Hundreds of Roosevelt High Students March to City Hall in Protest of ICE

Students spanning multiple blocks left school Friday to protest ICE's aggressive enforcement tactics.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Hundreds of students from Roosevelt High School in Fresno, California, left campus on Friday and marched to Fresno City Hall to protest the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The student-led protest was organized by three juniors, Natalie Ramirez, Sofia Suarez, and Selina Carreon, who hoped to gather a large crowd of students and bring more attention to immigration activity.

Why it matters

The protest highlights the growing activism among young people who feel compelled to use their voices to advocate for social and political change, even when they may face backlash that adults do not. The march also demonstrates the power of student-led movements and the ability of young people to mobilize their peers around important issues.

The details

The group of students, armed with pickets and posters, left class at 12:30 pm and marched about 2.5 miles downtown. Fresno Unified offered bus transportation back to school for students who participated. The protesters held signs reading 'ICE Kills' and 'We stopped our lessons to teach you one', and were greeted with supportive honks from passing cars. Some students, like freshman Alicia Viaueva, felt it was crucial to use their voices because they don't face the backlash adults do, and they were speaking for their parents or family members who could not.

  • The students left Roosevelt High School at 12:30 pm on Friday, February 6, 2026.
  • The march to Fresno City Hall took place on February 6, 2026.

The players

Natalie Ramirez

A junior at Roosevelt High School who helped organize the protest against ICE.

Sofia Suarez

A junior at Roosevelt High School who helped organize the protest against ICE.

Selina Carreon

A junior at Roosevelt High School who helped organize the protest against ICE.

Alicia Viaueva

A freshman at Roosevelt High School who participated in the protest against ICE.

India

A sophomore at Roosevelt High School who participated in the protest against ICE.

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What they’re saying

“I think once somebody puts their foot forward, everybody's going to want to come along. We're using our freedom of speech to say what we want to say.”

— Natalie Ramirez, Roosevelt High School junior (GV Wire)

“I come from a family of immigrants, and there's lots of families getting separated from each other for no reason and lots of children losing their parents. And I just feel like everyone's human. Everybody should be treated equally.”

— Alicia Viaueva, Roosevelt High School freshman (GV Wire)

“It's good to have support from facility and students because it shows that everyone is here and working together in this community to keep us safe. And we all have one thing that we can agree on, finally… it shows our community can come together.”

— India, Roosevelt High School sophomore (GV Wire)

What’s next

The Fresno Unified School District has stated that the student walkouts have had no effect on district funding, and that they will continue to offer transportation back to school for students who participate in civic or political events, as allowed under a new state law.

The takeaway

The Roosevelt High School student protest against ICE demonstrates the growing activism and civic engagement of young people, who are using their voices to advocate for social and political change. The diverse group of students coming together around this issue shows the power of student-led movements to build community and inspire others to take action.