Editor’s note: The last names of certain sources have been kept anonymous for the sake of minimizing harm and protecting their safety.

On Friday, Jan. 30, Sacramento high school students flooded the western steps of the State Capitol to protest the increasing nationwide presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The protest, organized by students at McClatchy High School, started around 11 a.m. and continued into the afternoon, with the crowd increasing in size as waves of students arrived via light rail.

Student organizers in blue vests were mixed among the crowd, including Nessa Wiener, one of the primary organizers of the protest and a student at McClatchy High School.

“This is beautiful,” Wiener said. “Most of the people here can’t vote. We couldn’t in the last election. So for us, this is the best way to make our voices heard and show how important it is to high schoolers.”

Sacramento State alumna Lizette Gomez, attended the protest with her son, a ninth grader.

“I’m proud that he’s the one that texted me and said, ‘Mom, people are walking out of the school. What should I do? Can I leave?’” Gomez said.

Gomez said she encouraged her son to participate and believes the walkout is a good example for students to realize they have a voice in the matter.

Protesters hold up various signs criticising ICE and the American government in front of the California Capitol Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Over an estimated thousand protestors showed up to the rally, including over nine high schools and Sacramento community members. (Jack Dann)

The protest began at the steps of the Capitol, where students and other protestors congregated, before the crowd marched down the Capitol Mall toward the John Moss Federal Building.

Protests have been occurring nightly at the building, the headquarters for ICE and Department of Homeland Security operations in the Sacramento area. The building is also the location of Sacramento’s immigration court.

Earlier this month, two individuals, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minnesota, sparking public outcry.

Protests have since surged nationwide following the shootings, while public pressure from prominent politicians such as Gov. Gavin Newsom mounts for both DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s and President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Stephen Miller’s resignations.

By the time they had begun to march, the crowd had ballooned into an estimated group of several thousand. As the students passed through the streets, they were joined by older protesters, who shouted words of encouragement.

One of these supporters, Alicia, said she was overcome with emotion as she rallied behind the students.

“These children have been radicalized by living in today’s U.S.,” Alicia said. “They’re on the streets because we made them this way. We’ve failed to give them the future they deserve, so now they have to fight for it. They’re doing what the adults ahead of them have failed to do: go out and let their voices be heard.”

Maura Sanford, a special education teacher, attended the protest in support of her daughter, who is enrolled at McClatchy High School. She said they attended the “No Kings” protest in October, and both felt inspired after partaking in an impactful rally.

“I cry almost every night about what’s happening. I am so proud of these kids,” Sanford said. “It’s up to these kids to make a difference, these future voters.”

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Special education teacher Maura Sanford poses in front of the California Capitol with her homemade sign of a middle finger made from a seat cushion on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Sanford said she made the sign for the “No Kings” protest in October, which she attended with her daughter who was also present at the “ICE Out” protest. (Delaney Joyce)

Sanford said her school district, Folsom Cordova Unified, doesn’t particularly support student walkouts and related it to the way she feels about the government encouraging division.

“I do work in a middle school, and I see the school district not taking care of bullying. They tell the victims to just deal with it, ignore it, whatever. And that’s basically what the administration is saying to us,” Sanford said.

Sanford said she thinks it’s important for Americans to recognize the power they have to change their circumstances.

“We as Americans, we have the power,” Sanford said. “I have never been a Second Amendment person, but I am now.”

Chris Bennett, a congressional candidate for California’s 3rd Congressional District, was present in support of the protest.

“The fact that they’re out here is really important,” Bennett said. “Movements like this show that a true phase shift is happening.”