Sophomore Corabella Dover thought she was done. After promoting the Feb. 6 ICE protest through the Instagram account spreadtheword_fuhs2026, Dover assumed the campus activism energy would subside.
But then an FUHS student reached out to her, asking if she would use the Instagram account to promote a Wear White on Wednesday protest hosted on March 11 “to symbolize peace.” The student also wanted to announce an “ICE Out” pin giveaway. Dover agreed and posted the promotion on March 8.
Dover is glad that spreadtheword_fuhs2026, with over 500 followers, has inspired others to find a way to take a stance against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “How could I say no? I’m really inspired that people want to talk, that people want to act,” she said.
One FUHS student said that in order to combat ICE brutality, people need to support each other. “Overall, I think that ICE is an inhumane horror that our country is dealing with currently, and it’s important that we do as much as we can to keep the people around us as safe as possible,” she said.
She isn’t the only one who feels this way. About 700 FUHS students skipped their 4th period on Feb. 6 at 12:15 p.m. to participate in a walk out and protest against ICE violence. According to Aeries, there were 314 absences during third period, and that number increased to 1,007 absences during fourth period. For fifth period, there were 480 absences.
Dover said that the goal of the protest was to reach the students who do not usually feel inclined to participate in social justice events. “We were trying to reach the bystanders,” she said. “It’s the bystanders who typically don’t really care to take a stance on the issue, but it is a real issue and it’s happening to people that we know and care about.”
Around half of the student population left that day, with signs in hand. They were accompanied by a few school administrators, including principal Jon Caffrey, and some college students joined in as well. “When I was going along, they were like, ‘Mr. Caffrey, you’re coming with?’” Caffrey said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m coming with.’”
Within the same 10 days, other Orange County high schools, including Buena Park, El Dorado, La Habra, Sonora, Orange County School of the Arts, and Valencia organized student-led walkouts.
La Habra High School senior Riku Saish participated in a joint walk-out of La Habra and Sonora students on Jan. 30. She said that the turnout was unexpected considering the short time frame in which it was coordinated. “The La Habra walkout was organized in just two days, but we had a huge turnout,” she said. “We also had a police escort.”
Like La Habra, the Fullerton Police Department was stationed at locations along the march to ensure student safety. The FPD did not intervene with the protesters; they were there only in case protesters disrupted ongoing traffic.
Principal Caffery released a statement addressing the protest later that week.
“The student demonstration was peaceful, respectful, and orderly, and the day concluded safely,” wrote Caffery in a letter sent to parents.
La Habra principal Steve Garcia shared a similar sentiment in an email to the Tribe Tribune. Garcia estimated about 200 students walked out on Jan. 30. He praised the organization and coordination of the protest. “Our students were the model of protesting peacefully as they were organized, communicated effectively with all participants, and safety was their priority,” Garcia wrote.
While many students felt that attending the protest was a necessary action, some students felt as though walking out of class was a step that they weren’t ready to take.
One freshman said that she completely supports her friends who chose to protest, but she thinks that it’s important for people to do their research and really understand why they are protesting. “I also think it’s important not to shame people who chose not to protest,” she said. “Its not that we don’t support the cause, it’s just that we might not be ready for that yet.”
The Feb. 6 protest created a unique situation for student journalists. Tribe Tribune adviser Kimberley Harris told her staff the day before the walkout that they needed to plan ahead. “If you attend tomorrow, you can either carry a poster or wear a press pass, but not both,” Harris said. “You’re there to report for the record. Ask questions and listen, but do not share your own thoughts.”
Junior Ricardo Ceja chose to embrace his role as a journalist. “Honestly I thought it was an act of pure insanity on my part, to willingly throw myself into a massive colorful crowd and talk to people who were much more open to expressing themselves than I was,” Ceja said. “It was a huge responsibility I was setting myself up to take.”
Ceja was humbled by the experience. “When I witnessed the crowd raising their signs, calling out an unlawful authority that has long forced their community to live in fear of being taken away, I was honored to be there,” he said.
Ceja said the community support was inspiring, as some locals passed out water bottles to students along the route. Supporters honked, cheered, and whistled to encourage the students.
In addition to talking to students, Ceja interviewed community members who came to the protest to support the cause. Local Dennis Arp stood on the first corner of the student’s route, cheering them on. He said that he was proud of the students for taking action, and emphasized the importance of being a part of local protests.
“I think that this will show our community that even across generations, across neighborhoods, across cities, that Orange County is standing with our immigrant communities, our neighbors,” Arp said. “It shows we are gonna stand up wherever and whenever we can to this moment.”
