Holding up homemade signs, protesters chanted “We say no to racist fear, immigrants are welcome here” as they walked across the University of Arizona campus calling for change.
Students and community activists gathered Friday for the protest “UA Students Stand with Immigrants.”
The protest, which started at Old Main, was a direct response to the recent executive actions from the Trump administration aimed at restricting immigration rights.
“Our main goal is to show that students, faculty members, and community members are here to fight for immigrant rights, especially when our government has shown a failure to protect them,” said Desiree Nguyen, an organizer of the event.
She said it’s important for students and faculty to speak out against policies she believes harm immigrant communities, and the work doesn’t start or end with this demonstration. Protesters will continue to support the community.
Student and community activists gathered to protest “UA students stand with immigrants” on Friday, Feb. 14 at Old Main.
“We are also hosting our student club on campus, where people can get involved and feel motivated from this action to get organized, on Monday at 5:30 p.m.,” she said, adding that there are also meetings taking place off-campus to continue resisting harmful policies.
These policies focus on mass deportations, including those of undocumented immigrants and individuals protected by programs like Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Protesters also spoke out against building a border wall, limiting asylum access by restarting the Migrant Protection Protocols and possibly bringing back Title 42, which would allow migrants to be removed without due process.
Protestors holding signs and listening to the speakers.
About 50 people attended the demonstration Friday organized by campus groups and local activists, including MECHA de UA, Students for Socialism at UA and the Coalition of Derechos Humanos Arizona.
Elise Richmond, a UA student, took part in the protest.
“I think it’s important to stand up for what you believe in,” she said. “Being here today, even as just one person, adds to the collective voice demanding justice for immigrants.”
Richmond said protests help bring attention to what’s going on and show support for vulnerable members of the community.
“The more people show up and raise their voices, the more attention it brings to the issue. Even holding a sign and standing in solidarity with those affected is a powerful way to contribute,” she said.
Organizers handed out cards with guidelines for dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in public or at home, as well as rapid response numbers people can call or text if they need assistance during prolonged encounters with ICE.
“I decided to come because it is a really important topic. These people are our friends, our neighbors and our family,” UA student Lauren Reed said. “They do play a huge role already in countless fields that without them, would start to collapse.”
For protesters like Reed, this event was just the beginning.
“We are absolutely continuing to do our work, not just this event, but in the long term throughout the semester and the year,” organizer Nguyen said.
For information about future actions, updates and event details, visit the social media pages for MECHA de UA and UA SFS.
Student and community activists gathered to protest “UA students stand with immigrants” on Friday, Feb. 14 at Old Main.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
