Students at Golda Meir School in Milwaukee walked out of their classrooms Wednesday afternoon and marched to a local ICE facility to protest immigration enforcement, joining a national wave of student demonstrations.
Hundreds of students left their downtown campus and marched through the city, saying the walkout was about ensuring young voices are heard in the national immigration debate.
"We're very passionate about our community. We're very passionate about what goes on… so we're walking out to protest the current deportations and the situation of the nation right now," Bree Newell said.
Newell, a senior at the school, said students aren't just seeing these issues online — they're witnessing the impact in their own neighborhoods.
"A lot of us see these things on social media. We see them in our own communities, so it's very important that we address them," Newell said.
Student leaders said the walkout was also about pushing back against the idea that young people don't belong in political conversations.
"Young people's voices are always the strongest. You see, historically, it's students who make change. It's important to let students know that they can lift their voice and that their voice is important," Newell said.
For senior Jackson Thao, the march was deeply personal. His family is made up of first-generation immigrants.
"ICE is ripping families apart, taking away loved ones," Thao said. "It's really scary… I'm scared that one day I'm gonna come home and they're just gonna be all gone."
About an hour after the students dispersed, another protest began at the ICE facility, this time led by adult organizers, connecting the students' walkout to a broader community response.
Alan Chavoya from the ICE Out of Milwaukee Coalition watched the student demonstration.
"It was unbelievable watching these students today. It just shows the energy is across all generations — from youth to elders. We can't shy away from what's happening, we've got to face it head-on," Chavoya said.
As both protests wrapped up downtown, organizers said the message goes beyond Milwaukee and speaks to a national moment.
"It's absolutely essential. Young people are turning out because it's their future and they're lending their voices both in the streets and through peaceful, organized action," Christine Neumann-Ortiz with Voces De la Frontera said.
Thao emphasized the importance of youth involvement in politics.
"That people know youth are concerned in our politics… if not now, when will we speak?" Thao said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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