Chicago-Area Students Walk Out to Protest Trump Policies

Hundreds of students from Aurora and Chicago schools participated in walkouts and protests against the Trump administration's deportation policies.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Students across the Chicago area marked Friday the 13th with a series of school walkouts and protests against the Trump administration's policies. Hundreds of students poured out of Aurora's East and West High Schools around noon, joining other suburban and city students in marching to downtown areas to chant slogans like "ICE Out." The events were not sanctioned by school authorities, but local officials like Aurora Mayor John Laesch helped facilitate the protests, aiming to avoid clashes between police and demonstrators after a controversial incident earlier in the week.

Why it matters

The student-led protests reflect growing opposition, especially among young people, to the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies and deportation efforts. The walkouts are part of a broader wave of activism by students on political issues, and could have an impact on upcoming elections.

The details

In Aurora, the city took a more hands-off approach compared to earlier in the week, when a video showed an Aurora police officer kneeling on a protester and another person being dragged by police. On Friday, Mayor Laesch said they had a "withdrawn presence" to avoid the students becoming "the target." The Aurora protest was largely peaceful, though some water bottles were thrown at a man who tried to provoke the crowd by waving a Trump flag. Similar walkouts took place at high schools across the Chicago area, with students marching to downtown locations like the Federal Plaza in the city.

  • The student walkouts and protests took place on Friday, February 13, 2026.
  • Earlier in the week, there was a controversial clash between police and protesters in Aurora.

The players

John Laesch

The mayor of Aurora, Illinois who helped direct traffic downtown and instructed police to take a "withdrawn presence" during the student protests to avoid confrontations.

Karina Villa

A 25th District State Senator who was among the protesters in Aurora, saying the people's voice will be heard "across the nation."

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What they’re saying

“We had a conversation with the chief of police last night to have a withdrawn presence, so they don't become the target of this. We want students to be focused on keeping ice out of our community.”

— John Laesch, Mayor of Aurora (nbcchicago.com)

“The people's voice is going to be heard not only on the streets of Minneapolis, not only on the streets of Aurora, but across the nation.”

— Karina Villa, 25th District State Senator (nbcchicago.com)

What’s next

Organizers are already planning more student walkouts to continue protesting the Trump administration's policies.

The takeaway

The student-led protests in the Chicago area reflect a growing youth movement against the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, and could galvanize young voters ahead of upcoming elections where their voices may have a significant impact.