Thousands of Sacramento students congregated at the steps of the state Capitol on Jan. 30 to protest recent federal immigration enforcement action following deadly shootings in Minneapolis.
Student organizers at C.K McClatchy High School first began informing fellow students about the walkout on Jan. 27, via social media. It originated as a McClatchy exclusive walkout, but eventually grew to include campuses throughout the districtwide.
Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education president, Tara Jeane, sent out a notice to parents stating that “Sacramento City Unified does not organize or endorse student protests; we do respect the rights of students to participate and freely express themselves in a manner that is both civil and safe,” maintaining that this is solely a student-organized walkout.
Many students left after their second period, taking the light rail to the Archives Plaza stop, then walking the rest of the way to the Capitol building. Student coordinators made maps for students at each school in attendance of the walkout, which they distributed via social media.
“This is a peaceful walkout demonstration to show that the students in California’s capital do not stand with ICE,” McClatchy High junior and one of the primary student organizers, Michael Heffron, told The Sacramento Bee.
Once at the state Capitol, students quickly gathered on the steps of the Capitol building, giving speeches. Many included variations of one general message — that the youth in Sacramento refuse to stay quiet on immigration customs wrongs, and that no one should be taken from their homes. Several school leaders who gave speeches gave direction to fellow students to cooperate, communicating composedly and maturely with local law enforcement, including California Highway Patrol officers who attended the protest in civilian clothing.
In addition to the speeches, many students shouted “ICE out now!” and “Keep them out!” In addition to the shouts protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, some counter-protesters participated in chanting, “Come here legally or not at all!”
As well as many students, many Sacramento adults came to protest. Pastor John Haug of St. John’s Lutheran Church attended the walkout, protesting outside of the John Moss Federal building.
“I feel good supporting the youth, who have the right of every citizen, which is to use their voice for what they believe in,” Haug said. He added that he was proud of the youth for standing up for what they believe in and “using their constitutional right to protest.” Haug was holding a sign that said: “Youth can make America have heart again.”
Many people stood silently, holding signs and observing student speeches. In addition to this, many chose to remain anonymous and only give first names or aliases, some even covering their faces to avoid being seen by local police or reporters.
This included Kurt, a local veteran. “I was excited to hear about our youth leading this effort to lend their voice to let them [general population] know about Donald Trump and ICE, all of those who are involved with this incredibly cruel effort to strip away our rights and dignity of our neighbors. I’m very proud of them, and I want to stand in solidarity of them. … This is not the country I enlisted and fought for.”
Some local citizens handed out water and snacks to keep protestors hydrated and energized. Others handed out signs exhibiting anti-ICE sayings, helping make sure everyone had the supplies they wanted. Margot, 28, was one of these citizens.
“I’ve been a community organizer for years and I am really frustrated by [how] our local and state government are not taking the measures that they need to right now to protect us from the onslaught of federal enforcement from ICE,” Margot said. “I think, unfortunately, there is only a matter of time before this violence escalates.”
Margot detailed having been to many protests and walkouts before, but this being her first student organized walkout she attended. This protest was organized by local students due to personal “outrage of the regime of terror that ICE has instituted over our nation,” said student organizer Louis Russell to Brown Issues news. “We want to show the people of America that the young people of Sacramento will not sit back and do nothing when our democracy is threatened.”
People gather in protest of ICE at the Cesar Chavez Plaza on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif.