At the start of third period on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, over 100 Berkeley High School students gathered on the senior steps and walked out of school in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The walkout, titled “ICE Out,” was in response to the recent increase in ICE violence following a directive from the second Trump Administration to maximize ICE arrests. At least eight people have died in dealings with ICE since the beginning of 2026. In the last year, the United States has seen a 73.5 percent increase in ICE arrests, and a December 2025 report showed that over 70,800 people were actively detained in ICE detention centers.
The BHS walkout was one of many recent anti-ICE events around the Bay Area. A week prior, 1,422 students at BHS were marked absent for four or more periods on the national day of action titled “ICE Out Everywhere,” from Friday, Jan. 30 to Saturday, Jan. 31. Many students attended local protests on these days. The national days of action discouraged people from working, attending school, and shopping.
Emilio Bottrell-Rogers, a junior at BHS, spoke about the historical legacy of anti-immigrant policies in the United States and called for an end of violence against immigrants. “An organization established for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is now separating families, detaining innocent citizens, silencing free speech, and committing murder,” he said in his speech, referring to recent ICE violence such as the shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota.
After making their way out of school, participating students gathered in Civic Center Park, across the street from BHS on Allston Way, chanting “Power to the people” and “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”
At the park, leaders of the walkout delivered speeches about safety, discrimination, fascism, and action. BHS freshman Sandra Jobson-Aue called for unity and collective action to fight against ICE. “We will build our communities where everyone feels safe. Together we can stand up against fear and stand up for what is right,” she said in a speech.
Following speeches, participants worked to create a street mural on Allston Way, centered around the words “ICE Out” in collaboration with the BHS Mural Club. Others wrote on a banner, answering the questions “How Is Trump Fascism Affecting You?” “What Issues Do You Care About?” and “How Are You Fighting Back?” Many students expressed feelings of fear and uncertainty in their written responses.
Sofia Jauregui-Gutierrez, a senior at BHS, spoke about having immigrant parents. “I know what it is to live in fear, not knowing if you're gonna come home to parents … I want them (her parents) to be able to live here for what they came for,” she noted.
Publicized through an Instagram account titled “bhs_against_ice,” the walkout was organized by a group of students in collaboration with the Sunrise Club and the Jackets for Palestine Club. The Sunrise Club at BHS, focused on anti-authoritarianism and ending the climate crisis, has been holding events on the first Friday of each month in preparation for a larger walkout planned for Friday, May 1, 2026.
Amelia Stern, a BHS junior and member of the Sunrise Club, spoke about the role of BHS students in current events. “Students are the future, and we're impacted the most at the end of the day, and I think we have a lot of resources at our disposal that we can utilize to overcome these challenges,” Stern said.
While the walkout was organized to protest current ICE tactics, through interviews with the Jacket, students expressed a variety of messages they hoped to send through their attendance. While some want the immigration enforcement system abolished altogether, others expressed a focus of keeping ICE out of schools and public gathering areas. Several students asserted the desire that every person seeking citizenship and protection in the United States receives due process and a fair trial.
“I believe that people have the human right to migration, safety and asylum, and so if immigrants want to come here, that's their godd— right,” Bottrell-Rogers said.
Jobson-Aue said in her speech, “We need to work together — to work for change — for laws and policies that keep families together, and treat everyone with kindness and fairness.”
The BHS walkout, one of many student-led “ICE Out” protests spanning across the United States including in Virginia and Texas, created an outlet for students to express their frustrations and raise awareness about current events. With the Sunrise Club looking to build support for their primary walkout on May 1, 2026, students can expect the BHS student body to remain politically active.