University of Washington students rally to demand ICE off campus

Seattle, WA – On February 6, around 100 students gathered outside Thompson Hall to rally against ICE on campus. The 5 p.m. protest was organized in response to a planned recruitment event with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, titled “Career as a Special Agent” that had been set to take place on that day.

The UW Jackson School of International Studies originally planned to host two agents from Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, for a workshop aiming to recruit UW students on February 6. After backlash from students and campus organizations, the workshop was suddenly rescheduled. Students are now demanding a full cancellation of the event, a formal apology for planning the event, and that UW administration refuse to host ICE and partner agencies at future events.

This week, Anakbayan UW launched a petition calling for the cancellation – it currently has over 1000 signatures – and UW SDS began putting together the planned protest. On February 4, two days before the workshop was scheduled to take place, the ICE recruitment event was rescheduled, with an email to Jackson School of International Studies students citing “safety concerns” that were later said to have been a miscommunication.

Valerie Marriott, a member of UW Students for a Democratic Society, was one of those who took the stage at the rally, stating, “The UW has remained complicit with this administration. They have said they would remain complicit with ICE, and to call the cops if ICE comes, as if the police won’t just help ICE. They are hosting the Department of Homeland Security to come and poach our students. They refuse to protect our workers, students and staff. They remain silent through all the discrimination and attacks. This is why we must stand up. Because our university sure as fuck won’t.”

In between speeches, the gathered crowd chanted “Say it loud, say it clear – immigrants are welcome here!”

“It’s very enraging to see that the department is going to host essentially ICE agents on campus,” said Ari Flawau, a member of Anakbayan at the University of Washington. “Especially when now under Trump, there are so many ICE raids happening – even in our local communities.”

Organizers of the event pledged to continue the fight until all their demands are met and the university has committed to prioritizing the safety of its immigrant students.

“This is only the start” said Flawau. “The event has been postponed, and our demands remain the same – to cancel the event and to make sure that no ICE activity will happen on campus, and that the UW actually provides adequate legal support to its students and workers.”

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