‘ICE off campus!’: 12 anti-ICE protesters arrested outside Columbia University

Key Concepts

• Sanctuary Campus: A university that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies.
• ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement): A U.S. federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws.
• Disorderly Conduct: A criminal charge typically involving disruptive or unlawful behavior in a public space.
• Endemic Fear: A pervasive and consistently present feeling of fear within a community or institution.

Columbia University ICE Protest - February 5th, 2024

On Thursday, February 5th, a protest took place outside Columbia University involving professors, students, and supporters demonstrating against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstration resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals after they blocked traffic on Broadway and refused to disperse following repeated warnings from the New York City Police Department.

Protest Actions and Demands

The core action of the protest was a sit-in staged in the middle of Broadway at 116th Street. Demonstrators repeatedly chanted slogans including “Shut it down!”, “No ICE!”, “No KKK!”, and “Abolish ICE, it’s got to go!”. The protesters accused Columbia University of cooperating with ICE and demanded the university be officially designated a “sanctuary campus.”

A spokesperson for the Student Workers of Columbia union stated that the university had remained “silent during recent IC actions involving students,” leading to a climate of “endemic fear” on campus. The union’s demands included the reinstatement of Columbia’s sanctuary campus designation and changes to campus policing practices. The concept of a “sanctuary campus” was explicitly defined as a “moral declaration that education belongs to everyone regardless of status.”

Arrests and Police Warnings

Police issued multiple warnings to the protesters, stating that remaining in the roadway would result in arrest on charges of “disorderly conduct.” The warnings also detailed potential additional charges for non-cooperation or resisting arrest. The repeated phrasing of the police warning – “Since you have refused to leave the roadway, you will be placed under arrest on the charge of disorderly conduct. If you do not cooperate and accompany the arresting officer to the prisoner transport vehicle or if you resist arrest, you may be charged with additional crimes.” – highlights the procedural nature of the arrests.

Specific Grievances and Examples

Protesters cited specific instances where they felt Columbia University had failed to protect its students from ICE actions. They referenced the case of “Runini,” who they claimed was sent to a camp in collaboration with the Trump administration, and the cases of students named “Mosen” and “Mahmood” who were targeted by ICE. A protester stated, “This university worked with the Trump regime to put Runini in a camp. And now that same fear has become endemic at Columbia. When Christy Noam called our friend a terrorist, Colombia said nothing. When ICE came for Mosen and Mahmood, they said nothing.”

Core Arguments and Perspectives

The central argument presented by the protesters was that universities should be safe havens for students, regardless of their immigration status. They argued that Columbia University had a responsibility to actively protect its students from ICE enforcement and that its silence in the face of ICE actions constituted a betrayal of this responsibility. A key perspective was articulated in the statement: “University should be the first line of defense against fear and repression, not a testing ground for it. If a campus cannot protect its own students and scholars, what does it stand for?”

Slogans and Calls to Action

The protest featured numerous chants and calls to action, including:

• “Shut it down!” – A demand to halt university cooperation with ICE.
• “Choose education, not surveillance and punishment.” – Emphasizing the importance of prioritizing education over immigration enforcement.
• “Stand up. Fight back. Stand up.” – A rallying cry for continued resistance.
• “ICE off our streets!” – A demand for the removal of ICE presence from the campus and surrounding areas.
• “Shipman, we know you!” and “Shipman, how many boots did you today?” – Directed at a specific individual, presumably a university administrator or security official, accusing them of complicity in ICE actions.

Synthesis and Main Takeaways

The February 5th protest at Columbia University demonstrates a growing movement advocating for universities to actively resist collaboration with ICE and to prioritize the safety and well-being of all students, regardless of immigration status. The protest highlights concerns about the potential for universities to contribute to a climate of fear and repression, and it underscores the demand for concrete policies – such as sanctuary campus designations – to protect vulnerable student populations. The repeated arrests and the specific examples cited by protesters illustrate the tangible consequences of ICE enforcement actions and the perceived lack of institutional support for affected students.