Glenn HS students in Leander stage walkout to protest ICE entering schools

Students at a Leander ISD high school staged a walkout Monday to protest Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials entering schools.

What we know:

Some Glenn High School students gathered at Robin Bledsoe Park, three miles south of the school, and displayed signs and waved flags while wearing T-shirts with slogans like "Stop Deportations" and "Abolish ICE".

In a letter to families, principal Josh Haug said during lunch on Monday, Feb. 3, a group of students organized and engaged in a peaceful protest. Haug said that there had been discussion among students about organizing a walkout against ICE entering schools.

Leander ISD superintendent Bruce Gearing also wrote a letter addressing concerns from community and staff members about the potential of ICE to enter LISD schools. The letter included an FAQ on the district's policies and procedures regarding immigration and student support.

The backstory:

Shortly after taking office for the second time, President Donald Trump lifted restrictions on migrants, allowing them to be arrested at sensitive locations like schools and churches.

The move reverses guidance that for over a decade has restricted two key federal immigration agencies — ICE and Customs and Border Protection — from carrying out immigration enforcement in sensitive locations.

RELATED COVERAGE: What is ICE? Immigration agents' role explained

The ICE guidance dates back to 2011. Customs and Border Protection issued similar guidance in 2013.

What they're saying:

"First and foremost, we want to emphasize that we value and support our students' rights to express their opinions and advocate for causes they believe in. The ability to engage in peaceful protest is a fundamental aspect of our democratic society, and we encourage our students to exercise their voices in a responsible and respectful manner," said Haug in the letter.

"While acknowledging students’ rights, we also want to make clear our priority to not disrupt the learning environment for our students and staff. We ask that all students adhere to school rules and guidelines, including remaining on school property and avoiding disruptive behavior."

Local perspective:

ICE raids are taking place in Central Texas, with more than a dozen arrests in Austin and surrounding cities in January.

Immigration attorney Thomas Esparza told FOX 7 Austin those arrested in the sweeps in Austin are held at the JJ Pickle federal building downtown and processed from there.

Federal agents from ICE, as well as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) out of Houston, conducted several immigration raids in Austin on Sunday, Jan. 26, according to a DEA spokesperson.

Big picture view:

A recent survey shows that Americans are in favor of ramping up security at the southern border, but most oppose some of the measures to manage the issue in the U.S. 

The poll shows that a majority of Americans think police in their community should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to deport individuals who are in the country illegally in at least some cases.

Meanwhile, only about 1 in 10 Americans say the local police should never cooperate with federal law enforcement on these deportations.

Separately, approximately two-thirds of Republicans say local police should always cooperate, a view that only about one-quarter of Democrats share. But relatively few Democrats say local police should never cooperate and most, about two-thirds, say cooperation should happen in some cases.

The poll noted that a move toward arresting people in the U.S. illegally at places like churches and schools would be unpopular. 

Roughly 2 in 10 Americans somewhat or strongly favor arresting children who are in the U.S. illegally while they are at school, and a similar number of respondents support arresting people who are in the country illegally while they are at church. 

About 6 in 10 oppose these types of arrests. Moreover, less than half of Republicans favor arrests of children in schools or people at church.

What's next:

Haug stated in his letter that missed class time will result in an unexcused absence.

Read Haug's full letter below:

Dear Glenn HS families,

As you may be aware, there has been discussion among our student body regarding the possibility of organizing a walkout against Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials entering schools. We understand that this topic, along with several others in current events, has generated significant interest and concern among some students, parents and staff members.

During lunch today, a group of students organized and engaged in a peaceful protest. We had additional staff and administrators nearby to ensure the safety of all students.

First and foremost, we want to emphasize that we value and support our students' rights to express their opinions and advocate for causes they believe in. The ability to engage in peaceful protest is a fundamental aspect of our democratic society, and we encourage our students to exercise their voices in a responsible and respectful manner.

While acknowledging students’ rights, we also want to make clear our priority to not disrupt the learning environment for our students and staff. We ask that all students adhere to school rules and guidelines, including remaining on school property and avoiding disruptive behavior. Missed class time will result in an unexcused absence.

Earlier this semester, LISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing wrote a letter addressing an increase in concerns from the community regarding potential immigration enforcement activities, while also sharing answers to some frequently asked questions.

We appreciate the maturity and thoughtfulness that our students have demonstrated in discussing this issue. We believe that by working together in a spirit of collaboration and respect, we can create a safe and inclusive school community where all voices are heard and valued.

Sincerely,
Josh Haug
Principal
Glenn HS

The Source: Information in this report comes from Glenn High School and reporting by FOX 7 Austin.

LeanderImmigrationEducation