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Students at several Phoenix-area high schools staged peaceful walkouts Monday morning, joining a growing wave of youth activism focused on immigration enforcement and civil rights.
What we know:
The demonstrations began around 8:20 a.m. at schools including Chandler High School, where hundreds of students filled nearby intersections. The protests follow similar walkouts across the Valley in recent weeks targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
"We’re out here protesting and protecting our people in Chandler," said an 18-year-old student named Emily. "We need ICE off the streets because they’ve gone out of hand."
While many students expressed a desire for local change, their perspectives on federal enforcement varied. At Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, the conversation reflected a broader national debate.
‘I’m all for legal immigration enforcement …'
"I’m all for legal immigration enforcement; I’m not for government overreach," one student said.
ASU student Collin Amaral noted that while there may be "misconceptions on both sides," he believes enforcement remains a necessity given the volume of people crossing the border.
Dig deeper:
The surge in student engagement aligns with data from Tufts University’s CIRCLE research center, which found that 76% of youth believe their generation has the power to influence policy. The research also noted that more than half of all college students voted in the most recent election.
Administrators from the affected high schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the walkouts or school attendance policies.