Students for Abdul Lead “Abolish ICE” Protests Across the State
MICHIGAN – This week, Students for Abdulchapters across Michigan coordinated large scale demonstrations calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti and escalating federal violence in Minneapolis.
Student fellows and volunteers based on Michigan State University, Oakland University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University campuses mobilized within hours of Pretti’s murder, building a cross-campus coalition to demand accountability and an end to violence from the federal government. The fellows rapidly utilized partnerships with other campus groups to prepare materials, drive turnout, and enact safety measures.
“Students are the lifeblood of this state, and seeing them move so quickly to organize and form coalitions has been incredibly powerful,” said Jacob Welch, campaign Campus Organizing Manager. “Their actions this week should demonstrate to this administration that ICE is not welcome in our state or anywhere in this country. We will speak out whether oppression happens in Minnesota, Maine, or here in Michigan.”
On Thursday, hundreds of students demonstrated in East Lansing on Michigan State’s campus, after a huge push to organize led by Spartans to Abdul. As reported by the Lansing State Journal:
[Mia] Thurman is a member of Spartans for Abdul, a student group supporting former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed’s bid for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
She told the State Journal that it’s easy to feel discouraged when she’s watching the news and sees tragedy and communities being negatively impacted, but seeing her community come together and organize and advocate is energizing.
“I’ve been politically engaged for a really long time, but I think this is the most I’ve ever been politically engaged and it’s only going up from here,” she said. “My involvement is just going to keep going because this is the push. This is the time that we need to be organizing.
On Friday, Wolverines for Abdul organized a protest attended by hundreds of students in Ann Arbor, as reported by MLive:
Bill Lewis, who coordinated the event with the help of fellow Wolverines for Abdul member Mariah Stewart, said the protest represented a gathering sentiment among the student body that ICE was a threat to citizens in Michigan and across the nation.
He cited the detention of four individuals in Ypsilanti on Tuesday and ongoing ICE actions in Minneapolis, He cited the detention of four individuals in Ypsilanti on Tuesday and ongoing ICE actions in Minneapolis, during which agents shot and killed at least two people: Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.
“This is definitely the biggest [ICE protest] that we’ve seen so far on campus,” Lewis said, adding that many do not feel safe on campus.
“People that had been born here, people that have lived here their entire lives, it doesn’t really matter what your background is. It’s clear that if you’re in opposition to the Trump regime, you’re in danger,” Lewis said. “I think there’s a lot of anger, but people are trying to find a way to turn that into something impactful.”
The Abdul for Senate campaign has invested early in student leadership, with 20 paid fellows and over 200 student volunteers across the state. The fellowship program is designed to equip young organizers with the tools and resources they need to lead on the issues they care about most, from healthcare and housing to civil rights and government accountability.
“In a time when so many of the most powerful institutions are caving to Trump, young people are showing us the way. I am so proud of their initiative and organizing efforts,” said Abdul El-Sayed. “Our role is to listen, support, and follow their lead – and to stand with them in demanding accountability, an end to violence, and to help build the world they want to live in.”
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