![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ICE-protest-e1771022130480.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBy Dan Israel\/Hudson County View<\/p>\n
Beginning at their respective schools, students from Ferris High School, Snyder High School, Dickinson High School, and County Prep High School met along the way during their march to Jersey City City Hall.<\/p>\n
As they walked the streets of Downtown Jersey City, cars stopped to honk in support. Chants of \u201cHey, hey! Ho, ho! ICE has got to go!,\u201d or \u201cNo hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!,\u201d among others rang out across the neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
A student organizer from Ferris described how the walkout was largely organized by sophomores who conducted behind-the-scenes planning, designed the flyer, researched information, and created maps, among other things.<\/p>\n
Many did not want credit for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cICE cannot get us if we come together as one. We must all come together to get ICE out of Jersey City. They shouldn\u2019t be in our nation, not in our state, never in our city. Abolish ICE once and for all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
On the steps of City Hall, students and elected officials rallied against ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) raids in Jersey City and Hudson County in recent months.<\/p>\n
A child of immigrants, another student described how it was necessary to continue to speak up and support each other through these trying times with ICE. She said\u00a0by standing up for what is right now, others can be inspired to do the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour story is not defined by fear.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0defined by strength. This\u00a0mean\u00a0believing families deserve dignity. It means\u00a0believing\u00a0no child should\u00a0feel like loving\u00a0their parents is a risk. You belong here. I belong here. We belong here together. Your dreams matter. Your voice matters. The experiences you carry, your culture, your language, your family history, those are\u00a0not weaknesses. They are\u00a0your\u00a0superpowers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another student, who identified herself as a senior at Ferris High School\u00a0and proud Puerto Rican, said\u00a0praised the walkout as strength in the face of the fear provoked by ICE.<\/p>\n
She along with other students who spoke would go on to quote a powerful message that appeared during musician Bad Bunny\u2019s recent Super Bowl Halftime Show, that \u201cthe only thing more powerful than hate is love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re walking out to show that we remember something important. Our community is stronger when we protect each other and use our voices. We\u2019re students, but our voices matter. We see what\u2019s going on, and now it\u2019s our turn to speak up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we were able to protest, but I also know too many people who were imbued with fear of ICE hurting them if they did, too scared to put their families or themselves at risk,\u201d another female student said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not blame them. I completely understand how it feels to think you are unable to speak out, but please do not give\u00a0up on advocating for what you believe is right.\u00a0Do not stop expressing yourself. We are doing this for you, because we know how it feels to have so much to lose. We want you to know that you are important. Your voice matters, even when you\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0say a word.\u201d<\/p>\n
8th District congressional candidate Mussab Ali applauded the students for putting together the walkout to demonstrate their First Amendment rights, as well as the adults who helped facilitate the event including grassroots organization Spirit of Liberation, who served as marshals during the march.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a moment in our country that is not normal. It is not normal to be standing in a moment of fear where you don\u2019t know if you will be detained simply for speaking another language that is the reality of our system right now,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Ali also said it\u2019s important for students to protest now more than ever because rights are being stripped from Americans every day. He said that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are trying to make it harder to vote, further dividing families and the nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is, they brought in ICE to pretend like it was going to keep our community safer. But we know the truth. The truth is that all ICE has done is cause chaos. Abolish ICE!\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n
Prior to ICE\u2019s formation in 2003, immigration was handled by the U.S. Department of Justice, under which there was due process, Ali said, adding that the majority of people detained by ICE have no criminal record either.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need to do is we need to stand together, we need to have a united voice, and we need to say that we want ICE out of Jersey City,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Prior to the event, he published a statement expressing his support for the walkout, citing the students\u2019 First Amendment rights to protest.<\/p>\n
Ali called on school administrators and local officials to respect the students\u2019 constitutional rights and not retaliate against the walkout by punishing students. On the other hand, he also tasked the students with remaining peaceful, lawful, safe, and respectful.<\/p>\n
After Ali, four members of the Jersey City City Council gave brief remarks, including Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks, Ward C Councilman Tom Zuppa, Ward D Councilman Jake Ephros, and Ward E Councilwoman Eleana Little.<\/p>\n