Bakersfield students join the protest against Trump’s deportation policies with walkout

Students from Kern County High Schools took part in a walkout Wednesday morning in response to President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Students from Mira Monte, Del Oro, West High and East High Schools were seen walking out, with many already gathered at the meeting point: Bakersfield City Hall.

Alexander Rozzo marched all the way from West High School, which is about three miles away from City Hall. The student had come prepared with a speech to give out to his fellow peers.

“I'm here to deliver a speech for us today to stand with this protest for many reasons, such as stopping immigrants, getting deported and sending people back because they're not from the United States, and etc.,” Rozzo said. “The main reason I'm here is to stand for my people's rights to be here because they have done nothing to harm or do such bad things. Another reason is because people from Mexico or other countries don't have the materials that we have here in the United States and come here to have a better life, either for themselves or for their families to be in a better place.”

Xochitl Nuñez, a farmerworker activist who attended the protest, told the crowd of students that this walkout wouldn't have been possible if San Jose High School hadn't initiated the first student walkout, which took place on January 28.

One of the policies being protested is ICE entering schools to make arrests, as the Trump administration has reversed policies into allowing immigration law enforcement to enter sensitive areas such as schools, churches and even hospitals.

Students told CALÓ News that many school officials were encouraging students to walk out and that there wouldn't be any consequences. Many of the schools were already aware that a possible walkout could happen and had informed parents the night before. Some students also told us that their parents were not aware that they would be joining the protest.

Maria Robles was one of the many parents who had come to support her daughter at the protest. She said that her daughter had called her to let her know that her school had allowed them to go out and join the anti-immigration protest. 

“Me da mucho gusto ver a los jóvenes que están aquí apoyando, porque la verdad es una tristeza lo que está pasando y pues a veces yo lloro de ver cómo están separando a los padres de sus familias y la verdad esto es una cosa injusta,” Robles said.

In case of an emergency, you can report ICE activity and enforcement actions by calling your local rapid response network.

Los Angeles: 888-624-4752

Orange County: 714-881-1558

Central Valley: 559-206-0151

Kern County: 661-432-2230

San Bernardino/Riverside: 909-361-4588

CHIRLA: 213-353-1333

ORALE (Long Beach): 562-276-0267

Immigrant Rapid Response Hotline (Santa Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo): 805-870-8855

Know Your Rights 

The Immigration Legal Resource Center has the red cards in 16 languages. To print them out, click the link below.

https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas