Students at San Antonio Independent School District's Thomas Jefferson High School walked out of classes Monday, Jan. 30, 2026 in protest of federal immigration enforcement efforts.Noah Alcala BachLamarion Davis-Hunter, a 16-year-old student at Stevens High School, felt the need to walk out of class alongside his peers to show solidarity with friends who are Mexican-American. “Feels great seeing my school not support ICE, doing what they’re not supposed to be doing,” he said Friday. “I would not support my friends getting sent back to Mexico.”Article continues below this adAs he and his friends made their way toward Potranco Road, the largest major street near the Northside Independent School District campus, they were met with cars honking in support, business owners stepping outside to encourage them and families joining their march. Stevens was one of more than 10 schools across Bexar County that held protests this week, according to San Antonio Students For Peace, an organization that helped organize the walkouts. Throughout the metro area, students protested the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, across the country. Protests were planned for schools in San Antonio, Northside, North East and Southwest ISDs.The walkouts come six days after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and two weeks after the killing of Renée Good, both of whom were U.S. citizens protesting ICE operations in Minneapolis. Across the country, some businesses shuttered, modified hours or pledged profits towards immigration advocacy organizations. Statesman LogoMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.Add Preferred SourceDespite being far away from San Antonio, the events in Minneapolis that prompted the day of advocacy hit close to home for students in and around the largest Hispanic-majority city in the country.Article continues below this adMore than 1,000 miles from the Twin Cities, more than 100 O’Connor High School students joined the protests against ICE.“I feel like there’s not enough awareness … no one’s taking any action against ICE, and what they’re doing is terrible. It’s unforgivable,” Johnny, a Northside ISD sophomore, said. “They’re slaughtering people, they’re taking people, they’re stealing people that don’t deserve to be taken.”He and his classmates marched from the campus onto the sidewalk alongside Bandera Road, the main thoroughfare in Helotes. Car horns blared from the street and nearby parking lots. “I didn’t think there’d be this many people. I didn’t think this many people cared,” the sophomore said. “I know a lot of people that I’ve talked to about it that didn’t think what ICE was doing was wrong.”Article continues below this adIn statements, both San Antonio and Northside ISDs noted their policies that will mark students absent for missed classes, in accordance with attendance rules.“If a student leaves the campus without parental permission and misses class to participate, they will be subject to consequences aligned with our student code of conduct and extracurricular bylaws related to student discipline,” spokesperson Laura Short said. “Our district continues to support civic engagement and responsible advocacy within a safe and structured environment that also protects instructional time.”Closer to the urban core, students from San Antonio ISD’s Jefferson High School exited their school building, walking onto neighborhood streets surrounding the school, where residents recorded the procession. Lines of cars cheered them on as district police guided students through the streets.“I usually don’t come out to these things, but I feel like today is different,” said Andrew Perez, a senior. “As a Hispanic and as the rest of my family, being Mexican … it’s just very terrible what they’re (ICE) doing and I just feel like we all need to be treated the same, no matter the color of our skin.”Article continues below this adThat sentiment was echoed by Stevens Senior Julissa Gonzalez.“I’m Mexican American, my parents are immigrants, so I gotta, you know, come out here for my parents,” Gonzalez said.When reached by phone Friday afternoon, Gonzalez’s mother, Sylvia Rivera, said she was very proud of her daughter for taking part in the protest.Article continues below this ad“I love seeing everyone come together as a whole, knowing most of our schools are Hispanic or Latinos themselves,” Gonzalez said.