All students interviewed for this article have requested to remain anonymous.

Recently, in the United States, ICE, which stands for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been carrying out hundreds of thousands of deportations around the country. According to the official Homeland Security website run by the Trump administration, ICE carried out more than 605,000 deportations between January 20, 2025, and December 10, 2025. During Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, he ran on an anti-immigration platform, promising mass deportations.

ICE was created in March 2003 as a part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which was passed after the September 11 attacks in 2001 (USAFacts). Before ICE was established, immigration was handled by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, also known by its acronym, INS.

Around 71% of Osbourn High School students are of Hispanic and/or Latino descent, according to U.S. News & World Report, many having family members who immigrated to the United States from Latin America. Manassas is also a pretty Democratic city politically, so students at Osbourn have strong feelings about recent ICE activity in our country. “I personally feel like recent ICE activity has had a negative impact on our country. This is due to how they are treating people. ICE is treating them with such disrespect, and they wave around their authority to scare others. These ICE raids are making people fearful, forcing them to stay in their homes away from others. These ICE raids and deportations are also going to make the economy crash. Hispanics carry America’s economy, even if people around don’t notice,” said anonymous sophomore #1.

Some students who have immigrant family members have worries about the safety of their families in the United States. “My family does have immigration concerns. My family shouldn’t have to be concerned; they’re hard-working, never done anything illegal. It’s just unfair to them that they have to worry about being targeted for simply coming into a country trying to look for a better future and opportunities,” said anonymous sophomore #2.

Around Manassas, many students have reported seeing ICE in the area recently. “I’ve seen them around public streets in their cars, but I’ve never seen any action happening,” said an anonymous junior. “I have not seen ICE yet, but others around me have. They have explained to me how people go running because they are so filled with fear at the mention of ICE,” said anonymous sophomore #1.

Recently, with the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a woman who was shot 3 times by an ICE officer, and the killing of Alex Pretti, a nurse who was shot multiple times by another officer, Americans’ support for abolishing ICE has surged. According to a poll conducted by YouGov, 46% of US adults support abolishing ICE, 41% oppose, and 12% are unsure. A majority of Democrats support abolishing the agency, and while most Republicans still oppose the measure, almost 1 out of every 4 Republicans support it.

So, what would abolishing ICE look like? A Brennan Center article from July 2018 states, “If ICE were abolished, other parts of the government would likely take up some of the agency’s responsibilities. In his legislation to abolish ICE, Rep. Pocan proposes examining the agency’s functions to determine how some capabilities — like investigations of gang violence, drug and human trafficking, and organized crime (most of which fall to HSI) — could be transferred to other agencies. ICE’s role in removing immigrants who have committed significant crimes is also likely to remain important”.

Funding for DHS expired on Saturday, February 14, due to Democrats vowing to combat funding without reforms to ICE and CBP, according to CBS News. Chuck Schumer, Democratic minority leader of the United States Senate, has demands for DHS in order for Democrats to sign back on to funding. “We need masks off, we need cameras on and we need every police — every [ICE] officer, to be identified,” Schumer told Jake Tapper on CNN.

Many Democratic lawmakers are also now calling to impeach Kristi Noem, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, who oversees ICE. H.Res 996, designed to impeach Noem, was introduced by Robin Kelly, a United States representative from Illinois, on January 14. The reasons for the impeachment, simplified, are as stated: Obstruction of Congress, Violation of Public Trust, and Self-Dealing. As of January 14, 52 Democratic House Representatives have signed onto the articles of impeachment, but it is unlikely to pass a Republican-led House and Senate.

Students around the school have recently been wondering about our school’s policy on ICE, including what the school will do if ICE shows up on campus. Manassas City Public Schools’ position on immigrant students and families is, “Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) is aware of the recent discussions and concerns regarding immigration circulating in the news.  Rest assured, school division policies and procedures remain unchanged. MCPS will continue adhering to its established division policies and regulations prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. These practices align with the 1982 Supreme Court ruling that public schools must provide an education to all students regardless of immigration status.

Please note the following important points:

• MCPS remains committed to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive environment and ensuring a high-quality education for all students and families.
• MCPS remains steadfast in protecting the legal rights of all students and staff in our schools.
• MCPS does not request or collect information regarding the immigration status of students or their families.
• Confidential student records and information are only released in strict compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This federal law prohibits the release of private student information to any individual or law enforcement authority without a subpoena or warrant. This protection applies universally to all agencies, including local law enforcement, outside organizations, and federal authorities.”

So, how do Osbourn students think immigration should be handled in the United States? All interviewed thought the best route for the country to take would be to have more compassion for immigrants and people coming to the states for a better life. “I think immigration should be handled by letting people be free in this country. This is supposed to be a free country, not some country where everyone has to be worried about their safety. Immigrants who have been here longer than any of us shouldn’t be treated this way. This is just unfair to all of us; this isn’t what America is about,” said anonymous sophomore #2. “To be honest, I don’t see immigration as a problem unless the immigrants are actually dangerous, which most of the time they aren’t. Most immigrants come to the United States to have a better life,” said anonymous sophomore #3.

On February 10, 2026, more than 300 Osbourn students walked out of their 4th-period classes to protest the recent ICE activity in our country. For more information about the walkout, there is an upcoming article on our website about it, written by Ian Knox, Briy Moody, and Aniyah Slaughter-Diaz. Go check out the article here on OHS Talon in the coming days.