On Friday, Jan 30 a large group of West students walked out of their sixth hour classes in protest of the federal agency I.C.E, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, and the recent shootings involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Sophomore Evan Kohler is part of the group that organized the event, TC Students Against I.C.E, which posted a call for protest for all Traverse City high school students on Instagram Monday.

  “I think it’s really important [for students to protest I.C.E] because it shows that people don’t want I.C.E here and that what they’re doing isn’t what a governmental organization should be doing. I think it really shows student involvement and using our First Amendment rights to not put up with what is going on,” Kohler said.

  The protest is part of a nationwide movement against I.C.E, which in recent months has deported hundreds of thousands of people, with a reported 43% having no criminal record other than illegal entry into the United States, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement official government website. Protesters complain of grievances such as racial profiling from agents, inhumane conditions for those in I.C.E custody, use of excessive force, and the Trump administration’s significant limitations placed on asylum claims, which they argue has put many asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents in legal limbo and in danger of deportation or lengthy stays in I.C.E detention centers.

 News of the protest has caused heated debate among not only students, but local parents and community members as well, with many taking to Facebook pages like Overheard in Traverse City to vent their frustrations.

  “I say take names, lock them out of school for the day and prevent them from using TCAPS transportation that day, and remove them from extra curricular activities for the weekend. All students should also receive an F that would equal 25% of their semester grade! Let them protest, but they need to learn it’s not all fun and games.” one commenter on Facebook said.

 At the protest, many students were seen carrying signs with messages such as ‘Respect Due Process’ and ‘Immigrants Make America Great’. Protester Estelle Young’s sign said ‘I.C.E Out’, which she described as being a simple message to show that she doesn’t want I.C.E in the Traverse City community and wants to protect America’s migrants.

  “We live in a bubble here so it’s easy to think that stuff like this doesn’t affect us but it does. We have migrant workers here that help us with the cherries, things that help make America great. I just think that we need to be supporting everyone, everyone is human,” Young said.

  With the controversy of the protest and the fact that it is an unexcused absence, some students expressed nervousness at the idea of attending, but passionate students such as Young, believe the importance of the message is more important than one unexcused absence, and that it is vital to act now. 

  “I’m in objection to the killing of innocent people like Renee Good and just overall, especially in Minnesota, coming in with the fear tactics that are [being used], the zip ties on wrists, going against protesters. I just think it goes against the amendments we have here in America to protect us,” Young said.

  Other students such as senior Sophia Kochis, objected to the premise of the protest and chose to remain in their sixth hour classes. 

  “I personally do not agree because I don’t think that I.C.E is doing too many bad things. I think they’re just doing their jobs.[…] But I would say that’s your right to go. Free speech and everything, I think that’s a good thing to exercise that. If it was the opposite way, I would do the same thing,” Kochis said. 

  Some TCAPS parents also share a similar view: students should be allowed to peacefully protest, but I.C.E agents have only been doing their job. They believe that the Trump administration’s tough on crime, strong border policies are overall beneficial for the country, often citing statistics like the over 20% reduction in violent crime rates in 2025, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.

  “I’m one-hundred percent okay with [students walking out of class in protest against I.C.E.] If you want to peacefully protest and have your voice heard, then you should absolutely do that. [However,] I believe there’s a lot of people misinformed. Most people I would think if you asked them if they support people being deported, especially criminals being deported, they would agree with that. So I don’t know why they feel like they need to protest people being deported when that’s something that they would normally agree with, and something that’s been agreed on in our country for years, but now all of the sudden it’s a bad thing to do,” parent of freshman and senior students, Steve Dyke said.

  Student organizer Kohler is hopeful that the coordinated nationwide protests will show the government that students and citizens are serious about wanting I.C.E out, and he hopes they will be encouraged to be more politically involved as a result. 

  “I hope [this protest] gets more students involved politically and to do more for their community, and to protest and be more involved. I would like more students to be more involved in politics because I think it’s really big and I think that now out of all times is when kids should be involved. To students that do attend I’d like to really thank you for what you’re doing, it’s very honorable and it’s amazing what we’re all going to be doing,” Kohler said.