Prosecutors Probe Police Response After 5 Students Arrested at ICE Protest

Quakertown High School walkout leads to confrontations with police, calls for police chief's resignation

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A walkout by about 35 Quakertown High School students protesting against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) led to at least five arrests and confrontations with police. The Bucks County District Attorney's Office has launched an independent investigation into the police response during the incident.

Why it matters

The student protest was part of a wave of anti-ICE walkouts that have spread across the U.S. in recent weeks. The Quakertown incident has sparked controversy, with social media posts accusing the police chief of getting into a scuffle with a student and a petition calling for his resignation.

The details

The students defied school officials and left campus to protest against ICE. After the students deviated from the planned walkout route, the school resource officer followed them. At least five students were arrested, and there were confrontations between police and students. The school district said it had tried to work with student organizers to find alternative ways to demonstrate, but safety concerns led the district to issue a notice before the protest that students should not continue with it.

  • On February 20, about 35 Quakertown High School students walked out of school to protest against ICE.
  • On February 21, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office launched an independent investigation into the police response during the incident.

The players

Bucks County District Attorney's Office

The district attorney's office launched an independent investigation into the police response during the Quakertown High School student protest.

Scott McElree

The Quakertown police chief, who has been accused of getting into a scuffle with a student during the protest.

Lisa Hoffman

The acting superintendent of schools in Quakertown, who issued an update on the incident.

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What they’re saying

“We received reports from members of the community that students were moving through town and that some were engaging in disruptive and unsafe behavior.”

— Lisa Hoffman, Acting Superintendent of Schools, Quakertown (The Epoch Times)

“This was in no way an attempt to silence students. Instead, we were adhering to our primary responsibility to prioritize the safety of all students and staff members.”

— Lisa Hoffman, Acting Superintendent of Schools, Quakertown (The Epoch Times)

What’s next

The Bucks County District Attorney's Office is asking anyone with information or video footage from the incidents to call Bucks County detectives.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between student activists and school/law enforcement officials over issues like immigration enforcement. The independent investigation by the district attorney's office will aim to determine whether the police response was appropriate and proportionate.