Making Our Voices Heard: Walkout in Protest of ICE

Nearly one hundred Urbana High School students marched out of their classes on Jan. 30 in protest of the policies of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The students made signs, organized the walkout, and took the blow to their attendance in support of immigrant families in their community.

Freshman Victoria Lleras, vice president of the student government, said that “Even though we’re young, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have voices, because our voices are really important.”

Tanking action was an important part of the walkout for many students.

Sophia Malyarchuck, junior, said that: “To me, the walkout was important because it was a way to actually stand on what I believe and [to] take action. I think with the state of the world, it is necessary to at least say something so as not [to] be complicit.”

Many students echo this sentiment, believing in the importance of civic engagement and standing up for what they believe in.

Multiple students were surprised at the number of attendees. Claire Daniels, junior, said that “The walkout meant community” and that “When people in school don’t […] care about what’s really happening outside, it’s really surprising in a good way to see everyone come together making noise and all resisting a system that wants to put us down.”

This walkout is part of a nationwide wave of youth protests across the country, as students use protests, walkouts, and rallies to make their voices heard.