In 2025, activism doesn’t always happen in streets, with signs and chants. Sometimes, it happens on a screen—inside a digital world built by teenagers. One of the most surprising places it showed up this month? Roblox.

Yes, that Roblox: The online platform known for blocky avatars, virtual houses, and roleplay games is now also home to a new kind of protest, and this time, the issue wasn’t fictional—it was about ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a moment that says a lot about how my generation is redefining protest, teenagers across the country staged peaceful, organized protests inside Roblox to speak out against the appearance of ICE agents in gameplay, and what started as disturbing roleplay quickly turned into something serious, heartfelt, and inspiring.

What Sparked the Protests?

 It all began in Brookhaven, a popular Roblox roleplay game where players can create their own towns and daily lives, allowing themselves to create and engage in imaginative scenarios through social interaction. Normally, you can play as a student, firefighter, or even a dentist. But in recent weeks, players began role-playing as ICE agents, staging mock raids on homes and detaining other players’ avatars.

To some, it may have seemed like just part of the game. But to many of us—especially those who come from immigrant families—it felt disrespectful, even dangerous. We’ve seen what ICE does in real life. We’ve heard the stories, watched the news, and know people who’ve been affected, and turning that into a game wasn’t okay.

That’s when we decided to act. Not with anger, but with activism. 

How Roblox Became a Protest Platform

 Teens began organizing peaceful protests inside Roblox. We created custom avatars holding signs with messages like “Abolish ICE” and “Justice for Families.” We formed marches in public squares, walked through city blocks in-game, and filled servers with peaceful demonstrations. Some players even designed protest shirts using Roblox’s avatar tools and shared them so others could wear them too.

We used TikTok and Discord to spread the word. Videos of protests began to go viral. Hashtags such as #RobloxProtest and #NoICE started trending in Roblox and social media communities. The message was clear: this space belongs to us, and we want it to be safe for everyone.

I participated myself. I designed an avatar wearing a shirt that said “Families Belong Together.” I joined a march in the Brookhaven town square, where players were lining up and chanting peacefully in the chat. When roleplayers posing as ICE agents tried to shut it down, we didn’t yell or fight. We surrounded them silently, formed a circle, and used peace signs and emojis to make our point.

While it might have been digital—but it felt powerful. 

Why It Matters

Some adults might laugh or say, “It’s just a video game.” But they’re missing the bigger picture.

Roblox has over 200 million monthly users, many of whom are under 18. It’s more than a game: For us, it’s a community, where we hang out with friends, express ourselves, and yes—organize around issues that matter to us.

And let’s be clear: the issue of immigration enforcement does matter to us. Whether it affects us directly or impacts the people we care about, we see how immigration policy shapes our world. When kids roleplay ICE raids, it’s not just imagination—it mirrors real trauma. And when we protest, even in a game, it’s because we want to push back against that fear and injustice.

This protest wasn’t about pretending, it was about reclaiming a space and using our voice in the most accessible place we have.

A New Kind of Protest

The Roblox protests are part of something bigger: digital activism led by the youth. We’re the generation raised on Minecraft, Discord, live streams, and TikTok, we don’t have to wait until we’re 18 to care about the world, and we’re not limited to traditional forms of protest.

When we can’t march in real life, we march in servers.

When we can’t speak at city hall, we speak through our avatars.

When the real world feels too dangerous or out of reach, we build better ones online.

This isn’t about replacing traditional activism—it’s about expanding it, using every tool we have to be seen, heard, and respected.

Final Thoughts

 My name is Nygel Dior Baker, and I’m a high school student. I care about the world I live in, and I care about the people who share it with me. That includes immigrant families, classmates, neighbors, and friends.

The Roblox protests against ICE weren’t silly, immature, or fake– they were real acts of resistance, creativity, and compassion. They were proof that my generation is not passive. We are not distracted. We are not waiting.

We are leading—on our screens, in our games, and in our communities.

So the next time someone asks if teenagers today care about politics, just tell them this: we protested ICE in Roblox—and we meant every bit of it.