East Central HS plans walkout Friday as student protests against ICE continue

SAN ANTONIO – Students at East Central High School are expected to walk out of class at 11 a.m. today in a coordinated protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, continuing a wave of student-led demonstrations seen across the city in recent weeks.

The walkout follows protests at more than 20 San Antonio-area high schools, where students have left campus during the school day to voice support for immigrant families and opposition to ICE enforcement policies.

At Jefferson High School last week, roughly 100 students gathered outside the campus before marching around Woodlawn Lake holding signs that read “ICE OUT” and “ICE MELTS IN TEXAS.” Similar demonstrations were reported at campuses including O’Connor, Brandeis, Johnson, Madison, Southwest, Sotomayor, and Clark high schools, among others.

Students say they are motivated by concerns over immigration enforcement actions and the impact on families in their communities.

“I want to see families put back together. I want to see babies return home,” one student said during a recent San Antonio walkout.

Another student shared fears about loved ones being detained, saying they don’t want to wake up each day worried their grandparents or parents could be taken away.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the growing number of student walkouts this week, warning that school districts could face funding cuts tied to average daily attendance if students skip class to protest.

“If you’re a student, you have a job and that’s to go be in a classroom,” Abbott said. “Protests by leaving a school is not allowed by law.”

Abbott also said school leaders could be held legally responsible if students are injured during demonstrations, and pushed back on claims that walkouts are protected under student free speech rights.

Last week in Buda, a 45-year-old man was arrested after an altercation with minors during an anti-ICE walkout. The man faces misdemeanor assault charges after police say a confrontation escalated when he exited his vehicle and allegedly attacked a student.