In recent weeks, Fort Worth, Texas, has become a focal point for protests against President Donald Trump’s intense immigration policies. On Sunday, January 26th, a community gathered at Trinity Park and walked to the center of Downtown Fort Worth to express their voices over the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This was the beginning for ongoing public protest in North Texas. There have been various protests all throughout DFW following this event and there are more to come.

Since his election, Donald Trump has pushed the “Trump Act,” an act of mass deportation in specific areas of the U.S. According to USA Today, “After taking office, Trump ordered military and immigration officials to be ready by February 3rd to implement the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, last used to justify internment camps for people of Japanese, German, and Italian descent during World War II.” 

This response is part of a broader wave of distress across North Texas, with residents voicing concerns over the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics that ultimately will separate families. The recent enactment of one of the factors in the Trump Act, which mandates federal detention for undocumented immigrants accused of certain crimes, has intensified public outcry.

In response to these policies, students in Fort Worth, specifically our Paschal Panthers, have participated in the local protests, highlighting the community’s apprehension about the increased presence and actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the area.

Paschal students and high schoolers throughout the DFW are coming together to fight back against the stern executive order. North Texas is enriched with cultures from all over the world, and we as a student body, not only for FWISD but for the state, will support, push, and preserve. 

The Trump administration’s decision to utilize Guantanamo Bay as a detention center for up to 30,000 migrants has further fueled the protests. Critics argue that these measures not only undermine human rights but also instill fear within immigrant communities, leading many to alter their daily routines to avoid potential detention. The US has already been using a facility in Guantanamo–known as the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC)–for decades and through various administrations, both Republican and Democrat. According to the BBC, “In a 2024 report, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) accused the government of secretly holding migrants there in ‘inhumane’ conditions indefinitely after detaining them at sea.” According to Trump, the facility will double the US capacity to hold undocumented migrants.

As the situation evolves, Fort Worth and its neighboring cities continue to witness a surge in activism, reflecting the community’s deep concerns over the federal government’s immigration policies and their local impact.