Lila Dominguez, a high school junior in Minneapolis, was working on an article about an ICE agent shooting when immigration enforcement agents arrived at her school on 7 January. The incident has left students across the city shaken.
Dominguez, who runs Roosevelt High School's digital newspaper, reported that agents used chemical irritants outside the school and detained a staff member. The school locked its doors to protect those inside. Her column, titled 'ICE Needs To Get Out Of Minneapolis', quickly spread online.
The presence of ICE agents has affected young people across the Twin Cities. In the suburb of Crystal, a parent was detained at a bus stop while waiting for their child. The Robbinsdale school district confirmed the incident and said all students boarded safely.
School districts have reported lower attendance, with some allowing remote learning. A public charter school in Richfield moved to remote learning after attendance dropped below 40%. Minneapolis Public Schools cancelled classes for two days and offered virtual options through mid-February.
Collin Beachy, chair of the Minneapolis Public School Board, called on ICE to 'leave our kids alone', emphasising that community events affect the learning environment. Students at Roosevelt held walkouts to protest ICE following the killing of Renee Good.
Dominguez described the atmosphere as 'not normal at all', noting that many students are missing from classes. 'Being a student in Minneapolis right now can be really scary,' she said, adding that it is 'sad and angering' that government actions are keeping students from school.
