Students at Senn High School stage schoolwide anti-ICE walkout

Dozens of students leave campus to call for an end to immigration enforcement

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Dozens of students at Nicholas Senn High School in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood walked out of school during sixth period Friday in protest of immigration policy and ICE tactics across the country. Students gathered at the intersection of Clark Street and Ridge Avenue after 1 p.m. holding signs and flags calling for an end to immigration enforcement activity.

Why it matters

The Senn walkout follows a demonstration by hundreds of students at other Chicago high schools who also lent their voices to the immigrant cause, highlighting growing student activism around immigration issues.

The details

Student organizers scheduled the protest for Friday, believing most teachers would be supportive. While some teachers were hesitant, others were very supportive of the students' efforts. To ensure student safety, school administrators worked with organizers and Chicago police to monitor the walkout.

  • The walkout took place on Friday, February 7, 2026 after 1 p.m.

The players

Julia McGuire

A junior at Nicholas Senn High School who participated in the walkout and expressed her support for the protest.

Claudia Ovalle

The Chicago Public Schools network safety manager for the North Side who worked with student organizers to ensure safety during the walkout.

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What they’re saying

“We need to speak up more. We're young, we need to get the message out. We need to do everything we can, and just keep doing it.”

— Julia McGuire, Student (suntimes.com)

“It's making me happy seeing this many people coming out to do this. It's good knowing that there's a lot of people that also agree with us.”

— Julia McGuire, Student (suntimes.com)

What’s next

School administrators and student organizers plan to continue working together to ensure the safety and rights of students participating in future protests.

The takeaway

The Senn High School walkout is part of a growing wave of student activism around immigration issues, with young people using their voices to call for change and an end to harsh enforcement tactics.