Odessa Students Join Nationwide Walkout to Protest ICE

High schoolers from multiple campuses rallied against immigration enforcement practices

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:39pm

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Students from several Odessa, Texas high schools, including Odessa High School, Permian High School, and New Tech Odessa, walked out of class on Friday to protest the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, joining a broader nationwide demonstration against the agency. The students carried signs and voiced concerns about ICE's practices and the impact on immigrant communities.

Why it matters

The student walkout in Odessa is part of a larger nationwide movement protesting ICE and its enforcement tactics. The demonstrations highlight growing concerns among young people about the treatment of immigrant communities and the desire to take action on these issues.

The details

The Odessa students gathered after answering a call from student groups across the country for a nationwide walkout on January 30th to protest ICE. The students expressed their opposition to ICE's actions, which they believe are harmful to Mexican, Hispanic, and other immigrant communities. Several Odessa students, including Daveon Taylorp, Victoria Meza, and Korde Smith, spoke about their motivations for participating and their hopes that the protest would raise awareness and spark broader conversations about immigration enforcement.

  • The student walkout took place on Friday, January 30, 2026.

The players

Odessa High School

One of the high schools whose students participated in the walkout protest against ICE.

Permian High School

One of the high schools whose students participated in the walkout protest against ICE.

New Tech Odessa

One of the high schools whose students participated in the walkout protest against ICE.

Daveon Taylorp

A student at Permian High School who spoke about the protest and his opposition to ICE's actions.

Victoria Meza

A student at Permian High School who expressed pride in the large turnout and hoped the protest would send a message.

Korde Smith

A student at Permian High School who was surprised by the large number of participants and felt encouraged by their passion.

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What they’re saying

“We have a protest going on right now because of ICE and what they've been doing to the Mexican community, the Hispanic community. I don't agree with it at all.”

— Daveon Taylorp, Permian High School student

“This world is free, America is free. We have a right to protest.”

— Daveon Taylorp, Permian High School student

“I'm very proud of all the people who came...I see a lot of people that I don't really...like, I wouldn't really expect it, and a lot of us came here to support each other, and it made me very happy.”

— Victoria Meza, Permian High School student

“I really hope that it shows them that we're not scared and we're going to fight for what we believe in.”

— Victoria Meza, Permian High School student

“I wasn't expecting it to turn out this big, and it really makes my heart, like, joyful because it's like these people really care.”

— Korde Smith, Permian High School student

What’s next

The students hope their protest will bring more attention to their concerns about ICE and spark broader conversations about immigration enforcement and its impact on communities.

The takeaway

The student walkout in Odessa is part of a growing nationwide movement among young people to take action and voice their opposition to ICE's practices, which they believe are harmful to immigrant communities. The large turnout and passionate statements from the Odessa students demonstrate the strength of this movement and the desire for change.