Opinions

At 8pm on February 20, hundreds of students rushed into the gym to stand up for what they believe in. The ICE Out protest was organized by several  students in a county-wide effort to protest the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The protest, coordinated in cooperation with Dr. Kane, was originally scheduled to be a walkout, however it was abruptly changed to take place in the gym due to poor weather – nevertheless, the turnout was unexpectedly huge, the bleachers being full of students. “I’m so glad to know that so many of my classmates feel the same way about law enforcement,” Siri Kumar, junior, told me, “their actions have been inhuman and are harming our neighbors.”
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement was originally formed in 2002 in response to the September 11 attacks to “enforce immigration laws and preserve national security”. However, over the past year, it has become increasingly violent and has conducted several acts of brutality among US citizens who’ve entered the country legally. This resulted in a series of
protests calling for its abolishment, including this one.

Several of them brought posters stating their stances. For example, one read “this isn’t a political issue, it’s a human issue,” and another read “NO ICE! NO FASCISM!” Students also brought flags from their countries, one even running around the gym with the El Salvadorian flag, demonstrating the diversity of the school and country.
The organizers of the protest gave a speech which called on the government to “see the damage they have done.” They said they’d resources for people whose family members have been affected by the situation, though these resources were not given to most people. During their speech, they stated that the protest was an effort to create a “safer community” for everyone
of all backgrounds.

People were not pleased with the coordination of the protest, however. Many people complained about it being relocated to the gym last minute rather than walking out like intended. People also complained that they didn't feel like they were doing much by just sitting. “It didn't feel like a walkout,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said.

Still, the protest was successful and proved to be peaceful and well-organized, especially considering it was entirely student-led. The diversity of this school is what brings us together, and we should use our voices for what we believe in.