Students Walk Out in Texas: School Protests and State Warnings

Since early February 2026, students across Texas have staged walkouts to protest actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demonstrations have taken place in Houston, Dallas, Pflugerville, Austin and Hays County, where hundreds of students left class and marched to public spaces. Many participants say they act to support immigrant families and to call attention to local ICE activity.

State leaders have responded with warnings. Governor Greg Abbott has posted messages on social media that schools allowing disruptive walkouts could face funding cuts and that staff who permit protests should be treated as co-conspirators. The Texas Education Agency has issued guidance saying students who skip class may be marked absent and that districts facilitating protests could face investigations or oversight by a state-appointed conservator or a board of managers.

School officials have tried to balance safety and student rights, and some have sent letters to parents reminding them of attendance rules. Civil rights groups have criticized punitive language and said legal challenges are possible. Local law enforcement have sometimes responded to marches, and a few arrests were reported in Kyle; authorities said the charges were not directly linked to the protest.