More FCPS students stage walkouts to protest ICE

Additional protests planned at Tates Creek high and middle schools

Feb. 11, 2026 at 7:31pm

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Students at Lexington's Bryan Station High School staged a walkout on Wednesday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the second such event in two days among Fayette County Public Schools. On Tuesday, between 200 and 250 students at Lexington's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School participated in a walkout to protest ICE. The district spokesperson confirmed that students at Frederick Douglass High School and Winburn Middle School also protested, and that Tates Creek high and middle schools were expecting demonstrations on Thursday.

Why it matters

The protests were the latest in a nationwide trend, as ICE has been under scrutiny during President Donald Trump's second term due to the agency's increased deportation efforts. Kentucky's governor has also criticized ICE's actions, saying 'every ICE agent should be withdrawn from every city and every community that they're in.'

The details

The walkouts were student-led, and school staff worked to ensure the students' safety and foster an environment where they felt empowered to engage with current events. The district appreciated the 'respectful manner' in which the students conducted themselves.

  • On February 11, 2026, students at Bryan Station High School staged a walkout.
  • On February 10, 2026, between 200 and 250 students at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School participated in a walkout.
  • Tates Creek high and middle schools were expecting demonstrations on February 12, 2026.

The players

Fayette County Public Schools

The school district in Lexington, Kentucky where the student walkouts took place.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that has been the target of the student protests due to its increased deportation efforts under the Trump administration.

Andy Beshear

The governor of Kentucky who has criticized ICE's actions and called for the agency to be withdrawn from cities and communities.

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What they’re saying

“This week, FCPS students participated in student-led walkouts to express their perspectives on current events. School staff worked directly with students and families to first ensure their safety and second to foster an environment where students felt empowered to engage with the world around them.”

— Miranda Scully, FCPS spokesperson

“Every ICE agent should be withdrawn from every city and every community that they're in.”

— Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky

“We'll continue to 'withdraw' criminal aliens from Kentucky regardless of your rhetoric, Governor.”

— ICE

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The student-led walkouts in Lexington highlight the growing national debate over ICE's actions and the role of the federal immigration agency, with local leaders like the Kentucky governor weighing in on the controversy.