Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has formally demanded information from the Austin Independent School District (AISD) after students were allowed to leave campus during the school day to participate in protests opposing federal immigration enforcement.
On Friday, January 20, 2026, students from at least 14 AISD campuses walked out of classrooms to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Reports indicate that district officials were aware of the planned demonstrations ahead of time and, in some cases, facilitated students' departure from school grounds.
In a letter sent to the AISD community the same day, Superintendent Maias Segura stated that the district does not bear responsibility for keeping students on campus and denied responsibility for the protests themselves.
That statement drew criticism from Paxton, who argued that schools have a duty to supervise students during instructional hours.
"Parents expect our public schools to educate and keep their students safe during the school day, not encourage them to attend a protest field trip designed to villainize brave LA enforcement officials protecting our country," said Paxton.
He further alleged that district officials may have used taxpayer resources to advance a political agenda and said his office would move to halt any unlawful conduct.
As part of the inquiry, Paxton has demanded that AISD provide documentation related to policies governing off-campus departures, excused absences, campus security procedures, and internal communications tied to the walkouts.
The investigation will also examine whether public funds were improperly used and whether any state laws were violated.
The action comes amid a broader wave of student led protests nationwide in response to recent ICE activity in citites including Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Similar demonstrations have occured at multiple Central Texas school districts in recent days, placing school administrators and state officials at odds over student safety, political expression, and the limits of school authority.
