Palmetto High Students Walk Out to Protest Federal Immigration Policies

About 60 students at Palmetto High School walked out of class and off campus shortly after noon on Friday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the immigration policies of the Trump administration, despite a statewide directive from Florida’s education commissioner urging school districts to maintain discipline during planned student demonstrations.

The students exited the campus and marched along 17th Street West to the intersection at Eighth Avenue West, a busy corridor in Palmetto. Participants waved flags representing the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala and carried signs critical of ICE and federal immigration enforcement. The group chanted slogans calling for ICE to leave their communities.

The demonstration maintained an upbeat tone, with some students dancing and others cheering as passing motorists honked in support. Observers noted that most participants appeared to be Hispanic or Latino.

Organizers said the protest was driven by personal connections to the immigration debate, with many students expressing concern for friends and family members who they believe are affected by current enforcement practices. The walkout concluded without any reported incidents, and students later dispersed from the area.