Martin Luther King Jr. saw justice achieved through peaceful protests that amplified the voices of the masses; Almost 60 years into the future, his vision continues to thrive as peaceful protests have rippled across the nation in response to recent tensions. While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been controversial for years in America, hostility nationwide has reached an unprecedented high following the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, by an ICE agent during a federal enforcement operation on January 7. Since her death, demonstrators have taken to the streets of Minneapolis and cities across the country to protest against ICE’s presence, where violent clashes and heavy federal deployments have marked continuing unrest. This frustration has been echoed in school hallways and campuses nationwide as students are organizing walkouts to join the movement.
Renée Nicole Good, a 37 year old mother of three and US citizen, was fatally shot by a US ICE agent following an encounter on a neighborhood street. According to federal officials, the agent fired after claiming Good attempted to strike officers with her vehicle, acting in self-defense. This was echoed by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who described Good as a “domestic terrorist,” and stated that the ICE agent was currently hospitalized with internal bleeding.
However, whether or not Good hit the ICE agent is largely contested, as people had varying perspectives on released video footage. Some argued that Good did not commit violence with her vehicle, leading local officials, eye-witnesses, and the internet to call into question the necessity of deadly force and igniting widespread anger.
This incident has spurred student activism, with multiple high schools across the country having organized walk-outs to protest. Students in LCPS took part in the action, with a group under the name of “LCPS against ICE” coordinating walkouts at several local high schools, including Rock Ridge, Dominion, Woodgrove, Independence, Loudoun County, Loudoun Valley, and the Academies of Loudoun. Utilizing an Instagram page with nearly 400 followers to mobilize the effort, the protests occurred on January 20, beginning at 2 p.m. and lasting 20 minutes at each participating campus.
“It felt good to be a part of something bigger,” said Husna Saleem, a junior who attended the walkout at Loudoun County High School. “It was the first time I had ever done something like that.”
Although school administration could not officially approve student walkouts, administration at multiple LCPS campuses worked with organizers to establish agreed-upon times and locations to help ensure the events remain safe and orderly. The students hosted speakers and distributed informational pamphlets during the demonstrations.
Sheila Colbert Alzate, Briar Woods Principal, applauded the walkout by saying it was, “a successful, safe demonstration.”
Ben Corwin, senior and a speaker at the Briar Woods walkout, commented on his experience by saying that, “School administrators, lawmakers, and the wider community should take this as an example that people can create real change by speaking out en masse.”
LCPS Superintendent Aaron Spence previously addressed immigration concerns last year mentioning that, “As national immigration policies evolve, I want to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to every student in our schools. Education is not just a service—it is the foundation of a strong community.”
In his statement, he emphasizes the district’s commitment to student inclusion and safety, and says that “We follow the law. The 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe guarantees all children, regardless of immigration status, access to public education […] Let me be clear: Every child in LCPS belongs. Every family is valued. We are committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where students can focus on learning without fear.”
As protests ripple across cities, communities, and classrooms nationwide, the planned walkouts highlight how the debate over immigration enforcement has reached nearly everyone, transforming national crises into a shared moment of reckoning felt far beyond any single city.
