The protest at Tyler and Magnolia sparked a wave of student absences, with many choosing not to attend school in solidarity with those protesting the treatment of immigrants.
The protest was driven by the message that immigrants are vital to the country and voiced strong opposition to ICE’s actions. Amrit Kaur(12), along with other students, protested. She saw it as unfair since she believed that Mexicans were the most hardworking.
“Some students did the protests for their parents. Some did it for the people who couldn’t. I believe the whole immigration is unfair especially because Mexicans are the most hardworking people in America,” Kaur stated.
Kaur found the protest to be amazing, seeing a community get together to stand up for their culture.
“It was absolutely beautiful, seeing the community get together to fight for their culture. It was so sad but amazing seeing all the kids fight for what’s right and fight for their parents who are immigrants,” Kaur exclaimed.
But why are they doing this? It’s because Donald Trump came into office and promised to better the economy, but he believes that the immigrants who are here illegally and contributing to society; are blocking new immigrants from coming lawfully.
Trump has promised to be more aggressive this term – without regard for the law or common sense; claiming that “They’re poisoning the blood of our country.” Trump being more aggressive resulted in him summoning Ice throughout the country to get rid of these illegal immigrants, giving them full authority to access schools and workplaces if they have a warrant. Students unaware of that fact believed that they would come to Norte Vista, so they began to spread rumors to everyone, which alerted Principal Jason Marquez.
Once Marquez became aware of that rumor and the possibility of ICE coming to Norte Vista; acting swiftly, he informed the school community about the potential visit. Thankfully, nothing occurred, but the situation raised concerns, as students stayed home out of fear of ICE’s presence.
“It’s definitely a concern because right now we have around 600 students absent, which is about a third of our student body. This is impacting our school,” Marquez explained.
He also highlighted the wider consequences of prolonged uncertainty, emphasizing that it could delay important academic processes, including future plans for incoming students.
“The longer this situation continues, the more it will impact things like our testing schedules. It’s not just about the tests themselves; there’s a ripple effect. Our counselors are at Wells Middle School right now, introducing course selections to the incoming 9th graders, but there aren’t many 8th graders there, which is pushing us off schedule,” Marquez added.
Jaymee O’rafferty, Norte Vista’s Community schools site coordinator also recognizes the gravity of the situation and encourages students to protect their families and support one another.
“This is a huge issue that’s largely out of our control. The best we can do is support our friends and our community with the right information,” O’rafferty said.
Remarking that, Marquez makes it clear that his concerns extend far beyond testing. He’s well aware that the issue is deeply personal for many families, affecting their safety and peace of mind,
“I feel for our families. It’s not about me, or the tests, or course selections. It’s about the well-being of our families. I wish there was something I could say to make them feel safe and reduce their anxiety. Some of our families are facing the real possibility of having a parent deported, and I don’t have an easy answer for that. It’s sad that politics are affecting our students’ lives. They don’t have the right to just come onto our campus, if it comes to that, I have a plan in place. It might cause delays, but ultimately, we’ll do whatever we can to keep our school and students safe,” Marquez remarked.
Despite the challenges, they assured the community that they would do everything in his power to keep Norte Vista a safe place for all students. O’rafferty reminds students to not be afraid and to support your friends and families.
“I’m incredibly worried about everyone and how anxious they must be feeling and just frankly angry that we’re in an atmosphere that we are right now where people are forced to be afraid. It is a huge issue that’s largely out of our control. The best we can do is support our friends and our community with the right information,” O’rafferty said.
To help students better understand their rights, she organized a “Know Your Rights” presentation by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). This event aimed to equip students with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their families in case ICE agents approach them. In addition to the presentation, O’rafferty has been distributing red cards to students and their families, which outline their basic rights in case of an encounter with ICE agents.
“We invited the ACLU to come and explain people’s rights, so they know how to voice and assert their rights. Knowledge is power, and when you have that power, you can help others understand their rights too. What we’re doing is handing out red cards that explain these fundamental rights. For instance, if someone knocks on your door, you don’t have to let them in. We just need to support each other because, as a community, we stay strong by being united and ensuring everyone feels safe and protected,” O’rafferty explained.
The efforts by both Marquez and O’rafferty highlight the importance of community, education, and solidarity in the face of uncertainty. Their goal is clear: to ensure that every student at Norte Vista feels safe, informed, and supported during these challenging times.
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Sources: https://www.aclu.org/trump-on-immigration
https://www.wmar2news.com/local/ice-agents-can-now-enter-schools-lawyers-run-through-what-they-can-and-cannot-do