{"id":144695,"date":"2026-01-30T23:25:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T23:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/144695\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T23:25:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T23:25:11","slug":"students-walk-out-across-tarrant-county-protesting-immigration-enforcement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/144695\/","title":{"rendered":"Students walk out across Tarrant County protesting immigration enforcement"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Jacob Sanchez, Matthew Sgroi, Marissa Greene and Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Report
January 30, 2026<\/p>\n

All 13-year-old Victoria thought about as she walked down Rosedale Street with a few hundred FWISD students was her family.<\/p>\n

She joined other students from William James Middle and Polytechnic High schools walking out of class Friday to protest President Donald Trump\u2019s administration sending immigration officers into communities across the nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The walkout was part of a national day of demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials that included student protests across Tarrant County schools.<\/p>\n

Poly High junior Kenzie stood alongside her classmates on a sidewalk in front of Texas Wesleyan University as they chanted against ICE. The protest was important to her because of her family, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to let them take away my family,\u201d Kenzie, 17, said. \u201cBecause it hurts us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Fort Worth ISD students hold up signs protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Texas Wesleyan University on Jan. 30, 2026. The protest was part of a national day of demonstration that included student walkouts across Tarrant County schools. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n

Some of Victoria\u2019s closest family members are from Mexico, she said. The seventh grader has watched how immigration enforcement has happened in other cities and can\u2019t stop wondering what if it happens here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just feel bad for all these people,\u201d Victoria said. \u201cWe always pray for them every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other schools in the area with student walkouts included I.M. Terrell Academy, Young Women\u2019s Leadership Academy, Trimble Technical High, Richland High, Birdville High, Haltom High and L.D. Bell High.<\/p>\n

The Poly-area students gathered at the front of Texas Wesleyan\u2019s entrance plaza. Blaring honks from cars driving by East Rosedale Street filled the air as students chanted against ICE.<\/p>\n

Juniors and seniors from Richland High School chant as part of a national day of demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Hurst. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

At Chisholm Park in Hurst, nearly 1,000 students from Birdville and Hurst-Euless-Bedford schools gathered to protest. Some stood atop the park\u2019s entrance sign waving Mexican flags and holding signs, chanting as cars along Norwood Drive honked in support. Around 30 students from Richland High walked for an hour-and-a-half to reach the park.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA school walkout is effective because it\u2019s a unified sacrifice and it\u2019s harder to ignore,\u201d said Khai, a senior at Richland High who led his school\u2019s efforts. \u201cWhen you take into account hundreds \u2014 maybe thousands \u2014 of schools across the nation doing the same thing, it\u2019s not something that can be easily ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Fort Worth, the crowd of students crossed East Rosedale Street and Vaughn Boulevard around 11 a.m., taking their protest down Avenue G before walking back to their campuses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Students shared first bumps with police officers who were directing traffic. Neighbors stepped out onto their front porches to see and film the students marching through the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Seventh grader Anabel didn\u2019t wave a sign, but she stood shoulder to shoulder with her friends as they trekked through the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood. Like others, she was concerned about one of her closest family members getting deported.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I don\u2019t have her in my life, I don\u2019t want to be here no more,\u201d Anabel said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Cars honk as they drive by a group of students from Richland High School, Haltom High School, Birdville High School and L.D. Bell High School at Chisholm Park in Hurst to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, 2026. Students walked out of class midday, some walking over an hour, to meet up together. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

A Fort Worth police officer said several hundred students participated in the Polytechnic Heights demonstration. Fort Worth ISD officials did not have an estimate for how many students walked out of schools Friday but were aware of the demonstrations, spokesperson Jessica Becerra said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur focus is student safety and keeping instruction going for students who remain in class,\u201d she said. \u201cIf any students leave class, staff will supervise them and we\u2019ll follow our standard safety and attendance procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n

A school resource officer and Fort Worth police walked alongside students as they strode along Rosedale.<\/p>\n

\"\"Fort Worth ISD students protest near Polytechnic High School on Jan. 30, 2026. The protest was part of a national day of demonstration that included student walkouts across other Tarrant County schools. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n

Victoria wasn\u2019t the only student worried about family.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mia, 12, said she marched to send a message to federal officials. She\u2019s fearful that family members \u2014 including those with immigration papers \u2014 could be deported to Mexico, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that ICE stops and that families can get reunited together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Walking around the swarm of students was U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey. The Fort Worth Democrat was in a Texas Wesleyan board of trustees meeting when he saw the protest and documented it on his Facebook live.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important for students to be out exercising their First Amendment rights protecting peaceful assembly and speech, Veasey said, noting those students will be able to vote soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the beginning of learning the importance of voting and being civically engaged,\u201d Veasey said.<\/p>\n

FWISD parents ask for ICE policy
\n\"\"Fort Worth ISD students cross East Rosedale Street as they head toward Polytechnic High School on Jan. 30, 2026. The protest was part of a national day of demonstration that included student walkouts across Tarrant County schools. (Drew Shaw | Fort Worth Report) <\/p>\n

During a Fort Worth ISD school board meeting on Jan. 20, mother Layne Craig asked trustees to establish a policy outlining procedures if immigration officers appear on campuses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sabrina Ball, an activist and FWISD mother, handed trustees a proposal for a policy she would want the district to adopt. Ball previously asked the school board<\/a> for such a policy in February.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a parent, I would like to see that enacted so that our students can feel safe on campus and our parents can feel comfortable with what will inevitably happen,\u201d Craig said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Schools do not request or seek the immigration status of students or their families. Student information is confidential under federal privacy laws.<\/p>\n

Nearly 7 in 10 students in Fort Worth ISD are Latino. More than 42% of the district\u2019s 70,000 students are enrolled in bilingual or ESL, English as a second language, classes.<\/p>\n

Superintendent Karen Molinar said last year \u2014 as the Trump administration made immigration a priority \u2014 that schools will remain safe, inviting and respectful to all. Molinar issued the statement after a substitute teacher posted requests on social media<\/a> asking immigration officers to deport FWISD students.<\/p>\n

If a parent or guardian is detained during school hours, district officials will ensure the safety of students until an authorized adult can pick them up while complying with state and federal laws, Molinar previously said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Richland High School students walk out of class at 10 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2026, in North Richland Hills. A group of about 30 students walked 90 minutes to meet with three other high schools in the area. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)
\n\"\"Richland High School students meet up in a parking lot at 10 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2026, in North Richland Hills. Students made signs and shirts to wear while walking around town. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)
\n\u2018Stay out as long as it takes\u2019<\/p>\n

Polytechnic freshmen Jazlyn and Emahlynn, both 14, walked along East Rosedale Street holding signs, chanting in protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re losing families because of this,\u201d Emahlynn said. \u201cThese are families that work hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emahlynn said classmates have been deported. Jazlyn said her uncle, a father to a 5-year-old, was deported.<\/p>\n

Jazlyn said her fight against immigration policies doesn\u2019t end with a protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want everyone that was deported to know that we are on their side and only their side,\u201d Jazlyn said. \u201cI\u2019ll stay out here as long as it takes to stand up for what is right and stand up for what is going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the crowd was 17-year-old Julisa. She is scared for her family, two of whom have been deported, she said. She wanted to protest with her friends and classmates as a way to bring awareness to the issue impacting her community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all worried for our families and we\u2019re scared for our parents to go out because anything can happen at any time of day,\u201d Julisa said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Polytechnic High School student Heyden, 16, holds up a sign on Jan. 30, 2026, at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. When asked why he thought it was important for young people to protest, he said, \u201cWe are the next generation, we have a voice and we have the right to speak out against the wrongdoings of this government.\u201d (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n

Kaylan, 14, has seen how immigration enforcement happening across the U.S. affects his friend\u2019s day-to-day lives, the high school freshman said. His friends are more cautious of their surroundings and worry about their parents being deported.<\/p>\n

\u201cICE, they\u2019ve been doing a lot of messed-up stuff, so I feel like it\u2019s good for us to get out here and protest,\u201d Kaylan said, referencing the killings of two Minnesota residents and treatment of people.<\/p>\n

Cece, a senior at Hurst-Euless-Bedford\u2019s L.D. Bell High School, joined the walkout in Hurst because many of her family members are immigrants and she worries about how immigration enforcement is affecting people in her community.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hurts my heart, especially when people are just trying to provide for their families,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She wants leaders, politicians and the community to understand why students chose to protest during the school day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should all just stop fighting,\u201d Cece said. \u201cWe should all be united.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob Sanchez is education editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @_jacob_sanchez<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/2026\/01\/30\/students-walk-out-across-tarrant-county-protesting-immigration-enforcement\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n

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