A conservative student organization at Arizona State University is planning an event aimed at encouraging students to report their peers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This move comes in the wake of President Donald Trump's intensified immigration crackdown. The group, known as College Republicans United, announced the event on social media.
According to Newsweek, the group's initiative aligns with the Trump administration's expanded powers for ICE, which now include conducting raids in places of worship, schools, and hospitals. Since the onset of Trump's second term, hundreds of suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended. However, this aggressive approach has sparked criticism, with detractors arguing that such raids instill fear in vulnerable communities and potentially violate protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
President Trump's mass deportation agenda was a pivotal element of his successful 2024 campaign. A poll conducted by Ipsos from January 2 to 10 revealed that 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans, while 88 percent backed the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal records.
In a social media post, the student group stated, "We will be tabling on campus asking fellow students to report their criminal classmates to ICE for deportation." The post also included a tip form for ICE, the federal agency responsible for implementing President Trump's plan to significantly expand immigration enforcement.
The student organization is also selling T-shirts emblazoned with their logo on the front and "ICE Volunteer" along with the Department of Homeland Security logo on the back. However, this initiative has triggered a wave of criticism from advocacy groups and Democrats.
State lawmakers, including Senator Catherine Miranda (LD11) and Representative Lydia Hernandez (LD24), co-chairs of the Latino Caucus, have expressed their disapproval. In a joint statement, they condemned the event and urged the university to intervene.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes pledged her support for students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, also known as "Dreamers." The program, established in 2012, offers protections to individuals who entered the U.S. as children without permission. In Arizona, approximately 20,000 active DACA recipients, mostly over 30, are allowed to live, work, and attend school in the U.S.
College Republicans United, recognized for its "America First" ideology, has previously faced criticism for its association with white supremacist Nick Fuentes.
On January 29, ICE reported over 1,000 arrests and 814 detainers lodged as having probable cause for deportation. Since Trump's inauguration, ICE and the White House have been releasing daily reports on the number of immigrants arrested or placed under immigration detainers, figures that differ from the actual number of deportations.
Rick Thomas, the founder of CRU and the treasurer of Republicans United LLC, defended the group's actions, stating, "If they are choosing not to abide by (the legal immigration process), and they're on campus taking the spot of a position where an American citizen should be there instead, that's obviously something that needs to be fixed. It's to get attention. Otherwise people would not really give it a whole lot of thought. We usually do these sorts of events that are very provocative."
State Senator Catherine Miranda (LD11) condemned the event, stating, "I fully condemn the College Republicans United at Arizona State for their planned action encouraging the reporting of other students to ICE for deportation. Colleges are supposed to be environments where individuals can learn not just from their classes, but from their classmates."
Representative Lydia Hernandez (LD24) echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for universities to ensure student safety and condemning the event for creating a climate of fear and division, particularly for students of color and Dreamers.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes described the group's actions as "abhorrent behavior by this extreme right group at ASU," pledging to continue fighting to protect Dreamers in Arizona.
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