Over 25 student organizations gathered on the American University quad on the afternoon of March 3 to demand stronger protections for immigrant students following recent deportation efforts by the Trump administration and an on-campus incident last month where a currently unidentified individual impersonated an Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agent.
Organized by the University chapter of Latinos En Acción –– a subchapter of United We Dream, which advocates for immigrant rights by hosting educational workshops and programs–– the protest demanded the University declare itself a sanctuary campus, preventing cooperation with ICE and ensuring protections for undocumented students. Protesters marched to University President Jonathan Alger’s office, demanding immediate action from University leadership.
“We’re trying to build a community where we can feel safe — not just as Latinos, but as part of AU’s diverse student body,” said Edgar Maldonado, president of the Mexican Cultural Club and a senior in the School of Communication. “We need a sanctuary campus that aligns with the core values AU represents.”
Haniyyah Zia, president of the University’s Muslim Student Association chapter and a junior in the School of Public Affairs, emphasized immigrant contributions to the University.
“The reason we even have a Muslim prayer room, the reason we even have the ability to pray on this campus, is because of immigrants,” Zia said to the crowd.
At 2 p.m., participants gathered on the quad for speeches by student activists and chants like “Up, up with liberation. Down, down with deportation.” At around 2:30 p.m., they marched towards the president’s house, where they chanted until around 3 p.m.
"It’s not okay that when there was the ICE impersonation here on campus, the school did not immediately react,” said Isabella Diaz, vice president of LEA and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We’re demanding that the school would be transparent about that, hold themselves accountable and also that they take measures so that our campus can be safe.”
The University sent an email to the school community following the ICE impersonator’s appearance on campus.
A recent Student Government referendum asked students if the University should become a sanctuary campus and adopt policies to protect immigrants and undocumented students, staff and faculty from ICE. Around 87 percent of the 1,299 total voted in support of the referendum.
SG Vice President-elect Quinn Fitzpatrick said he hopes the new executive board will advocate for President Jonathan Alger to adopt the new policies.
In a statement to The Eagle, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Communications Officer Elizabeth Deal said the University’s administration plans to meet with student groups in the coming weeks to discuss their concerns.
“There are so many different groups on campus … and so many, so many sorts of people that I wouldn’t have met if AU wasn’t a diverse place,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it is [the] administration’s duty and responsibility to make sure that they keep all of that protected and safe, and make sure all these groups feel welcome on campus.”
This article was edited by Payton Anderson, Maya Cederlund, Tyler Davis and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella and Emma Brown.
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