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Bellingham Joins Nationwide Protests Against ICE Tactics
Community members walked out of school and work to stand up against ICE agents and deportations.
Jan. 30, 2026 at 8:31pm
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Hundreds of people in Bellingham, Washington participated in protests and walkouts on Friday to stand in solidarity with nationwide calls to oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics. Students at Western Washington University staged a walkout, while hundreds of other protesters gathered at the Federal Building downtown to chant against ICE and demand policy changes.
Why it matters
The protests in Bellingham are part of a broader nationwide movement against aggressive ICE enforcement, including recent incidents in Minneapolis where two protesters were fatally shot by ICE agents. The Bellingham community is voicing its opposition to ICE's tactics and calling for reforms to protect immigrant rights and public safety.
The details
Hundreds of Western Washington University students walked out of class starting at 11 a.m. to protest ICE raids, deportations, and violence. The protesters gathered at various campus locations, including The Stairs To Nowhere, to demand the university take action such as providing ICE-specific training for faculty and staff. Later in the afternoon, around a hundred protesters gathered outside the Federal Building in downtown Bellingham, waving signs and chanting 'ICE out!' led by local activist Michael Vendiola.
- The student walkout at Western Washington University began at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 31, 2026.
- The protest at the Federal Building in downtown Bellingham took place in the afternoon on Friday, January 31, 2026.
The players
Western Washington University
A public university located in Bellingham, Washington where hundreds of students participated in a walkout to protest ICE tactics.
Michael Vendiola
A member of the Swinomish Tribe with ancestry in the Lummi Nation and Philippines, who is a longtime activist and educator. He led the protest at the Federal Building in downtown Bellingham.
What they’re saying
“Today's student protest demonstrated the importance of peaceful civic engagement and the ability to make one's voice heard as a core component of a healthy democracy. We also acknowledge that the profoundly upsetting incidents in Minneapolis have deeply affected many members of our community, and that the emotions surrounding these events highlight the need to create space for reflection, expression and dialogue during difficult times.”
— John Thompson, WWU spokesperson and Senior Director of University Communications
“It's time for us to really come together to address some of the really ugly things that are happening in society.”
— Michael Vendiola
“As a Coast Salish person, that's what we stand for: trying to take care of one another, love one another and share with one another.”
— Michael Vendiola
What’s next
The university has stated it will work to create more space for reflection, expression and dialogue with the campus community in the wake of the protests.
The takeaway
The protests in Bellingham reflect a broader national movement against aggressive ICE tactics, with local communities coming together to demand policy changes and greater protections for immigrant rights and public safety.
