The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has come to Utah Valley University for training and recruiting. Their presence in Utah will be intensified, putting thousands of people in danger. These people are friends, families, neighbors, but most of all they are human beings who deserve to be treated as such. It is our responsibility to do whatever we can to help our fellow human beings, and for us here at Timpview, that started with a peaceful protest, a walk out.

When the bell ending second period rang on Wednesday, February 4th, students at Timpview flocked to the bus loading zone with friends and signs in hand. They began walking away from their third period classes, leaving behind history notes and biology labs for a more important cause. The protesters filled up the sidewalk, chants of “No Hate, No Fear, Immigrants are Welcome Here” and “Show me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like” filled the streets, students began talking and laughing with each other, forming a community with students they may not have crossed paths with otherwise. It was a beautiful display of comradery and love.

I asked several students why they chose to walk out on February 4th. These were their responses.

“I wanted to show that this matters to everyone, and it affects everyone. Everyone can and should take a stand, no matter who they are.”

“I have been so tired of hearing about what ICE is doing around the US, kidnapping random people off the streets just because they look different or maybe even sound different. And not just that, taking others life’s just for trying to fight back. Immigrants came into this country for a better life, I just wonder why they can’t have that? To quote one of my favourite artists, “no one is illegal on stolen land.” We are all here because of immigrants. We don’t own this place, they do.”

“Recently, heavily armed men with tactical gear knocked on my neighbor’s door. My neighbor is a legal US citizen. My neighbor is a kind, decent, hardworking man. My neighbor is not white. He wasn’t home, and the men moved on. I am not okay with that. I am not okay with prejudiced individuals being given power to destroy the lives of innocent people. That’s why I walked out on the 4th. In protest of that.”

“I walked out because this country has reached a point where families and children are being taken from their homes and killed violently, and somehow people are still ignoring it.”

“I myself am an immigrant. I came to the US almost 6 years ago now with hopes for better education for me and my parents and a safer life. I have never been scared that, just because of my dads looks, that they will take him while he’s at work, and I’ll never see him again. ICE is a terrorist organization working with the support of our government, who at this point are way too corrupt now with the man baby we get to call our president. ICE at this point have been around for several years, but never were they holding public executions, until now. While we are a bunch of, basically, children in high school, our voices aren’t left unheard! When something is wrong, you stand up for what is right! That’s something you are taught at school, so now we are doing just the thing! I went to the walk out because I’m tired of not finding the space to speak out. I went because I believe what ICE is doing is wrong on so many fundamental levels. I went because of my friends. And I went for my family.”

“I walked out because I still believe in America. I still believe that we are a land of the free and a place of opportunity for all people. I walked out because I love my country, and I won’t stand to see her taken by a tyrannical regime. America is the people’s country, and she won’t be ruled in fear.”

“I walked out on February 4th because innocent civilians shouldn’t be getting detained and killed based on the color of their skin. All of us are descended from immigrants, so who are we to decide who gets to stay and who gets kicked out?”

“What we did on February 4th may be just a blip in the radar. We may not be the people who change the world. We may never make any headlines aside from this one, but it still meant something huge for us. I walked among my peers, my friends, my classmates and strangers to speak up for our rights and the rights of our neighbors. And even if it comes to nothing in the end (I dearly hope it does come to something), even if we are screaming into the void, I’m glad I got to hear all of our voices together. It gave me strength to hope we can make a difference. I’m ready to chant “this is what democracy looks like” with you any time Timpview!”

“I walked out because I believe that a significant reason why some people are against immigration is because of racism. And I also think it’s wrong to shoot people. I think ICE has perpetrated racism and killing innocent people, and I feel a moral obligation to stand against them.”

“I am so sad that this is happening in our country and I don’t want to see it get any worse, I want to see it get better. Deporting children away from families is quite literally evil.”

“I think what’s happening is just so wrong. Everyone besides the Native Americans were immigrants at some point and I think it’s crazy to pick and choose which immigrants get to stay. I also believe the US should be welcoming to everyone who wants that “American Dream”, it’s like the quote from Clueless where Cher says, “it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty.” Besides, I’m severely against police brutality and what ICE is doing right now is police brutality and they’re killing innocent people. I believe in doing whatever we can to help.”

As for those who didn’t show up, and I’m not talking about people who were unable to show up, I’m talking about people who chose not to show up, I have a message for you. In 30 years your kids will be in a US History class and they will learn about this period of history. When they ask you what you did, if you walked out and protested like the other students, I guess you could lie to them so they don’t think you were a racist or a Nazi, or you could be on the right side of history and take actions that will make yourself and your future child proud.

Everyone likes to think they’d be the ones hiding Jews during the Holocaust but now when faced with fascism, people are showing their true colors. And if you don’t think what’s happening right now is similar to what was happening then, I’ll leave you with a quote from Anne Frank’s diary.

“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are being torn apart; men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared. Everyone is scared.”

Do the right thing, use your voice for good, protect your fellow human beings and their unalienable rights, be on the side of history that you won’t be ashamed of when you look back with 20/20 hindsight.