by Julia Pierrepont III
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of high school students in Los Angeles walked out of class Friday and took to the streets, marching through downtown before gathering at City Hall for a rally condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.
As they marched, students chanted "ICE out!" and denounced what they described as "unfair" and "illegal" detentions and deportations affecting friends and family members.
The walkouts were fueled by a growing number of reports, videos and personal accounts alleging excessive force, racial profiling and mistreatment by ICE officers. Many students shared their own stories, or those of relatives and peers, describing traumatic encounters with immigration enforcement in their communities and sometimes near school campuses.
The demonstrations also focused on ICE's presence at or near schools, an issue that has sparked concern in Southern California, home to a large immigrant population. Students argued that schools should remain safe spaces where all children, regardless of immigration status, feel protected.
Maria P., a student in the Los Angeles public school system, told Xinhua she joined the protest to honor her parents, who migrated from Mexico before she was born.
"They left Mexico to be out of danger. Now it seems like there is more danger here in the United States because of ICE's violence against innocent immigrants," she said.
Tensions rose as protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where ICE agents reportedly requested additional backup. Officers later moved to disperse the crowd.
At 1:41 p.m. local time (2141 GMT), the Los Angeles Police Department posted on X that a federal agent had been injured and that the Los Angeles Fire Department was responding.
Authorities have not released further details, stating only that those involved merged back into the larger crowd.
Friday's walkout was part of a broader wave of student demonstrations across Southern California in response to increased immigration enforcement nationwide.
Earlier this week, about 200 students from several Los Angeles-area high schools staged a morning walkout over immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods, saying their participation was deeply personal.
Earlier this month, students marched in North Hollywood to protest immigration raids. On Jan. 30, high school students in Los Angeles and Orange counties participated in a "National Shutdown Day," calling for an economic slowdown to pressure federal officials to reduce or eliminate funding for ICE.
In a statement, the Los Angeles Unified School District said it respects students' rights to express their views but expressed concern about safety during off-campus events. The district emphasized that school campuses remain the safest place for students and that schools are providing structured opportunities for discussion and support in a secure environment.
A teacher who requested anonymity told Xinhua that the mere presence of ICE officers near schools "has a chilling effect on students," discouraging attendance among those who fear that they or their family members could be at risk.
School counselors and educators have reported increased absenteeism, heightened anxiety and declining academic performance among students concerned about immigration enforcement. For many participants, the walkouts were intended to draw attention to what they see as the impact of ICE policies on their education and sense of security. ■