In the first few weeks of 2026, the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the Metro West area has surged. Recent events involving ICE have led to increased protests, strikes and backlash across Minnesota and the United States. Park’s student-led club Students Organized for Anti-Racism (SOAR) held a school-wide walkout in protest of the presence of ICE in the Twin Cities, followed by an informational session on students’ rights when interacting with ICE officers during sixth and seventh periods Jan. 20. Hundreds of Park students gathered to march outside despite frigid temperatures, following a route of the surrounding area of the high school. By having such a high number of students gathered, Park showed that the student body stands united and fights for what they believe in to protect their community.
According to senior Rahmah Davis, the preparation that went into planning the walkout involved meetings and discussions on various positions that SOAR members would take on to plan for a successful protest. She said they were able to advertise the protest by reaching out to the student body using handouts and fliers, along with talking about the plans for the walkout with other Park students.
“In our meetings, we talk about what we need to start a protest,” Davis said. “(We discussed) the different roles that everybody (would take on). In doing this protest, we had to figure out where everybody would be. It was split; some people were in the Link, and some people were outside. How we advertised (the walkout) was by sliding people little pieces of paper or flyers about the protest. We would go around during lunch, we’d table, talk about what SOAR is, what we’re doing and what our next event is going to be.”
Sophomore Anjali Narais said she has seen the effects of ICE’s presence in the Twin Cities firsthand, noticing that her friends and community members are afraid to leave their homes because of the possibility of encountering ICE. She said since many Park students are children of immigrants, they have been personally affected by ICE’s occupation in Minnesota.
“I’ve seen ICE’s effect on all of my friends,” said Narais. “They’ve become fearful of just attending school or being out in public. People feel scared to even leave their homes. Parents of many people in our school are immigrants who have come from other countries, and they’ve been affected, affecting their children as well.”
English teacher Kara Marlin said it is significant for members of our community to collectively protest to show our support for those who are being targeted by ICE. They said seeing the number of students who participated in the walkout in solidarity, despite potential consequences, shows that the students have power to make a difference and spark change.
“We all live in our own communities, and it’s so easy to think that we’re alone or that we’re the only ones dealing with everything going on,” Marlin said. “If you’re somebody who is vulnerable, and you’ve been scared, you’ve been staying home because you’re afraid to leave your house, but you see half the school ready (to protest), that’s really important. Not only are students missing classes, but to go out in -20 degrees and risk getting into trouble, that’s the definition of solidarity. Solidarity is how we actually make things happen. If we realize that there are more of us than there are of them, then we’ll win every time.”
Narais said the large number of students who chose to protest reflects the anger and disdain students are feeling towards recent events in Minnesota. She said the risk that every student took to participate shows how deeply the student body rejects the increased ICE presence.
“The message we’re sending is one of resistance,” Narais said. “We’re going to take unexcused absences for skipping class to be here protesting, and the school, this giant group, has come together. That risk of the absence shows the school, the government, that we’re not okay with what’s going on and the decisions of this current administration.”
According to Marlin, the acceptance students showed for the consequences they may face for protesting against ICE demonstrates the passion each participant shows for the cause. They said a protest comes with a risk for anyone who chooses to be involved.
“You all risked an unexcused absence today and maybe even will miss things in class you won’t be able to make up,” Marlin said. “There’s risk involved in protests, and when people are willing to take risks, it’s because they care about it.”
Davis said the walkout was an effective way to inform community members and the government that students at Park do not support the injustice that they are seeing and experiencing. She said a walkout is a way to protest for immigrants’ rights, while also sharing a message and educating others who may not be involved.
“I do think (the walkout) was an effective form of protest,” Davis said. “Not only is it a protest, but it also teaches us something. It keeps people informed (on current events), and it shows the (public) how we’re feeling. Even if the government isn’t doing something right at this very moment, it doesn’t mean that we can’t still protest, we still can’t fight and we have people to back us up when we go on these endeavors to fight for social justice.”
According to Narais, walkouts can garner attention from the media, leading to greater awareness of the government on how the general public is responding to current events. She said students’ willingness to accept an unexcused absence to protest is what shows how strongly they want to see a change.
“The chants, the signs, the group, it all catches the attention of the media, which makes walkouts an important tactic for creating change,” said Narais. “When it catches the eye of the media and is (advertised), the protest can catch the attention of the government as a whole. Hopefully, we were able to take photos and videos to show the world how students living in the Metro West area are feeling at this time.”
According to Marlin, this walkout marks a historical moment of resistance to fascism and the defense of democracy during a time when it is most crucial. They said they are proud to see students taking action in a time when they feel their rights are being threatened.
“This is one of the most important moments that we have had in recent memory to stand up against fascism, frankly,” Marlin said. “If not now, when? This is an incredibly important moment in our history to stand up against this fascism and to stand for democracy. It’s so lovely to see students pull that off and stand in that moment. It’s historical.”
