Austin, Texas — Hundreds of Texas public school students walked out of classes Friday as part of a nationwide protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, following the fatal shootings of two American citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this month.
Student demonstrations were reported in Austin, San Antonio, Waco, and surrounding communities, with participants carrying signs criticizing ICE and calling for accountability. In downtown Austin, dozens of students marched toward the Texas Capitol, where they joined university students and community members for a larger rally. Austin Independent School District police monitored the demonstration, and officials said the protest largely remained peaceful.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott condemned the walkouts, directing the state education commissioner to investigate the use of school resources. In a social media post, Abbott said taxpayer-funded schools are meant for instruction, not what he described as “political indoctrination.” Several school districts, including New Braunfels ISD, warned students they would be marked absent or disciplined if their participation disrupted instruction or created safety concerns.
Protesters focused on the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both Minneapolis residents who died during separate encounters with federal immigration officers earlier in January. Speakers at the Capitol criticized ICE tactics and, in some cases, called for the agency’s dismantling. While most of the rally proceeded without incident, state troopers briefly detained at least two individuals on Capitol grounds.
The protests were organized as part of the “National Shutdown” movement, backed by labor and advocacy groups nationwide. Students and organizers said the walkouts reflected growing alarm over aggressive federal immigration enforcement and its consequences.
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