Texas Attorney General Investigates School Districts Over Student Protests

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched investigations into three school districts – Dallas ISD, North East ISD in San Antonio, and Manor ISD – following student walkouts protesting federal immigration policies and operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The investigations center on concerns that school staff may have orchestrated the protests and whether public funds were used to facilitate them.

Investigation Details

The Attorney General’s office announced the investigations on Monday, February 16, 2026, and is demanding the school districts provide policies regarding students leaving campus, excused absence policies, security protocols, and internal communications related to the protests . The state is probing whether the walkouts caused substantial disruptions to classroom instruction.

Concerns and Potential Consequences

Paxton expressed his disapproval of the protests, stating, “I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical left’s border agenda.” He warned that any public school official or employee found to have unlawfully facilitated student participation in protests targeting law enforcement will be held accountable.

If the investigations find that faculty unlawfully encouraged students to leave campus during school hours, the districts could face funding cuts or increased state oversight . Governor Greg Abbott has as well indicated that districts could lose funding and students who break the law during protests could face arrest .

Background of the Protests

The student walkouts are part of a national movement protesting immigration enforcement, sparked by recent killings involving federal immigration officers . Students have called for the dismantling of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Districts Involved

The three districts under investigation are among the largest in Texas. Dallas ISD has the second-largest student population in the state, while North East ISD is the second-largest in the San Antonio area . The Texas Education Agency has warned that districts found to have facilitated walkouts could face state intervention .

The investigation into North East ISD follows similar inquiries into the Austin Independent School District .