Oxnard students walk out in protest of Trump's immigration, deportation policies
Oxnard students walk out in support of immigrants
Dozens of high school students in Oxnard walked out of class in support of the immigrant community, as federal immigration raids continue under the Trump administration
OXNARD, Calif. - Dozens of Oxnard students walked out of class on Friday to protest President Donald Trump's new immigration policies, days after ICE raids and arrests were reported in the area.
Students in the Oxnard Union High School District took to the streets around 10 a.m. for a "Walk Out Against Deportation," according to fliers, carrying posters, signs and flags, to speak out against the President's latest moves on immigration. Video from the protests showed cars driving by, apparently honking in support of the students.
Trump wasted no time once he got back in office to revoke several Biden-era immigration policies, signing an executive order titled "Protecting The American People Against Invasion." The order says that it "ensures that the Federal Government protects the American people by faithfully executing the immigration laws of the United States," among other things. Shortly after that order was signed, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could now conduct arrests in sensitive locations, like churches and schools.
SUGGESTED: ICE raids reported across Southern California
Trump has also ordered the opening of a detention center at Guantánamo Bay to house up to 30,000 undocumented migrants.
Since the moves, there have been numerous reported ICE raids and arrests in large cities with large immigrant populations, like Los Angeles and Chicago. More arrests have been reported across Southern California, including Riverside, San Diego and earlier this week, cities across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
SoCal schools prepare students for ICE agents
One of Donald Trump's executive orders now allows for ICE agents to make arrests in schools. Schools in Southern California say they're preparing their students and families, advising them of their rights before potential federal enforcement.
The group 805 Undocufund, which provides financial aid to immigrants, has been warning residents through social media and text message alerts in the region. On Tuesday, the group reported ICE activity in Oxnard, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Santa Barbara and Solvang, saying that "arrests have been made."
Friday's protests were in response to the ICE activity in the area.
In a statement to FOX 11, the Oxnard Union High School District said, "This morning, several of our schools saw student-led walkouts in support of their immigrant community. Our top priority is keeping students safe, and staff members accompanied those who chose to leave, with district transportation available to ensure a safe return to campus.We are aware of separate incidents that occurred near the peaceful protests. These were promptly addressed by our staff and local law enforcement."