“Minneapolis was the big city for me…it was never scary,” Micah Goettl said, a previous resident who lived outside the city of Minneapolis. “To [my family] it feels like they are in a third world country… they’re scared to death and don’t recognise their home.”
On Jan. 7, 2026, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Not three weeks later, Alex Pretti was shot and killed just six miles away from Good. Due to the ICE presence in Minneapolis, schools such as Southwest High School in the heart of the city had to shut down due to the threat of violence.
“People always say in history when you’re learning about things in the past, ‘What would I have done when I was there?’ I have the opportunity now to show up,” a third-year University of Oregon student said.
Over the past 2 months, thousands of students across the United States have protested against ICE, including walkouts at 20+ schools in Oregon.
“The walkout didn’t just extend to Crescent Valley; it also involved Corvallis’ middle schools, OSU students, and many community members. There were poem recitations, speeches, and musical performances,” Crescent Valley student Laura Chen said.
“My grandparents are immigrants, I’m originally from Los Angeles, and so it’s very personal, and I want to fight for my people and my friends,” a University of Oregon student said.
According to the Centre for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), in the past decade, people aged 18-29 have increasingly engaged in civic life, participating in protests and leading social movements from gun violence prevention to the racial justice movement.
“In this country, we are facing the rising tide of authoritarianism that is manifesting in many different ways by glorifying these armed ‘thugs’, ‘secret police,’ ICE on our streets that’s happened in Minneapolis, but it’s also happening in Eugene. We need to take action right now,” a member of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) Organization said.
On Jan. 16, 2026, hundreds of students in the Benton area participated in an ICE walkout because the issues at hand directly affect future generations.
“We will be the ones facing the long-term impacts and consequences of today’s policies and decisions,” Chen said. “The ICE officers are clearly abusing their power, and that should not be and has never been allowed like this until these recent years.”
Young people are taking action at rates similar to or higher than those in previous years. According to CIRCLE’s data, youth are protesting, signing petitions, and donating money to campaigns more than they did in the previous election cycle, with 56% of youth saying they would sign a petition.
“A good one-on-one [conversation] ends in a direct ask, and another time to meet, so that they stay connected to the movement, and working on it further. It’s not just about showing support, but about joining a movement,” University of Oregon and YDSA member student Aliyah El Khyari said.
The process of collecting names and signatures allows citizens to express their thoughts and ideas at the community level, to make change when grievances arise, and to petition the Government for redress.
Several schools and organisations across the nation are continuing to challenge and protest ICE’s presence because youth voices are finally making an impact, as the number of youth participating in political activities continues to increase.
“It’s important for us to be here as students, workers, and community members, to let people know we are here, we care, we want immigrants and international students protected, and we are also here issuing demands,” an editor for an independent newspaper said.
