L.A. County students walk out over ICE raids

Middle and high schoolers protest Trump administration's immigration crackdown

Jan. 30, 2026 at 9:55pm

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Thousands of students across Southern California, including at UCLA, USC, and Cal State LA, walked out of classrooms on Friday to protest the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions. The walkouts were organized and sporadic, with students citing personal connections to the issue and a desire to take civic lessons to the streets. School districts have struggled with the 'climate of distress' over immigration enforcement, which has led to drops in enrollment.

Why it matters

The student walkouts reflect the deep personal impact the Trump administration's immigration policies have had on many young people in the Los Angeles area, with some having family members who are undocumented. The protests also highlight the role of youth activism in challenging government actions seen as unjust or harmful to immigrant communities.

The details

Thousands of middle and high school students across the Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Pasadena school districts skipped classes on Friday to join the protests against ICE raids and deportations. The walkouts were both organized and spontaneous, with students chanting slogans like 'ICE out of LA' and carrying signs expressing their opposition. Some students, like a junior from Sequoyah School in Pasadena, helped lead the marches. School districts have struggled to balance supporting students' right to protest with concerns about safety and attendance, with LAUSD seeing an 80% attendance rate compared to the usual 90%.

  • The walkouts took place on Friday, January 30, 2026.
  • Many schools have advertised plans for additional walkouts on February 6, 2026.

The players

Alberto Carvalho

The superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Tanya Ortiz Franklin

A board member for LAUSD representing the Watts, Gardena, and San Pedro areas.

Julio Frenk

The chancellor of UCLA.

Hart Lipsmith

A junior at Sequoyah School in Pasadena who helped lead protesters in downtown Los Angeles.

Ana Rivera

A junior who moved to Mexico with her father in 2011 after he was deported, and returned to Long Beach in 2016.

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What they’re saying

“There are times when protesting is more necessary than going to the classroom.”

— Hart Lipsmith, Junior, Sequoyah School (Los Angeles Times)

“We want a change to happen, that's why we came out here to protest.”

— Matthew Landa, Sophomore, Larchmont Charter High School (Los Angeles Times)

“We are the grandchildren of the protesters. We are the grandchildren of the oppressed. And we're inheriting that oppression and that responsibility to keep this going.”

— Hart Lipsmith, Junior, Sequoyah School (Los Angeles Times)

“They feel empowered. They're in fear of being kidnapped, separated from their families. And this kind of stress is completely inappropriate from our government officials who are too afraid to show their faces in a lot of respects.”

— Tanya Ortiz Franklin, LAUSD Board Member (Los Angeles Times)

“It's 'not right,' of the immigration raids that that have taken place across the U.S.”

— Teresa Albores, 7th Grade Student, Nightingale Middle School (Los Angeles Times)

What’s next

Several Los Angeles-area high schools have advertised plans for additional walkouts on February 6, 2026 to continue protesting ICE actions.

The takeaway

The student walkouts in Los Angeles reflect the deep personal impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies on young people in the region, and highlight the role of youth activism in challenging perceived injustices. School districts have struggled to balance supporting students' right to protest with concerns about safety and attendance.