ADAMS COUNTY -- Students walked out of a local high school Wednesday morning in the latest in a series of protests over proposed immigration reform.

About 100 Ranum High School in Adams County students walked out, carrying American flags and signs that read, "Our families are not felons."

All of the students said they were against several federal proposals aimed at gathering 11 million illegal immigrants and sending them back to their native country, building a 700-mile wall between the United States and Mexico, and punishing businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

"Our parents are not Americans, and we're Americans and we're going to stay here and our parents are going to leave us here? Is that fair? They're working and they're paying taxes and doing all that like Americans, so why can't they stay here?" asked Ranum student Mildred Alcala.

"That's jacked up that they're going to take them away from their child? It's not fair," said student Aubriana Monjarez.

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo said if you're in this country illegally, you are a criminal.

"The crime they have committed is coming into this country without our permission. The penalty that is supposed to be applied to that, under the law that we have today, is deportation," Tancredo said.

The students say their parents aren't criminals. When asked about illegal immigrants who are committing crimes and who are receiving benefits without working, students argue that most immigrants work hard.

"I think if you work and you have a job and you've been living here for a lot of years, you have the right like everybody else does. But if you're not working and you're just slacking off, then maybe you should go back to Mexico or wherever you're from," Alcala said.

School officials kept a close watch and herded the students back to class after a few minutes.

"Certainly, we can understand why students would be concerned about that. Again, we'll take that as a teachable moment, work with them on how they can write to legislators and express themselves. We in public education feel privileged to educate all children," said Deb Haviland, spokeswoman for Adams School District 50.

The protest was peaceful as the students walked around the school and back into class. Since the students weren't out of class very long, they will not be required to make up that missed classtime, Haviland said.

The students say they may stage another protest later.

Student protests have been occurring all around the country, and sometimes in large numbers. In San Antonio, Texas, school administrators said the students who had walked out of school will be given an unexcused absence and will be required to write an essay to explain their reasons for the demonstration and what immigration means to them.