Rhode Island activist slams adult-run nonprofit that promoted 'student-led' anti-ICE school walkout

Throughout last week, the Providence Student Union promoted a "student-led" anti-ICE walkout from the city's public schools.

"STUDENTS OF PPSD: WALK OUT FOR JUSTICE," began a Monday Facebook post from the student union announcing the event.

"This Friday at 1:30 PM, students across Providence Public School District will walk out to speak out against the injustices of ICE and to stand in solidarity with Minneapolis, which has called for a nationwide shutdown in response to ongoing violence and harm caused by federal immigration enforcement," the post said. "This is a peaceful, student-led action to demand accountability, dignity, and humanity for immigrant communities."

"If we don't stand now, when will we?"

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Later posts railed against federal immigration enforcement authorities.

"This walk out is about refusing terror against immigrant communities and calling for justice and showing student power," said one post, adding graphics that further explained the goals of the walkout. "Dress warm, show up, and share, share, share — the more people who know, the stronger our message. We cant [sic] wait to see you all there!"

The stated goal of the walkout was solidarity with the Minneapolis activists who have been wreaking havoc amid federal immigration enforcement operations for months. In particular, the group honored Renee Good and Alex Pretti, anti-ICE agitators who died at the hands of law enforcement.

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The Providence Student Union is officially unaffiliated with the school district, and operates as a donor-funded nonprofit organization. On 2025 tax forms, the group reported that it paid more than $76,000 to officers, directors, trustees and key employees, and almost $300,000 in "other salaries and wages."

Its leadership team is composed of adults. Fox News Digital also captured images of many adults protesting alongside students in Rhode Island's capitol city on Friday.

Rhode Island activist Nicole Solas said adults shouldn't use students as pawns in political games.

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"Adults should not be paid to encourage or organize students to leave school for political activism," she said. "Do the students know adults make money off the students' activism? Students should not be exploited as cash cows for the political scheming of adults."

She also said districts should prohibit "outside groups from organizing students to use school time for political activism, especially when it financially benefits adults."

Good was shot and killed earlier this month by an ICE agent while shadowing federal law enforcement in her vehicle. Upon a confrontation with law enforcement, she drove her car forward. The agent, standing in front of her vehicle, opened fire.

Pretti, who had disrupted law enforcement on at least one other occasion before his death, tussled with Border Patrol agents before he was shot dead last Saturday. He was armed with a handgun at the time.

A spokesperson for the Providence Public School District reiterated that it is unaffiliated with the Providence Student Union, and that the event was not sponsored or chaperoned by district employees. 

"We are not aware of staff members participating in the event," the spokesperson said. "A PPSD staff member would have had to take personal or vacation time if they had wanted to participate as it was not a school chaperoned event."

The Providence Student Union did not return a request for comment.