ICE Out of Jurupa Valley - JUSD Student Walkout 2026

Over the week of January 26th - 30th, a high school student movement happened all across Southern California. Students participated in schoolwide walkouts to protest and push back against ICE activity in our communities. Etiwanda, Poly, and Ramona High Schools went viral on social media and inspired other schools to follow suit due to their large turnout and a clear request: the immediate removal of ICE forces from our communities.

A large number of Patriot High School students decided to become part of this movement and participate in a walkout that began during advisory on Friday, January 30th. Groups of students created signs, shirts, brought flags, and banded together to walk to the corner of Mission Blvd. and Pyrite St., along with students who walked out from Rubidoux High School and Mission Middle School. A group of around 500 people stood in solidarity with one another and their community, advocating for a safer and stronger community. A walkout is a legal procedure that is protected under the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects all Americans’ freedom of speech, assembly, and petitioning of the government.

Freshman Liliana Rojas explained that she was motivated to participate in the walkout because one of her closest friends has been living in constant fear of ICE deportation, specifically in fear of them taking her family into captivity. She explained that the walkout showed that we as a community are willing to fight and stand up for each other, even joking that Patriot was able to come together with our rival school to make a change.

“I wanted to partake in the walkout because I believe that everyone should be able to express their opinions - I expressed mine for those who can’t.” - Liliana Rojas, 9th grade

Junior Evelyn Flores says that causing a public scene and creating an outcry is important to ensure that our community doesn’t downplay the actions of ICE. She recalls that there were a lot of questions among students as to what exactly was happening, which remained a theme throughout the event. She believes that if a problem is this big that so many kids have to band together to speak out against it, then it is a problem worth paying attention to.

“I wanted to be a part of history; I believe it is important to use my 1st amendment right to preach what I believe in, especially if I see injustice happening.” - Evelyn Flores, 11th grade

Senior Patience Velarde explained that some of the major impacts of the walkout in our community were that it sent a big message to those witnessing and having to deal with the presence of ICE in our cities. She noticed the influx of social media alerts that ICE was lurking in our city, which alarmed her and made her want to be a part of the cause.

“... Every life matters, and the fact that many are being treated otherwise breaks my heart. I wanted to show my stance in what I supported and stood for!” - Patience Velarde, 12th grade.

There were many stories heard from students of ICE having harassed someone they knew, and sadly, others have been detained unjustly. Some students told their stories crying for a family member they had not seen since being taken by ICE, even though they were legal in the States.

The experiences included even grandparents who had been taken. One student tells the story of her grandpa being taken and not knowing until the next day where he was. Her grandpa returned after proving he was a citizen of the United States.

There were some misconceptions surrounding the walkout. Some students and staff alike believed that a large majority of students were participating in the walkout just to skip class. While this may have been a small number of students, the majority of the students who participated did it because of the injustices being done by ICE and because they don’t want to live in fear.

Our student population is predominantly Hispanic, making up 85-87% of our total population. This ICE protest and walkout showed the relevance of the walkout to issues that are important to the Latino community, therefore it should be important to PHS. It showed the struggles that affect many of our students and their families and friends. It showed that many students want to make sure everyone feels safe, protected, and welcomed on our campus. It was an example of wanting voices to be heard to make our campus whole.