Students from several schools in the Antioch Unified School District walked out in protest of ICE activities in Antioch, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Hema Sivanandam/Bay Area News Group)
ANTIOCH — With school in session, hundreds of students from several middle and high schools in Antioch walked out Friday in protest of nationwide immigration crackdowns by the Trump administration.
Holding signs that read “No one is illegal on stolen land,” “Ice out of the Bay,” and “We are skipping our lessons to teach you one,” scores of students from Deer Valley High School, Dozier-Libbey Medical High School, Antioch High School, and several middle schools left their campuses around noon to rally in opposition of actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the direction of President Donald Trump.
The demonstration mirrored similar student-led protests throughout the Bay Area in recent weeks, such as in downtown San Jose and San Leandro.
Chanting “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state” and “No ICE,” students from Deer Valley and Dozier-Libbey marched together on Sagebrush Drive, heading toward Walmart on Lone Tree Way and Hillcrest Avenue.
They then made their way back to Deer Valley High School and walked toward Deer Valley Road.
Vehicles passing by honked in solidarity, some with the Mexican flag waving along.
Melina Williams, a 15-year-old student from Deer Valley High School, said she and her friends heard about the protest on social media and wanted to support it.
“I’m doing this because I’m part of the Hispanic community, I’m advocating for my people,” said Williams.
Williams’ friend, Miriam Patterson, said she was fighting for what she believed was right. Patterson was against the reported detention of children and others by federal agents without due process.
“I don’t think ICE should be charging children, mothers, fathers, and people in general because they are mostly not criminals, they are innocent civilians,” said Patterson. “They just detain you for the color of your skin. I don’t agree with that.”
Christine San Miguel, a 15-year-old student from Dozier-Libbey, said she was happy to see so many come out to create awareness.
“Students coming together and speaking out … .power to the people,” said San Miguel. “I think this is great because it’s proof of what people can do when you unite.”
Students marched for about two hours alongside several staff members from Antioch Unified School District, including Deer Valley Principal Robert Bowers and volunteers from Rage for Democracy, Brown Berets, and Indivisible East Contra Costa County, who provided support to ensure student safety.
Keisha Lowe, an elementary school vice principal in the district, said she was called in for “extra support” to ensure the protest went smoothly.
Lowe said she was proud of the students, noting that they did a “great job” of listening and following directions while making their voices heard in a respectful manner.
“They are learning the proper way to stand up for their rights … to do it in a positive way with no violence,” said Lowe. “They did a great job.”
In a message to staff and families, Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Darnise R. Williams said the walkouts were not sanctioned by the district.
District leaders, along with SR Global Security and the Antioch Police Department, were on site to help keep students safe, said Williams.
“Most students returned to campus, and transportation assisted with pick-ups as needed,” said Williams. “We are grateful to our school leaders, staff, security teams, and community partners for their professionalism and care in supporting students throughout the day.”
Mike Rodriguez, an organizer with community-based group Rage for Democracy, said he was “incredibly proud” of the students.
“They showed up peacefully, stayed respectful, and exercised their constitutional rights with care for one another,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “Our job was simple: provide a calm, visible safety presence so students could express themselves without anyone getting hurt.”
The walkout at Antioch High School concluded with a student-led rally that provided a platform to speak out on issues affecting their communities, including concerns about immigration enforcement and ICE, Rodriguez said.
Originally published at Hema Sivanandam