High School Students in Reno-Sparks Join National Walkout Against ICE Operations
In a powerful display of unity and activism, students from several high schools in the Reno-Sparks area participated in a national protest against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on Friday. The demonstrations, which took place at noon, saw students taking to the sidewalks, carrying signs and flags as they made their voices heard.
At the AACT High School, students gathered and marched towards a nearby QuikStop on Pembroke streets. One of the key organizers of the protest was Amber, a student at AACT, who held a sign stating “Fight for our rights.” Amber shared her motivation for organizing the event, revealing a personal connection to the issue.
“One of my best friends, who lives in Henderson [Las Vegas], was taken by ICE over two weeks ago,” Amber explained. “So, I planned the AACT protest. I wanted to show the world that we are not afraid, and I wanted to teach that the youth understand what is happening.” Amber expressed her involvement as a fight for those without a voice and disclosed her fears of being targeted.
“I am part Mexican, and I don’t carry identification. If ICE were here, I’d be screwed. I have no ID. It’s horrendous. Being racially profiled is one of the worst things that can happen to you, and it’s a shame if it happens to you,” she said.
Across town at Debbie Smith High School, dozens of students took to the sidewalks near Sutro Street and McCarran Boulevard. In the crowd, two students stood out — Atticus wore the American flag on his back, while his friend Tony draped the Mexican flag over his shoulders. Atticus explained the significance of this display.
“I want people to know that to be a true patriot in this country, you need to understand the Constitution that was signed over 250 years ago, and you must obey its laws,” Atticus stated. “This country was built by immigrants, and we must respect and love one another.”
Atticus further shared why he and Tony decided to wear the flags. “I thought it would be cool if I wore the American flag, because my family has been in this country since the Revolution. And I thought, ‘Tony, what do you think about grabbing a Mexican flag and the two of us walking with the flags?’ We are good friends, and we wanted to display unity,” he said.
Emilio Milo, a journalism student from KUNR, contributed to this article.
