St. Paul Students Walk Out of Classes to Protest ICE Enforcement
Hundreds of students from St. Paul walked out of their classes and gathered at the state Capitol on Wednesday to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leave Minnesota. The students, who were joined by parents and community members, are calling for an end to the heavy presence of ICE officers in the Twin Cities, which they say is causing fear and disrupting their education.
According to organizers, the presence of ICE officers has led to a decline in attendance in schools, with many students feeling afraid to come to class. “We’re out here because students are in fear of ICE coming to our schools,” said Naavi Noir, a sophomore at Central Senior High School. “They’re terrorizing our neighborhoods and they’re putting our safety on the line.” As of Monday, no ICE or other federal agents have come to district buildings, according to St. Paul Public Schools Superintendent Stacie Stanley. However, there has been suspected ICE activity near schools, which has created a sense of fear among students.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke to the students at the gathering, addressing the joint legal action against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and related agencies. “We sued them. We sued them because they are breaking the law,” Ellison said. “They are breaking the law. Now let me tell you, this escalation, this surge which is resulting in not only people being beat up, not only people being thrown to the ground, not only people not going to school, not only people not going to work, but it’s resulted in the death of one of our neighbors, Renee Good. I want you to remember her name. She’s a martyr, she sacrificed.”
Impact on Students and Community
The immigration enforcement action has caused a lot of fear among students, with many feeling unsafe attending school. “There’s a lot of fear being built in our community and like you’re not able to go to school in the normal environment that you would right now,” said Tesfaamlak Sturm, a senior at Central Senior High School. “So, students of color, students who are members of vulnerable communities are really at risk right now. So, we feel the need to advocate for those students.” Some volunteers have stood outside schools, watching in case ICE shows up, and parents and community members have acted as “marshals” to keep the students safe during the walkout.
Minneapolis public schools were closed for two days last week and activities canceled after a report of armed U.S. Border Patrol officers at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. Minneapolis students returned to in-person classes on Monday, with the option to choose remote learning through February 12. St. Paul public school students who feel unsafe attending class in person due to the immigration enforcement action can enroll in the district’s SPPS Online School, which enrolls students K-12.
Call to Action
Students and community members are calling for an end to the ICE enforcement action, citing the harm it is causing to students and the community. “I don’t think it’s right. I think they’re inflicting a lot of fear and trauma. All they’re causing is harm,” said Sofía Gonzalez, a senior at Como Park High School. “They’re not here to enforce laws. They’re quite literally just enforcing fear. And we want them out.” For more information, read the full story Here.
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