Over 200 Riverhead High Students Stage Peaceful Walkout Against ICE

More than 200 students at Riverhead High School left class during eighth period on Jan. 16 and gathered in the parking lot behind the school to stage a peaceful walkout protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement and deportation policies. Organizer Oliver Earl, a senior, estimated the crowd at over 200 and said the action was sparked by a recent local ICE presence that led to a friend being stopped.

Students carried handmade signs criticizing mass deportation policies and ICE enforcement activities. Speakers used a bullhorn to address the assembled crowd. Several students spoke about immigration, family histories and fears of deportation, and videos of those speeches were shared with local media. While many peers voiced support, organizers noted there were some dissenting voices in the crowd. The event proceeded without incident, though at least eight Riverhead Police Department vehicles were observed parked on or adjacent to school property during the rally.

The walkout is a clear demonstration of youth-driven civic engagement in Riverhead and highlights how immigration enforcement can ripple through schools and neighborhoods. For families with mixed immigration status or members who rely on local health and social services, visible enforcement activity can increase anxiety, disrupt routine care and undermine trust in institutions that students and families depend on. Classroom participation, concentration and overall mental health are likely to be affected when students worry about the safety of loved ones.

Public-health and school officials in Suffolk County should consider the walkout a signal to review how schools support students facing immigration-related stress. That includes access to mental-health services, culturally and linguistically appropriate counseling, coordination with local clinics and clear communication about rights and resources. The presence of multiple police vehicles, even when no arrests occur, also raises questions about how law enforcement is deployed around schools and how that deployment shapes perceptions of safety among immigrant and nonimmigrant families alike.

The immediate local impact was visible: a large, youth-led protest that closed out the school day and circulated widely through video. Longer term, the action could influence conversations among school administrators, county health and social-service agencies, and elected officials about how to balance public safety, community trust and the health needs of vulnerable families. The students who walked out made their concerns public; now Riverhead leaders and residents will face pressure to respond and to consider policies that protect students' well-being while addressing community fears about enforcement activity.