(La Porte, IN) - Over 100 La Porte High School students walked out of class Monday to protest the ongoing arrests nationwide of undocumented migrants by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
They walked together late in the morning for about a mile to the county courthouse in downtown La Porte where they loudly and repeatedly chanted things like “ICE Out” beside passing motorists on Lincolnway. Many of the demonstrators also held signs containing statements such as “Liberty and Justice for All.”
The protesters then walked several blocks to the east along Lincolnway before returning to outside the courthouse before noon to continue the demonstration. A number of passing drivers, including semi-truck operators, expressed their support by honking their horns.
Junior Riley Borders said it felt good to express her feelings on the matter. “I feel exhilarated because I’m angry. Families should not be separated,” said junior Riley Borders.
Senior Hannah Vaughn said she felt immigrants who entered the country under the Joe Biden administration should be allowed to remain since the mass deportations were ordered by a federal government that forced Native Americans onto reservations. “How is it fair that we get to be on stolen land and they can’t be,” she said.
Sophomore Xavier Trusty held a sign referring to the book of Leviticus in The Bible about Israelites being commanded to treat foreigners living on their land with respect, love and equality without mistreatment. Trusty also said he believes it’s possible for the mass deportations to be ordered stopped in response to the demonstrations happening nationwide.
“I think all of us together, if we stand united, might be able to prove our point and show them that we’re not going to be pushed around,” he said. A number of adults joined the protest to support the message from the students and protect them from any violent acts that might occur from someone with opposing views.
“I’m rallying behind them because they are brave enough to stand up for what they believe in,” said La Porte area resident Kayla Ware. Angie Henzman spent her lunch break from work to join the protest with a sign reading “De-Ice for Good.” Henzman said one reason she came out was out of concern for the safety of the students due to a lot of negative pushback on social media from ICE supporters. “We wanted to support them. They need to be able to have their right to speak up,” she said.
