Halloween is supposed to be a day of lighthearted pranks, fun costumes and indulging in candy. But this year, for students at ETHS, it became a day of confusion. A day threatened by the presence of federal agents just a few blocks away. During fourth period on Friday, the 31st, an announcement came over the intercom stating that the school is on a “closed campus” and that no students are permitted to exit the building. Shortly thereafter, an email was sent out to all students instructing them to go to South Cafeteria when the bell rings if they feel unsafe leaving the building.
Amidst the flurry of emails and announcements at ETHS, on the corner of Oakton and Asbury, about a block away from Chute Middle School, ICE agents violently took three people. Videos of the incident show a federal agent pinning a man down on the street and repeatedly hitting him in the head. In one video, the man tells the agents that he is unable to breathe.
Since the Supreme Court ruling on September 13, 2025, ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been allowed to use racial profiling as grounds for immigration stops. This permits ICE to detain anyone based on their appearance, no matter their legal status as a citizen of the US. Additionally, ICE’s violent attitudes towards bystanders (such as threats to use guns and tear gas canisters and restraining individuals face-down on pavement) violated the court order. A lawsuit filed in the Chicago area alleges that ICE agents used “riot control” weapons, including pointed firearms at bystanders – all violating a temporary restraining order restricting those tactics. Being a high school student during this unprecedented time has been terrifying for many. “My biggest fear about ICE is that we don’t have all the information. We don’t know what they are doing to the people they have kidnapped, and we don’t know how to get them back,” sophomore Sojourner Tanner says. “I’m scared that it sets a precedent for a complete neglect of due process for people of any nationality or legal status.”
Sophomore Anya Siegel-Acevedo comes from a biracial family. She says that having federal agents in the area “has led to [her] family being extremely on edge.” For the past few weeks, Siegel-Acevedo’s mother has driven her to every activity, avoiding public transportation at all costs. “She’s afraid that my brother and I could be questioned or harassed by ICE.”
According to ETHS Superintendent Dr. Marcus Campbell, the best way students can support one another in such fear-inducing times is to be there for each other. “Recognizing that many kids could be carrying a lot (because there are so many identities under threat these days) is super important,” he says.
Civics and history teacher Mr. Clemons recommends that students should “Show up consistently for their friends. Understand that this is a challenging time and that this is not a joke.” He stresses education, emphasizing taking the time to research and understand what is going on in Evanston and the country at large right now, rather than believing everything seen on social media.
Clemons has also changed the way he teaches some of his history lessons, particularly his civics classes. “We have been focusing on the fact that the Constitution is a living document that was built to be changed, but even with those changes, are all the changes great? Are all the changes bad?” Clemons recounts, “That’s not up to me as a teacher to decide, but it’s up to me to expose the students to the skills that will allow them to make those decisions.”
Through it all, the Evanston community has done what it always does best: show up in a multitude of ways for one another. On November 2, hundreds of Evanston citizens gathered to protest the ICE abduction that had occurred on the corner of Oakton and Asbury two days earlier. These efforts caught the eye of MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. “Right now, that town (Evanston) is turning out to be a crucible for the forging of incredibly determined people. Incredibly determined, and resourceful, brave, no-nonsense Americans,” Maddow shares on live television. If recent ICE activity has proved anything, it has shown that Evanston is strong, Evanston is proud, and Evanston will not stand for injustices being served.
It is important to note that if Evanston residents see an ICE agent anywhere around the Evanston or Skokie area, the best thing to do is call 911 to report it. Evanston Police will check out the scene. You can also inform the ETHS Staff, Dr. Campbell is in touch with the chief of police, the mayor, the city manager, and Dr. Turner, the superintendent of District 65. The worst thing anyone can do right now is stay silent.
