Benicia High School students hold anti-ICE walkout

BENICIA – An estimated 400 students from Benicia High School walked out of class on Wednesday afternoon to protest the Trump Administration and the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Last Friday, students walked out in Vallejo, American Canyon, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and across the country after students at the University of Minnesota called for a nationwide strike to protest ICE’s actions, particularly in the wake of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good.

The Benicia High walkout was organized by junior Maddie Vlnar. She had never attended a protest before, much less organized one. But she had friends from the East Bay who had organized a walkout, and a handful of Benicia High students said they were interested in helping plan one, too. So she created an anonymous Instagram account last Thursday and began to spread the word. 

“I really wasn’t expecting this many people to come out,” said Vlnar. “It was very makeshift and DIY even, but it ended up really working out, and I’m really happy that people came.” 

For Vlnar, seeing ICE’s actions on social media motivated her to organize. 

“Every time I open Instagram or TikTok, I’m constantly seeing all these things happen to people who are protesting and to people who are immigrants, whether they're undocumented or not,” said Vlnar. “Even American citizens are being detained and treated unlawfully and even killed. I figured it's time to finally end this. Let's put our voices out there. We have the people.”

According to the Marshall Project, ICE has been holding an average of 170 children in custody a day since President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Per The Guardian, 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025; since the start of 2026, eight people have died in ICE custody or been killed by ICE agents. ICE is currently holding the largest number of detainees in its history, according to CBS.

The walkout began at 2 p.m. Vlnar and some friends went from classroom to classroom rallying students and explaining to teachers why they were doing the walkout. The protesters gathered in the quad and then marched to the City Park gazebo on First Street. So many students walked out that those at the back of the march couldn’t see where the front began.

As the students walked, they waved signs that said phrases like “no one is illegal on stolen land” and “I’ll take my horchata warm because ICE sucks!” They also chanted “no ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA” as cars drove by honking in support. 

Several teachers walked with the students to monitor the protest, as did Benicia police. 

“We’re here to protect students, make sure they're safe,” schools Superintendent Chris Calabrese said. “They have the right to protest.”

He added that his preference is that students are in the classroom learning, “but we have constitutional law and state law and educational code that we have to follow, and sometimes those things contradict,” Calabrese said. “So we're just out here making sure that students aren't causing any damage, and they're not getting hurt either.” 

For many students, this was their first protest.

Sophomore Talaya Wilson said she loved seeing all her classmates participate in the walkout and voice their frustrations with the current administration. 

“I don't agree with anything that's happening in the world right now. None of this should have happened in the first place,” Wilson said. “I'm really happy that everybody is protesting against ICE and Trump because we should have never voted for him. I’m very disappointed in my country, and in adults. Now my generation has to fix your guys’ problems.” 

Senior Gabriel Gomez echoed this sentiment. “Immigrants built this country,” said Gomez. “We pick your food, we build your houses, and you want to kick us out? Nah, man.” Gomez said the administration should focus on going after real criminals rather than the “immigrants who are just trying to make a living.” 

A 2026 UCLA study found that immigrants without a criminal record make up the largest group in ICE detention. Trump initially claimed he would only go after the “worst of the worst.” 

Senior Isaiah Figueroa helped Vlnar organize the walkout. For him, the motivation to walk out was personal. “I’m a first generation Mexican-American, so seeing all this here hits really close to home for me,” said Figueroa. “We live in a world we had no say in.” 

Figueroa said he’s glad that he’s now of voting age so he’ll be able to “have more of a voice” in the country.

For senior Camryn Wittry, the protest was important because it was a way to speak up for “people whose voices can’t be heard.” 

She pointed out how many people brought their own signs and encouraged others to chant. “It's amazing to see young people voice their opinions,” said Wittry. “Even though so many people here can't vote, they're using their First Amendment right.” 

During the protest, some Benicia residents walked out from the nearby Safeway and library to cheer on the students. 

“We're really happy to see all these young people here,” said Benicia resident Wayne Eisenhart, who stood on the hill with the students to watch the protest with his wife.  “It warms my heart.”  

The protest ended around 3:30 p.m., with parents picking up their kids or students walking down First Street to grab food. 

“It’s such a surreal feeling. So many people came out,” Vlnar said, after thanking the students for attending. She said she was proud that the protest remained under control, and that they were able to have a long moment of silence for those who have been brutalized or killed by ICE. “There were parents, and people off the street, and so many cars driving by who were honking and cheering us on. It was so, so amazing.”