Riverside Poly High students walk out to protest ICE raids

Close to 200 students marched down the street in front of their school to voice opposition to immigration enforcement actions.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 12:55am

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Students at Riverside Polytechnic High School in California walked out of class on Thursday to protest ongoing immigration raids and deportation efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The students carried signs and marched down the street in front of the school, voicing their concerns about families being separated and their fear of ICE presence in their community.

Why it matters

The student walkout is part of a growing number of protests against ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies across Southern California. These protests have intensified after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens during a large protest in Minneapolis, raising concerns about the tactics used by immigration enforcement.

The details

Close to 200 Riverside Poly High School students participated in the walkout, marching down the street in front of the school and carrying signs to voice their opposition to ICE raids and deportations. Students expressed fear for their families and friends who could be targeted, as well as frustration that immigration enforcement is prioritizing non-violent undocumented immigrants over "felons who've raped, killed and committed real crimes."

  • The student walkout took place on Thursday, January 30, 2026.

The players

Haley Calabrese

A Riverside Poly High School student who participated in the walkout protest.

Eris Estrella

A Riverside Poly High School student who participated in the walkout protest.

Aiden Murcray

A Riverside Poly High School student who spoke at the walkout protest.

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What they’re saying

“I'm sick and tired of people being killed, of people being taken away from their families.”

— Haley Calabrese, Riverside Poly High School student

“You can get felons and imprison them, people who've raped, killed and committed real crimes, instead of breaking apart all of these families.”

— Eris Estrella, Riverside Poly High School student

“You may have thousands of ICE members. You may have powerful leaders, but one thing you cannot do is terrorize us because there are hundreds of thousands of us, and we will be ready.”

— Aiden Murcray, Riverside Poly High School student

What’s next

The student walkout was part of a larger series of protests against ICE and immigration raids planned across Southern California, leading up to a national shutdown on Friday.

The takeaway

The Riverside Poly High School student walkout reflects the growing opposition among young people to the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, which they see as unfairly targeting non-violent undocumented immigrants and breaking apart families in the process.