Westbury High School students hold protest denouncing ICE activity in the village

Westbury High School students protested outside of Park Avenue Elementary School Friday afternoon, speaking out against recent ICE activity in the village.

Jon Dowding

Jun 21, 2025, 2:37 AM

Updated 16 hr ago

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Calls to denounce ICE activity in Westbury are coming from some of the youngest voices in the community. 
Westbury High School students protested outside of Park Avenue Elementary School Friday afternoon, speaking out against recent ICE activity in the village.
Katherine Guerra Ferrera, of Westbury, says she and her classmates organized the protest to make sure everyone’s voice in the community is heard. 
"[We’re] just trying to get the word out and speak for those who can't speak," she said.
Adelina Santos, of Westbury, says she and others in the community have been personally impacted by recent ICE arrests.
"I know some of my family has been taken,” she said. “It's just not fair to us. These people aren't criminals. They're taxpayers. They're just workers."
Since the accident, students say fear of more ICE arrests in the community has only grown.
"It's not fair for the people of our community, our families who get up in the morning and work every day, to be scared to go out, go grocery shopping, and do simple everyday things cause of the ICE and being scared of what's going to happen to them,” said Guerra Ferrera.
Davis Orellana is the president of Westbury Hispanic United Association, Inc. He joined the students’ protest to show them support.
"To support the kids is important because they have to feel that we are here to protect and to support their initiative,” he said.
Nabeel Jafar, of Westbury, says he and his fellow students organized their peaceful protest to show the community they are not alone.
"We just want to make a stand outside the school knowing that, letting the community know that we're with them and we're supporting them no matter what,” he said.
News 12 reached out to the school district for a comment on the protests and has not heard back.
Westbury community members will hold another rally against ICE activity on Sunday on Post Avenue at 9 a.m.