Students at UIC demand ICE out of their communities and schools

Chicago, IL- On Friday, October 3, around 65 students gathered on campus outside of University Hall at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) to attend an emergency protest led by New Students for Democratic Society at UIC (New SDS at UIC), to oppose the attacks against immigrant and oppressed nationality communities.

The protest came in the wake of ICE kidnappings in Chicago, along with the raid of an apartment building in the South Shore Chicago, a predominantly Black neighborhood where over 50 people were detained without warrants, many of them U.S. citizens. 

UIC administration, stand up to ICE! 

SDS member Valarie Domrzalski stated, “If UIC cannot fund our Cultural Centers, how can they defend our students?”

There was also a deep understanding of the fear currently going through the minds of people in immigrant communities, and how the overwhelming presence of ICE has made people afraid to leave their homes for even necessities.

Aolina Campuzano from Mexican Students de Aztlán, gave a personal anecdote of how their own family members are feeling fear to go out of their own homes. Gloritzel from the Latine Student Coalition and Liv from Socialist Alternative at UIC also noted a similar sentiment, understanding the importance of speaking up on issues such as this, their effects, and the importance of continuously speaking up 

This is only the beginning of our fight against Trump and ICE, said Gio Araujo from Freedom Road Socialist Organization during his speech. He pointed out how this is not the first time oppressed communities have been attacked in a way such as this, but that for the Trump administration, “This is the first step to having a tighter grip on oppressed peoples in Chicago.”

Students marched along Harrison and Halsted Streets, alongside UIC buildings, chanting “Say it loud and say it clear, Immigrants are welcome here!” They marched through the university’s Quad and back to University Hall, receiving support from numerous passersby, many being staff members as well as students. 

Join the student movement! 

We encourage any student or young person not involved in the movement to join your local SDS chapter or help build one. 

Uniting students and youth in action and kicking ICE out of schools and communities is important in the struggle to fight Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda. 

Join SDS by clicking here.

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #SDS #ImmigrantRights #ICE