Sunday, February 15, 2026

Protests around the country

 Around the country, protests continue against ICE.  J. David Goodman, Mary Beth Gahan and Callie Holtermann (NEW YORK TIMES) report:

Students in more than three dozen states have walked out of class to protest the Trump administration’s deportation tactics in recent weeks, a wave of defiant demonstrations that continues as some officials have vowed to crack down.

Teenagers in Utah carried backpacks and bullhorns as they walked out of eight schools in Salt Lake County. In Maine, students in mittens convened on a bridge over the Kennebec River. Scores of students were seen stopping highway traffic in Maryland. Classmates at a high school in Sunnyside, Wash., lined a parking lot carrying hand-drawn posters. “We are skipping our lesson to teach you one,” read one.

But in Texas, where more than half of all public school students are Hispanic, Republican leaders have tried teaching a very different lesson of their own, threatening students, teachers and school districts with severe consequences for taking part in demonstrations.

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has suggested that state funding could be stripped from school districts and that students who are disorderly during protests should be arrested. The Texas Education Agency has warned that districts found to have facilitated walkouts could be taken over by the state.

“Schools and staff who allow this behavior should be treated as co-conspirators,” Mr. Abbott said in a social media post last week, which focused on one walkout in Kyle, Texas, outside of Austin.

Yet despite the threats from state officials — and the pleas to students from many school administrators — the protests over immigration enforcement did not stop.


THE COLLEGIAN editorial board counters Abbott:


Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatening to take away state funding from high schools with students who participate in protests is a restriction of the First Amendment.

In response to high school students protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, Abbott argued walkouts are disruptive and lead to criminal chaos, and the schools allowing this behavior should be treated as co-conspirators.

But what is so criminal about student walkouts?

This type of political demonstration has been conducted by students since 1766. The Great Butter Rebellion at Harvard University, where students protested poor food quality, is considered the first student protest in the United States.


And Abbot's threats didn't deter turnout last week.  Chris Moss and Bianca Rodriguez-Mora (FORT WORTH REPORT) report:

As Seguin High sophomore Janelle walked to the corner of Silo and Eden roads in Arlington, a green shirt with a Mexican flag stitched on the back draped over her shoulders.

Worry, anger and fear all washed over her as she stood next to classmates and wondered what the consequences would be for walking out of school to protest recent deportations and deadly shootings related to immigration enforcement. Then she remembered her grandmother, who inspired her to attend Thursday’s protest in the first place.

“She came here as an immigrant,” Janelle said. “So I feel like I should be out here and show her that I can do it, and I can protect people.”

Janelle was one of many in Arlington and Mansfield who participated in walkouts this week to protest against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


 Caitlin Leggett (KTXS) reports, "Students from Abilene High School walked out of class and marched to Abilene City Hall around noon Thursday, staging a student-led protest centered on concerns about immigration enforcement and what they described as recent actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement." KTAB/KRBC offer a photo essay here.  CNN notes, "More than 100 Dripping Springs High School students walked out of class and marched Tuesday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but some participants left the demonstration with traffic citations. Students carried signs and chanted as they left campus. One student, asked what they decided to put on their sign, said, 'We are skipping our lessons to teach you one. ICE out'."  Jacob Daniels (KRISTV) adds, "Students at multiple Corpus Christi Independent School District campuses walked out of classes Thursday afternoon, carrying signs and chanting in what many described as a powerful statement. The demonstration sparked debate among community members about student safety and supervision during the protest."  Arthur Clayborn (KLTV) notes, "Kilgore High School students walked out of classes Thursday morning to protest deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, with organizers saying recent family separations in their community motivated the demonstration.  Student organizer Kemuel Ondinyo said he was inspired to act after watching similar protests at other Texas schools and witnessing deportations affecting people in his community."  Bianca Seward (HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA) notes, "More than 50 students from the Houston Academy for International Studies walked out of school Tuesday protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the United States.  The protest, which students said they started planning last week, started just after noon. While chanting 'ICE off our streets, ICE off our streets,' several students said they were there to call attention to the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration."


And on Friday, walk outs continued.  Priscilla Rice (KERA) reports, "Young North Texans continue to protest the federal government’s anti-immigration policies by walking out of class. More than 200 students walked out of Grand Prairie High School just after 11 a.m. on Friday. Students told KERA stronger U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement measures have affected not only their community, but communities nationwide."  WBAP notes, "Several dozen students walked out of the Dallas Uplift Williams Prepatory School Friday morning, hiking into Dallas to protest ICE immigration activities at the American Airlines Center. Waving flags from several nations, students say they are protesting immigration and other federal agent violence, illegal arrests, and illegal deportations of their teachers and neighbors who have been here for years." Daniel Perreault (KVUE) adds, "Students at multiple Austin ISD schools walked out of class during the school day once again on Friday to protest.  Students from three Austin high schools walked out around 1:30 p.m. and then marched to Austin City Hall."  And Matt Mitchell (HOODLINE) notes, "More than a hundred McNeil High School students walked out of class in Round Rock on Friday afternoon, marching off campus to the corner of McNeil Drive and Parmer Lane to protest recent actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The midday demonstration kicked off shortly after 2 p.m., part of a wave of student-led protests that has rolled across Central Texas since late January."

 And John Andrews (WSWS) reports:

On Friday thousands of high school students walked out of Los Angeles-area schools to protest ICE’s Gestapo tactics, participating in another national “day of action.” Those who gathered outside the federal jail in downtown Los Angeles heroically stood up against an attack with gas and batons by federal agents.

Helicopter video by local television stations show demonstrators standing their ground near the U.S. Metropolitan Detention Center, many obviously teenagers, some shoving back and throwing objects at the federal thugs in self-defense.

 [. . .]

In a related retaliatory action, Ricardo Lopez, a history teacher at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Charter Synergy Quantum Academy in South Los Angeles, was fired for opening a locked gate to allow students, who were then risking injury by climbing over gates and fences, to join the walkout, a move school administrators labeled insubordination. Already almost a thousand signatures have been collected demanding Lopez’s reinstatement. To date the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) bureaucracy has issued no statement in support of the victimized teacher.

Protests took place across the nation.  Today?  Austin Hanson (FOX 59) reports:

A group of singers gathered in downtown Indianapolis Sunday night to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The demonstration, which was organized by Indy Singing Resistance, was held at Monument Circle at 6 p.m. Instead of chanting, protestors used their signing voices to express themselves.

In a release sent ahead of the protest, Singing Resistance indicated that a small group of people would lead all who show up for the event. Those leaders taught demonstrators the songs they planned to sing during the protest upon their arrival at the event. No singing experience was required for protest attendees.



In Tennessee, WCYB reports, "Despite rainy conditions, protesters took to the streets in Johnson City on today to rally against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the region, saying they are concerned about what they describe as an increased ICE presence spreading across Northeast Tennessee. Community members gathered holding signs and chanting, saying they would not stay silent against what they described as growing enforcement efforts by ICE. Pandora Burns a protestor said, 'I mean they don't stop deporting people in the rain either so'."

 

Let's wind down with this from Senator Adam Schiff's office:


Freedom 250 group has been reportedly soliciting high-dollar donations in exchange for preferential access to President Trump and official government events held for America’s 250th birthday.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and six Senate colleagues are demanding information about Freedom 250, a new private entity reportedly soliciting large private donations while offering donors exclusive access and other benefits tied to President Donald Trump and events planned for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America.

In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the Senators demand the White House produce a list of donors who have given to Freedom 250, who public reports say were promised benefits including access to White House “VIP” events and ceremonial roles in the semiquincentennial. The Senator’s inquiry also seeks an explanation as to how the group is involved in planning the anniversary events and what ethical guidance the group received from the Office of Government Ethics or White House ethics officials.

“It is imperative that Congress and the public understand how decisions are made, who exercises control, and what guardrails exist to prevent inappropriate donor influence. Absent clear rules, this structure risks blurring the line between legitimate civic fundraising and pay‑for‑play access tied to official government functions, an all too familiar feature of the current Administration,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators raise concern that the arrangement between the federal government and Freedom 250 could violate federal bribery, conflict of interest, and ethics laws.

The Senators emphasized the importance of their probe by highlighting the administration’s poor record of preserving the public trust when it comes to preferential access to donors, as recently illustrated by solicitation of private donations by the same Trump-allied fundraiser for the White House ballroom construction project.

“These circumstances warrant careful scrutiny to ensure that preparations for the nation’s semiquincentennial remain nonpartisan, transparent, and focused on the public interest. Furthermore, these concerns echo previously raised inquiries – which remain unanswered – regarding the financing of President Trump’s White House ballroom construction project, which includes private donations from individuals and corporations whose business interests are directly impacted by the Administration and its decisions,” the Senators wrote.

Schiff led a similar inquiry into the financing of the White House ballroom construction in October, raising concerns about influence donors could exert on the Executive Branch in exchange for donations to support the reportedly $400 million price tag.

Joining Schiff in demanding answers on Freedom 250 are Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Ms. Wiles:

We write seeking clarity regarding the funding, governance, and role of Freedom 250, a private entity planning and promoting events associated with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Recent reporting indicates that Freedom 250 is soliciting large private donations while offering donors exclusive access and other benefits tied to the President. These reports raise serious questions about transparency, potential conflicts of interest, and whether access to the Administration’s official or quasi‑official activities is being conditioned on or provided in exchange for financial contributions.

According to public accounts, Freedom 250 appears to operate alongside, and in some cases overlap with, America250, the congressionally authorized commission established by the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 to plan a nonpartisan, civic‑focused commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. To the extent Freedom 250 is shaping major anniversary programming or coordinating with the White House and federal agencies, it is imperative that Congress and the public understand how decisions are made, who exercises control, and what guardrails exist to prevent inappropriate donor influence. Absent clear rules, this structure risks blurring the line between legitimate civic fundraising and pay‑for‑play access tied to official government functions, an all too familiar feature of the current Administration.

We are particularly concerned by the solicitation for sponsorship packages circulated to potential Freedom 250 donors promising supporters who give $1 million or more preferential access to the President and high-profile events held at or in connection with official government venues. Linking private contributions – explicitly or implicitly – to invitations to White House events, photo ops, ceremonial roles, or other forms of access unavailable to the general public, raises serious concerns about the auctioning of government activities. Furthermore, these arrangements may implicate federal bribery, conflict of interest, or ethics statutes and will be subject to close scrutiny.

These concerns are heightened where events are sponsored, hosted, or facilitated by the White House or federal agencies, yet appear to serve President Trump’s political agenda and allies while presenting opportunities for donor recognition that resemble political fundraising activity. Government-sponsored civic commemorations should not serve as platforms for political messaging or partisan activity, nor should they create opportunities for donors to exert influence with federal decision-makers under the guise of patriotic celebration. Moreover, the use of a private entity to raise funds for activities closely associated with the presidency risks circumventing transparency, disclosure, and guardrails that ordinarily apply to campaign fundraising or official government operations.

Taken together, these circumstances warrant careful scrutiny to ensure that preparations for the nation’s semiquincentennial remain nonpartisan, transparent, and focused on the public interest. Furthermore, these concerns echo previously raised inquiries – which remain unanswered – regarding the financing of President Trump’s White House ballroom construction project, which includes private donations from individuals and corporations whose business interests are directly impacted by the Administration and its decisions. It is also alarming that Meredith O’Rourke – identified as a lead fundraiser coordinating private donations for both the White House ballroom project and Freedom 250 – appears to be centrally involved in soliciting high‑value contributions tied to access to the Office of the President and President Trump himself in both efforts.

In order to carry out our oversight responsibilities and provide transparency to the American public, we request the following information by February 20, 2026:

  1. Provide a complete list of all individual and corporate donors who have contributed to Freedom 250 to date, including the amount and date of each contribution.
    1. Describe any benefits, access, recognition, or other consideration donors have received or been promised in connection with their contributions.
  2. Describe Freedom 250’s governance structure, including its leadership, board members, and any formal or informal role played by White House officials or federal agencies in its operations or decision‑making.
  3. Describe Meredith O’Rourke’s specific role in facilitating fundraising efforts for both the White House ballroom project and Freedom 250.
  4. Explain how Freedom 250 coordinates with America250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, or other federally authorized entities, including whether funds, programming responsibilities, or branding are shared.
  5. Describe any ethics guidance sought or received by the White House regarding Freedom 250’s fundraising practices, donor access, or relationship to official government activities.
    1. Provide any records of communication between the White House and/or Freedom 250 leadership and the Office of Government Ethics or White House designated agency officials.

We look forward to your response and to ensuring that preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary reflect transparency, integrity, and service to the public interest.

###


The following sites updated:


Posted by at