Homestead Students Organize Walkout to Protest ICE, Arrest Predators

A group of high school students in Fort Wayne, Indiana staged a protest across the street from their school campus.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A group of students from Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana organized a walkout and protest on Monday morning. The goal was to send a message about arresting predators and to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Around 10 students stood across the street from the school campus, holding signs with messages like "Honk if you're not in the Epstein files" and wearing shirts that said "Don't eat any American kids" and "Melt ICE." The students said they wanted to make sure their voices were heard and to represent not just Homestead, but the Fort Wayne student body as a whole.

Why it matters

Student-led protests have become increasingly common in the current political climate, as young people seek to make their voices heard on important issues. This walkout at Homestead High School is part of a broader trend of Fort Wayne Community Schools students organizing demonstrations to express their views on topics like immigration enforcement and sexual abuse.

The details

Due to school policy, the Homestead students were not allowed to protest on campus and instead stood across the street near Aboite Center and Homestead roads. Sophomore Maddison Bernardon said it's important for students to be politically engaged and have their voices heard, as they are the "next generation of people who are going into politics." Senior Elm Adams wore a shirt with slogans criticizing ICE and said the group wanted to show support for oppressed people and ensure "there's somebody doing something for people that have been having nothing done for them."

  • The walkout and protest took place on Monday, March 9, 2026.

The players

Maddison Bernardon

A sophomore at Homestead High School who participated in the protest and said it's important for students to be politically engaged.

Elm Adams

A senior at Homestead High School who wore a shirt criticizing ICE and said the group wanted to show support for oppressed people.

Homestead High School

The high school in Fort Wayne, Indiana where the student walkout and protest took place.

Fort Wayne Community Schools

The school district in Fort Wayne, Indiana that has seen a string of student-led walkouts and protests amid the current political climate.

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What they’re saying

“I think it's important that we let our voice be heard because we're the next generation of people who are going into politics and who are learning about politics. It's important because more people are getting less interested in politics and more things are happening to where people should be more interested in politics and they're not, so it's important we're heard.”

— Maddison Bernardon, Sophomore

“If you are pro-ICE, then maybe you should think about your morals.”

— Maddison Bernardon, Sophomore

“We think it's just important to tell people, especially people that are being oppressed, that there are people standing up for them. We just want to make sure that there's somebody doing something for people that have been having nothing done for them.”

— Elm Adams, Senior

What’s next

The Homestead High School administration is expected to review the school's protest policy in light of this student-led walkout.

The takeaway

This protest by Homestead students reflects a broader trend of young people seeking to make their voices heard on important political and social issues. As the next generation of voters and leaders, these students are demonstrating a desire to be engaged in the political process and advocate for causes they believe in.