As the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) becomes the subject of controversy and protest across the country, members of the John Carroll community have joined the battle for immigrant rights on Jan. 30.
Dozens of JCU students, faculty and staff members gathered outside of St. Francis Chapel to protest ICE. Following the organization’s killing of Minnesota residents Renée Good and Customs and Border Protection’s killing of Alex Pretti, some students wanted to make it clear that ICE was not welcome in Ohio.
“Carroll students have a voice and they’re standing up against ICE,” says Luke Shearer ’28, one of the students who organized the protest. Following the reading of a poem led by Philip Metres, Ph.D, Shearer led students in several laps around the main quad.
More signs being displayed by students. (Brendan Elbin)
As part of an unofficial national day of protest, students were encouraged to walk out of class to join the march and stand up for immigrant rights. Various chants were cried out, including one labelling ICE as fascist and another demanding justice for Good and Pretti.
According to Shearer, the battle is only beginning. “On [Feb.] 4th, ICE is gonna invade Springfield, Ohio, so we’re gonna be out here… again, we’re gonna be out here, we’re gonna be chanting, we’re gonna be protesting,” he said.
