Texas Probing School Districts Over Immigration Enforcement Protests

The attorney general’s office said schools took ‘little to no action’ to stop ‘large-scale’ instructional interruptions.

High school students stage a walkout to protest federal immigration operations in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2026. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating several Texas school districts for allegedly facilitating student protests against the enforcement of immigration law.

According to a Feb. 16 announcement, the attorney general’s office is demanding documents from the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, the Dallas Independent School District, and Manor Independent School District. His office raised concerns about allegations of faculty orchestrating protests and schools failing to ensure student safety.

The attorney general’s office accused the school districts of taking “little to no action” to stop what was described as “large-scale interruptions” of instructional time. 

“I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical Left’s open borders agenda,” Paxton said in a press release. “Let this serve as a warning to any public school official or employee who unlawfully facilitates student participation in protests targeting our heroic law enforcement officers: My office will use every legal tool available to hold you accountable.”

Manor ISD told The Epoch Times it was aware of the investigation. Manor executive director of communications Maritza Gallaga said the district is “confident the review will show that staff followed district procedures and Texas Education Agency guidance, including maintaining neutrality, ensuring attendance guidelines were followed, and keeping student safety as the top priority during the days the walkouts occurred.”

Texas is one of many states facing walkouts and other protests against federal immigration enforcement. Minnesota, in particular, saw protests last month after the fatal shootings of two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in confrontations with law enforcement.

As schools across the nation grapple with how to deal with student protests, some parents have voiced concerns. 

This issue was addressed in a 1969 Supreme Court ruling when the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District decision stated that schools may limit student speech when it “materially or substantially [interferes]” with a school’s operations and central mission to teach.

Paxton’s announcement followed a similar investigation this month into the Austin Independent School District (AISD) for “facilitating student protest against lawful immigration enforcement activities.”

Paxton’s office cited a Jan. 30 walkout that took place on 14 campuses to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. 

District personnel were allegedly aware of the planned walkouts and “in some instances, facilitated students’ departure from campus,” according to the attorney general’s Feb. 2 press release. 

“These AISD officials are trying to impose their radical political agenda on the next generation by not only allowing them to skip class to protest lawful immigration enforcement activities, but worse yet—use tax dollars to do so,” Paxton said at the time. 

The Epoch Times has reached out to the school districts for comment.