Pueblo students walk out to protest ICE actions

High school students across Pueblo coordinated demonstrations at multiple locations to voice concerns over potential ICE enforcement in their community.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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High school students across Pueblo, Colorado walked out of classes on Thursday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, with demonstrations taking place at multiple locations throughout the city. The coordinated walkouts involved students from both District 60 and District 70 schools, who expressed fears that similar ICE enforcement seen in other parts of the country could come to their community.

Why it matters

The student-led protests highlight growing concerns within the Pueblo community about the potential impacts of ICE enforcement actions, particularly on immigrant families. The walkouts demonstrate the willingness of young people to take action and advocate for their beliefs when they feel adults are not doing enough.

The details

Students from Centennial High School, County High School, Central High School, Pueblo East High School, and Pueblo County High School gathered at various locations around Pueblo, including on Highway 50, at B Street, and along the Riverwalk. They said they organized the protests in response to recent ICE actions in Minnesota and wanted to show their support for the migrant community and make it clear that ICE is not welcome in their town.

  • The student walkouts took place on Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Sahara Russell

A student who spoke at the protests, stating it was the responsibility of young people to come together and demonstrate against ICE's actions.

Andrew Gonzalez Armenta

A student who expressed concerns that his Mexican family members feel scared and have to constantly look over their shoulders due to the threat of ICE enforcement.

Velia Rincon

A parent who showed up to support the students' activism and ensure the migrant community knows they are supported and loved.

Damian Garcia

A student who emphasized the sense of community and shared purpose among the protesters, saying "Everybody here is family. We're all supporting each other. We're all fighting for the same thing."

Noah White

A student who felt compelled to take action when he believed adults were not doing enough, stating "We want to make a difference. If you guys aren't going to do it, we're going to fight for what we believe."

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What they’re saying

“It's our responsibility that when we get an opportunity like this to come together with other schools and show that we want is for ICE to get out of our towns and stop doing these things to these families.”

— Sahara Russell (KOAA)

“My family's pretty scared. I mean, I have Mexicans in my family. It's hard for us to go walk around without somebody looking at us maybe like we get scared because we always have to look around our shoulders seeing if there's somebody looking at us weird.”

— Andrew Gonzalez Armenta (KOAA)

“They wanna make sure that they share with the community how much they're hurting regarding the issues of ICE in our communities, and they wanna make sure that people in the migrant community know that they're supported and loved so we're here to support our kids.”

— Velia Rincon, Parent (KOAA)

“You've got to love the family. Everybody here is family. We're all supporting each other. We're all fighting for the same thing.”

— Damian Garcia, Student (KOAA)

“We want to make a difference. If you guys aren't going to do it, we're going to fight for what we believe.”

— Noah White, Student (KOAA)

The takeaway

The student-led protests in Pueblo demonstrate the willingness of young people to take a stand and advocate for their beliefs when they feel the adults in their community are not doing enough. The walkouts highlight the growing concerns within the Pueblo community about the potential impacts of ICE enforcement actions, particularly on immigrant families, and the students' determination to make their voices heard on this important issue.