SAN ANTONIO – Nearly 1,000 South San Antonio High School students walked out of class on Friday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration efforts.
Students not yet old enough to vote, including 17-year-old Juan Rodriguez, took a stand against policies they consider unjust. Rodriguez organized the South San walkout.
“This is going against our civil rights,” Rodriguez said.
In two weeks since taking office, Trump signed more than 50 executive orders. He also lifted restrictions on where federal agents can enforce immigration policies.
“We will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said on Inauguration Day.
Ryan Lucio, a student at South San, also participated in the protest.
“To show our displease (sic) with the ICE and deportation situations,” Lucio said.
“We were also standing in solidarity with the other schools,” Rodriguez said.
Other San Antonio-area schools protested deportations earlier this week, including students from Brackenridge High School and McCollum High School.
Rodriguez said he plans to organize additional protests in the future.
South San principal Erika Almendarez said the administration was aware of the peaceful demonstration and sent KSAT the following statement:
“Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent walkout by students at South San Antonio High School. I can confirm that the high school administration was indeed aware of the protest. The principal met with the student who organized the peaceful demonstration to ensure a respectful and orderly event.
I want to emphasize that while the protest was organized by our students, it was not officially sanctioned by the school. We respect their right to express their opinions and advocate for issues that matter to them, particularly regarding the ongoing concerns related to ICE and immigration.
I’m proud of our students for their commitment to peaceful demonstration, which reflects their passion for social justice. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of all students, and we are here to support their voices while ensuring a respectful and safe environment.
We estimate that nearly 1,000 students participated in the walkout, which occurred around 9:45 AM. Importantly, students did not leave campus; they gathered in a designated area as discussed with the administration. The peaceful protest concluded at approximately 10:42 AM, and students returned to their 3rd period classes by 10:48 AM.
We want to emphasize that there will be no consequences for the student’s participation. We support their rights to express their opinions and engage in constructive dialogue on important issues.”
Several community members are expected to organize a separate event regarding immigration.
A “Know Your Rights” rally will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Milam Park.
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