In the wake of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detaining two people and taking one into custody in Newton last week, students, residents and city officials have spoken out in support of local immigrant communities. 

Last Friday, nearly 50 students at Newton North High School conducted a walk-out an hour before the school day ended. Students marched to City Hall chanting and carrying signs with messages telling immigration officials to stay out of Newton and that immigrants are welcome in the city. 

North interim principal Lisa Gilbert-Smith emailed families to inform them of the protest and note that students who participated would be marked with an unexcused absence. 

“We recognize and respect our students’ rights to express their views and engage in peaceful protest. At the same time, students are expected to attend their scheduled classes and remain in school during the school day,” Gilbert-Smith wrote. “We remain committed to maintaining a school environment where students can express their perspectives, engage in civic discourse and participate in peaceful demonstrations while also meeting their responsibilities as members of the Newton North community.” 

The Newton Public Schools administration told the Newton Beacon that there will be no disciplinary action beyond marking students with unexcused absences. 

“We cannot get in the way of high school students expressing their rights. However, we do try to help keep them safe as they protest, especially if they go off campus,” the district said in a statement. 

A spokesperson for the district added that students who disclose being negatively impacted by immigration enforcement will be provided with counseling and access to resources. ICE could not be reached for comment in time for publication of this story. 

At the school committee meeting on Sept. 14, student representative Tyler Vazquez said he had the “honor” of participating in the walk-out with his peers. The North senior later told the Newton Beacon that the mood of the protest was slightly grim compared to previous student walk-outs because the ICE arrests had taken place so close to home. 

“There was this real sense of collaboration to try and support a community,” Vazquez said. “We have a lot of immigrants and people of color [in Newton] and we want to make sure they have a safe space and a feel welcomed outside of political issues and the judicial system.” 

Vazquez said many of his teachers during his time at North have inspired him to be involved in community activism. He said he is not aware of any disciplinary action being taken against students for participating in the protest, beyond being marked with an unexcused absence. 

When speaking with fellow students about participating in protests, Vazquez said some share concern about the reaction of teachers and school administrators. Vazquez acknowledges these barriers, but sees them as part of the point of protesting. 

“We are trying to practice civil disobedience, and if we’re not able to stand up in a case that involves going against schools or teachers, what are we going to do when it’s the U.S. government?” 

The Newton Teachers’ Association told the Beacon that the organization supports the student walk-out. 

“The NTA applauds students’ civil disobedience in support of our immigrant community,” the union said in a statement. 

Vazquez said to those who identify as politically moderate or who don’t see a point in protesting, he reminds them that the treatment of immigrants by law enforcement officials is a matter of human empathy. 

“You can say that you don’t think it’s going to work. You can say that it is too difficult or too scary. You can say all those things, but at the end of the day, I’m just of the opinion of why not try?” he said. “At least you know that you did the best that you could to help … have this community that we want to be able to build become more of a reality.” 

Resident reactions

Resident Susan Tornheim told the Beacon that she is opposed to any actions by ICE except for detaining undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes. 

Hundreds protest against the Trump administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Newton Centre on Jan. 10, 2026. (Photo by Bryan McGonigle)

“My grandparents were lucky enough to come to the USA before 1924, when bigoted immigration laws would have prevented them from entering,” she said. “Immigrants who come to this country are the brave, energetic and motivated people we need to drive the economy, start new businesses and add to the vibrant culture of this land of immigrants.” 

The Immigration Act of 1924 set quotas on the number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. from eastern and southern Europe and banned immigrants entirely from Asia. 

Resident Carol Berlin said she is “outraged” by ICE’s treatment of immigrants. 

“Most of what ICE is doing is locking up and deporting good, contributing citizens, not the criminals Trump said he was after,” she said. “I can’t stand [to] have ICE in Newton, or any other community. Too many families are being pulled apart. Good people are being sent back to unstable and dangerous countries. Positions filled by honest working people are now unfilled.”   

“It’s horrifying and we must protect our neighbors from this cruelty,” another resident told the Beacon. 

Other Newton residents expressed their support for strict immigration enforcement. 

“It MUST be done. The police and immigration officials (what they are) should be working together to detain any person engaged in any illegal activity,” wrote Sande Young in an email to the Beacon. “It’s completely appropriate for this to happen at City Hall, [a courthouse] and any other municipal building.”

“I am in favor of strong enforcement by ICE,” another resident told the Beacon. “These individuals entered our beloved country illegally.”

Support from city leaders

At the meeting on Sept. 14, the school committee voted unanimously to adopt the state’s PROTECT Act, which prevents federal immigration and customs enforcement officials from conducting arrests without a warrant or court order at courthouses, public schools, childcare centers, healthcare facilities and on state property. 

During public comment at the meeting, a mother of two current NPS students asked the district to go further in its efforts by preventing immigration arrests from being made at bus stops, in the vicinity of school buildings and while children are walking to and from school. 

Marc Laredo attends a protest against the Trump administration and Immigration & Customs Enforcement in Newton Centre on Jan. 10, 2026. (Photo by Bryan McGonigle)

Mayor Marc Laredo assured the public during the meeting that his administration has spent extensive time working with the Newton Police Department to keep residents safe in the face of immigration enforcement activity, but added he will not ask police officers to put themselves in danger by interfering with ICE. 

“We are trying to make very sure that we are doing whatever we can to keep folks in this city safe and secure. At the same time, there’s a balance between what we can do permissively and what we can’t do, namely interfere with federal law enforcement,” he said. 

Laredo said the city and school district may consider amendments to Newton’s adoption of the PROTECT Act in the future, and advised the school committee to adopt the state’s version of the policy for now. 

“It is very important that we have a coordinated, clear, legal response to whatever we do,” he said. “This is an area we need to be very thoughtful about, and I’m just going to urge everybody to do that.” 

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If you see federal immigration agents interacting with the public or have other information related to immigration enforcement activity in Newton, please email myehiya@newtonbeacon.org or message the username madhri.24 on Signal.