¡Viva la raza! ¡Si se puede! ¡Viva México! On Thursday, hundreds of students, parents and community members, carrying handmade posters and flags, marched to these chants and more as they made their way to Redwood City’s Superior Court in protest of President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies, which promise increased mass deportation.
Las Banderas Unidas, a group of seven students from Woodside, organized a peaceful walkout to start at 9:25 a.m., despite the heavy rain. The movement was later joined by Sequoia, Menlo-Atherton, Redwood and Summit Everest High Schools. After heading towards Alameda de Las Pulgas, with traffic initially directed by principal Karen van Putten and bilingual resource teacher Jesus Cervantes, students marched along Woodside road and El Camino.
Along the way, students were met with the honking of horns and waving of flags from community members in support of the walkout. Posters reading “Nobody is illegal on stolen land,” “We’re the voice for those who can’t yell” and “Education not deportation,” decorated the walk towards downtown Redwood City.
At around 11 a.m., students from the aforementioned schools reached the courthouse square, with Folklórico dancing filling the streets between Broadway St. and Hamilton St. As the walkout moved towards the Redwood City Superior Court, organizers shared prepared speeches to the growing crowd.
“Look around you; we are workers, students, dreamers,” junior Katherine Morales, an organizer of the walkout, said. “Our parents, our mothers, our fathers fight to give their children opportunities they never had. We are future doctors, teachers, business owners. We are warriors. We are the backbone of this country.”
Using social media platforms like Instagram, organizers were able to quickly spread the word of the walkout and provide relevant information, such as times to leave campus and places to meet in case of an emergency, for students.
Following Menlo-Atherton’s arrival to Redwood City at around 11:40 a.m., students amassed along the streets, with many gathering on rooftops. As the crowd shouted, hollered and cheered their support, student speakers demanded equal treatment for immigrants.
“Our parents fought for our future and now we will fight for theirs and our people,” Jocelyn, an organizer of the walkout, said. “We fight for our rights and we will not stop. In the words of Caesar Chavez, who once fought for us just how we’re doing now, ‘There is no turning back, we will win!’”
Van Putten emailed students and guardians late Tuesday night to inform students of their rights and the risks when participating in walk-outs or protests. Van Putten shared that the Sequoia Unified High School District Administrative Regulation 5113 allows students a one-day excused absence per school year for a civic or political event. This follows the California Senate Bill (SB) 955, passed in 2023, that promises all Californian middle and high school students an excused absence for civic or political engagement.
Van Putten additionally warned students that “public demonstrations are no longer considered ‘protected sites’” and students should be careful when participating in political protests. This change follows the Trump administration rescinding the Biden-era policy that protected places, such as schools, churches and hospitals from immigration enforcement, without a warrant. In replacement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are directed to take enforcement action in these places using “common sense.”
Community members at the walkout offered cards and flyers to students detailing people’s right to not speak or not allow ICE officials to search their home and belongings per the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
With this walkout, students hoped to raise solidarity for immigrant communities and inspire change among the next generation.
“I want you to ask yourself this: ‘what can you do today for a better tomorrow?’” senior Andy Villeda, an organizer of the walkout, said.
