Students Protest ICE at San Antonio's Alamo, Clash with Texas Troopers

Demonstrators marched from City Council to the historic site, leading to a standoff with riot-gear-clad DPS personnel.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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A group of student protesters in San Antonio, including members of the San Antonio Students for Peace, engaged in a standoff with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers at the Alamo on Monday afternoon. The protesters were marching against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration's immigration policies when they arrived at the Alamo, where a heavy DPS presence in riot gear had already assembled. While the protest remained peaceful and no arrests were made, the confrontation highlighted the ongoing tensions around immigration and student activism in Texas.

Why it matters

The protest at the Alamo is the latest in a series of student-led demonstrations against ICE and the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in San Antonio. These protests have drawn attention to the impact of federal immigration policies on local communities and the willingness of young people to take action on political issues.

The details

The student protesters, along with adults, legal observers, and members of the local Party for Socialism and Liberation, marched from City Council Chambers to the Alamo, where they found a heavy DPS presence in full riot gear blocking the entrance. Unable to access the Alamo, the protesters instead gathered on the steps of the Scottish Rite Temple, singing and chanting at the troopers. While a majority of the students eventually returned to City Council Chambers, a small group of mostly adults remained and exchanged insults with the DPS personnel before also leaving.

  • The protest took place on Monday, February 17, 2026.
  • The protesters arrived at the Alamo around 3:30 p.m.

The players

San Antonio Students for Peace

A nonprofit organization whose members attend local high schools and colleges and have organized anti-ICE school walkouts across the city in recent weeks.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

The state law enforcement agency that had a heavy presence of troopers in riot gear at the Alamo during the protest.

Ken Paxton

The Republican Texas Attorney General who said he had launched an investigation into whether a local school district had approved or facilitated the student walkouts protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies.

Jessie Barrera

A freshman at Southwest Preparatory who gave a speech at City Council Chambers during the protest, saying "This is about humanity" and criticizing systems "built on fear."

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What they’re saying

“There's no riot here, why are you in riot gear?”

— A young woman with a megaphone (sacurrent.com)

“This is about humanity. No human becomes less human because of where they were born, and no child deserves to grow up afraid that their family can disappear overnight. No system built on fear should be accepted as normal.”

— Jessie Barrera, Southwest Preparatory freshman (sacurrent.com)

What’s next

The Texas Attorney General's investigation into the school district's role in the student protests is ongoing, and the San Antonio Students for Peace have vowed to continue organizing against ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies.

The takeaway

The standoff at the Alamo highlights the growing activism of young people in San Antonio against federal immigration enforcement and the willingness of state authorities to confront these protests, even on a day off from school. The clash underscores the broader political tensions around immigration in Texas and the role of student-led movements in challenging the status quo.