Several college campuses in the United States have witnessed students coming out into the streets to protest against federal immigration enforcement and to express their support for the communities that suffer the brunt of the ICE operations. In cities like New Haven and Princeton, protests have not only raised awareness about the human suffering caused by these policies but also about the fact that people who are citizens of the United States have lost their lives while in encounters with federal agents. For a lot of students, such demonstrations are more than just a reaction to the news of the day; they see them as a way of standing up to what they consider to be systemic injustice, racial profiling, and the gradual disappearance of civil rights.
Local rallies part of a national anti-ICE movement
In New Haven, Yale students and community members joined a Friday protest co-sponsored by local advocacy organizations. As reported by the Yale Daily News, the demonstration was part of a nationwide “anti-ICE day of action” coordinated by groups in Minnesota, following the deaths of American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis. Protesters carried handmade signs targeting the Trump administration, called for ICE’s abolition, and honored those who had lost their lives. Some participants left work or adjusted their daily routines to join, reflecting the urgency felt across the campus community.At Princeton, approximately 200 students and local residents gathered at the Fountain of Freedom to denounce ICE activity and the administration’s immigration policies. The Daily Princetonian reported that the campus rally, organized by networks including the Princeton Progressive Coalition and several student activist groups, was linked to the Minneapolis-led national shutdown. Students braved near-freezing temperatures while holding signs with messages such as “Immigrants Built This Nation” and “ICE IS SCUM,” calling for accountability and showing solidarity with Somali students in Minnesota.
Students highlight personal and global stakes
Yale student Fardouza Farah, a Minnesota native originally from Somalia, told the rally that ICE operations reflected broader U.S. foreign policy decisions, including drone strikes abroad that have killed civilians, as covered by the Yale Daily News. At Princeton, former Sunrise Princeton coordinator Isaac Barsoum explained to the Daily Princetonian that students wanted to amplify the voices of Somali students in Minneapolis and raise awareness of ICE activity nationwide.Protesters emphasized that their actions were not limited to local concerns. Austin Guo, a Princeton student, told the Daily Princetonian that the rallies aimed to organize communities against ICE and government violence, while Yale’s Nick Pfaff described leaving work to participate as a way to challenge rising authoritarian pressures, according to the Yale Daily News. Both highlighted that public demonstrations were a form of solidarity and civic resistance.
Solidarity reaches far beyond campus
Protests saw participation from students, faculty and local community members. Geosciences professor Allan Rubin attended the Princeton demonstration and told the Daily Princetonian that he was protesting both the killing of civilians and the deceptive government narratives about the incidents. In New Haven, local businesses also got involved, with some closing for the day or giving proceeds to immigrant defense funds, thus showing community support for student activism, Yale Daily News reported.Students and organizers emphasized that their efforts would continue as long as ICE operations and federal policies threatened immigrant communities. Meredith Barges, a Yale graduate student, told the Yale Daily News that love and solidarity were the most effective response to the violence on the streets. Barsoum added to the Daily Princetonian that Princeton students would continue to protest as long as ICE raids and the administration’s policies persisted.
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