matter different colors and shapes,” added Ximena another Godinez student.
Just a couple miles up the street from Godinez Fundamental High School, students from another high school – Valley High School – participated in the walkout.
“We want to start something big,” said Karla, a Valley High School student.
“We do not want to cause a dangerous protest; we want to do this peacefully and as safely as possible.”
Eventually, Godinez and Valley students met each other on Bristol St. and marched together.
Irvine students joined the national walkout as well in spite of their district saying they would not allow it.
Students at Sage Hill High School in Newport Coast also organized a sit-in at their campus town square since a full walk out was not permitted within their school environment.
One of the organizers, Isaac, a Sage Hill High School Senior stated that, “This action reflects a broader wave of youth activism, highlighting how students across the country are responding to national events and advocating for change. ”
“Something that I think could be transformative here in Orange County is helping to grow empathy in the people in our county, having them broaden their perspective on who their neighbor is, that a neighbor doesn’t have to live nearby or look like you or think like you,” said Stevens who offered assistance to students reaching out to organize their walk-outs.
“Watching those kids stream out of the school and down the sidewalk was so inspiring and moving.”