Chicago, IL – On Thursday February 27, over 100 students at the University of Illinois Chicago walked out of classes to protest racist Republican attacks on immigrants. The walk out was called by the UIC chapter of New Students for a Democratic Society as part of a national SDS week of action to demand ICE off campus, no deportations, and legalization for all.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from by UMN SDS.

On the second day of the Halimy Hall suspension hearings there were three big takeaways.

Witnesses inside Halimy hall state they would like to see Halimy hall arrestees participate in restorative justice. When asked about restorative justice for the students, witnesses from inside Halimy Hall said they would be interested in seeing the students have a restorative justice option as opposed to further punitive punishment. This contrasts the university's multiple denials of a restorative justice proposal by the legal team, in which they claim restorative justice is exclusively used for academic cases, refusing to consider the social and historical context behind this case and firmly placing it among cases of sexual misconduct in how it can be handled.

Chicago, IL – In the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, February 28, around 150 students walked out of Sullivan High School to protest against ICE. The students, with support of community groups, were able to have a successful walkout and add to the visible resistance in Chicago.

The Immigrants’ Rights Working Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (IRWC – CAARPR) played a big supporting role in this walkout, helping students with flyering-materials, posters, banners, megaphone, etc. The IRWC met the students outside, alongside other community groups like Rad Rogers Park, Kabataan Alliance, and New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).

New York, NY – On February 27, the New York University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally and picket outside the NYU Kimmel center to demand that the university senate refuse to comply with Donald Trump’s executive orders, and to commit to protecting its students from any attacks that may come in the future. 

New York, NY – On February 25, over 20 NYU students, faculty and workers picketed the board of trustees meeting demanding they disclose and divest from all companies supplying Israel in its genocidal occupation of Palestine.

By Christopher Sharpe and Joelle Nuñez

Tallahassee, FL – On Friday, February 28, students and other groups held a protest against the arrival of right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk on FSU.

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, is known for his reactionary statements about LGBTQ people and Black Americans, insisting that the Civil Rights Act of 1965 was a mistake and should be repealed, while calling Martin Luther King Jr. an “awful person.” He has spoken at several universities as part of his “American Comeback” speaking tour.

Arlington, TX – On February 26 students gathered to demand an end to deportations and for the protection of immigrants. The event brought attention to ICE presence around the UTA campus. The protest was hosted by UTA Progressive Student Union with support from National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – Dallas and Austin SDS, each of whom brought out a speaker. The rally also received wide support from the student body.

Detroit, MI – On Wednesday, February 26, over 30 students, faculty, and community members marched at Wayne State University to defend DEI institutions and demand ICE is kicked off campus. The protest was planned in the wake of a series of emails sent by Wayne State administration, where they did not promise to protect students if ICE appeared on campus, and they stated that they would comply with Donald Trump’s executive orders regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.

Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday February 21, a group of students at Louisiana State University (LSU) disrupted a board of supervisors meeting in order to present demands to administration. The students had four demands they wanted to bring to the board of supervisors: reinstate Professor Ken Levy, make LSU a sanctuary campus, stop tuition hikes, and disclose and divest investments with Israel.

New Orleans, LA – On Monday February 24, 25 students representing eight student organizations gathered at the office of Loyola University’s President, Dr. Xavier Cole, to deliver a letter that included demands to stop an impending tuition hike, divest from Israeli apartheid, and safeguard the right to free speech. President Cole greeted the students as each representative lined up outside his office and presented him with copies.

New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, February 17, about 30 Tulane students and faculty held a rally on campus to protest Trump’s agenda. They particularly focused on fighting back against Trump’s ethnic cleansing plans for Gaza, and demanded that Tulane become a sanctuary campus immigrant students. 

By David Margaryan and Lain Dorsey

Tallahassee, FL – On February 19, Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society held a rally to celebrate the restoration of LGBTQ+ housing at Florida State University and to voice support for FSU’s queer community.

New Orleans, LA – On Thursday, February 20, around 30 Loyola students and New Orleans community members rallied in front of Loyola University to demand that university administration drop the semester-long suspension of student activist Carson Cruse. The action was organized by the Liberate and Unite New Orleans chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (LUNO SDS).

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Liberate and Unite New Orleans Students for a Democratic Society.

On February 17th, Loyola student and SDS member Carson Cruse was informed by the university that his suspension appeal was denied and he has been suspended from the university effective immediately until May 10, 2025. Carson initially received his suspension on December 13th, 2024, for enacting his right to free speech by calling out Sharonda Williams, the General Counsel of Loyola and Port of New Orleans board member for her being complicit in genocide, supporting genocide, and punishing anti-genocide protestors.

Chicago, IL – On Tuesday, February 11, over 70 students rallied and marched at the University of Illinois at Chicago to defend immigrant rights after a rise in ICE raids.

The protest was called by New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC (New SDS at UIC) in coordination with the emergency national week of action called by National New SDS. Some of the endorsing campus organizations included Anakbayan, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA), Jewish Student Collective (JSC), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and Radical Public Health (RPH).

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society.

At the start of the Spring 2025 semester, FSU Admin secretly axed LGBTQ+ Housing – which provides much needed accommodations to transgender and queer students living on campus without communicating their decision to any students, or even the Inter-Residence Hall Council (IHRC). This comes amid escalating attacks on the rights and autonomy of queer and trans people by the reactionary Trump administration and the ruling Florida Republican Party.

Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday, February 14, about 30 Louisiana State University (LSU) students and community members rallied in Free Speech Alley to demand that university administration make LSU a sanctuary campus for immigrant students.

LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally to fight back against ICE activity in the Baton Rouge area and Trump's executive order that allows ICE to operate in previously protected places like college campuses, churches and courthouses.

Denver, CO — About 30 students walked out of their classes and gathered in Lawrence Plaza on Denver’s Auraria Campus in the late morning, February 13, in support of immigrant rights. Chants such as “No hate, no fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “El pueblo, unido, jamás será vencido!” were heard from the crowd led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) as they protested Trump’s agenda and the mass deportation of immigrants.

Tampa, FL – On Wednesday, February 12, students and community members organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), gathered on 50th and Fowler, a location directly across the street from the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida (USF), to rally against Trump’s agenda.

Los Ángeles, CA — Más de 200 estudiantes de Garfield High School realizaron un paro estudiantil el 4 de febrero. Padres marcharon junto a sus hijos, mientras los estudiantes salieron energéticamente de la escuela.