KINGSVILLE, Tx — Students at Texas A&M University-Kingsville held a small demonstration demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave their community, citing fears following nationwide ICE raids.
Organizers said they have been affected by what they have seen in recent months on social media and in news reports about ICE raids. Last year, ICE detained 27 undocumented contractors on campus who were working on cleanup and construction of the student union building after a fire.
Neighborhood News reporter Stephanie Molina spoke with students who attended the demonstration today.
“It is extremely important that we are talking about this because there are students here who are terrified because of the way they look, and they're terrified that they're going to be taken mistakenly,” said Nataly Escobedo, a TAMUK student.
“We have all seen the devastating videos, and the thing that really hits home for me is all of the children that are being affected by this,” said Kylie Valenta, a TAMUK student.
Students chanted “Education not deportation” during the demonstration.
Shortly after the arrests last year, a larger protest was held by students and community members on June 30.
KRIS 6 News reached out to university officials for comment, but they said they have no comment regarding today’s demonstration.
