Students stage walkout against ICE funding

More than 100 students across both campuses walked out of classes Monday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies and the Trump administration’s funding of the agency.

The student-organized Be The Hero Walkout began around noon outside the Main Building on the Brownsville campus and on the Bronc Trail on the Edinburg campus and drew participants, shouting chants such as, “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido.”

Edinburg

Jasmine Flores, a psychology freshman, said the walkout was personal for her and her family.

“They’re mistreating everybody of color, and I know my grandma fits the stereotype of who they’re going after,” Flores said.

She said she hopes the protest grows into future events and reaches people beyond campus.

“I’m hoping it has a lot of people joining so, hopefully, it goes a little bigger, and we can do it again some day,” Flores said. “It can send a message to everybody that needs to hear.”

Cindy Zamudio, a marketing junior, said she attended the walkout in response to violence connected to ICE activity and broader immigration enforcement.

“These are our people,” Zamudio said. “This is all the people that have been trying to get a better life here in the United States and, now, they’re being treated unfairly.”

She encouraged students to continue organizing.

“This is for our community, and we will keep fighting for them,” Zamudio said.

Javier Mendez, a psychology junior, said he thinks the protest was about making students’ voices heard and pushing back against policies they believe harm immigrant communities.

“The significance of this to me is that everyone, no matter how small you are, has a voice,” Mendez said. “We are not happy with the constant funding of ICE. We are not happy with the treatment of the people.”

Dafne Escamilla, a sophomore, said the issue affects everyone.

“At some point we were all immigrants,” Escamila said. “People should have an opportunity to live the American dream.”

She added she believes the current approach to immigration is wrong.

“I love my country,” said Escamilla, who holds dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship. “But what it’s doing is wrong, and I do not stand for it.”

Noah Ramos, a social studies sophomore, said even a small turnout felt like an important first step.

“I feel like it’s a start,” Ramos said. “We got to start somewhere.”

He said he hopes to see similar actions across campus and in Brownsville, adding his family’s background motivated him to participate.

“I grew up in a Mexican household,” Ramos said. “I think to myself, ‘What would happen if that happened to my grandparents?’” 

Brownsville

Austin Garza, an organizer and an education freshman, said he coordinated with Edinburg organizer Diego Alejo, a philosophy junior, to plan the demonstration.

Garza said Brownsville students helped create flyers, held sign-making meetings and organized chants ahead of Monday.

“I feel like everyone has rights, even people that are undocumented here,” he said. “I think everybody has the right to due process.” 

Nicole Logan, an art senior, said she learned about the walkout after seeing a flyer on campus and helped spread the word within her department.

“I think it’s super important that people show up for our community,” Logan said. “There’s a lot of people that feel hopeless, and I feel like there’s nothing to be done. But it’s things like these, like these walkouts, that change perspective.”

Gustavo Sanchez, a history junior, said he believes ICE should be abolished, while Amy Morales, a marketing freshman, said she opposes the level of funding the agency receives.

–Mariajose Garza contributed to this report.

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