Kyle Cave
Staff Writer
Around the country since the beginning of 2026, anti-ICE protests have been occurring across the country. This is largely due to the actions of ICE that ultimately led to the fatal shootings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Keith Porter. Students from ESU have now also joined in on these nationwide protests.
This is the second time ESU students have protested the Trump administration’s immigration policy. In April 2025, ESU students also protested the same issue.
Around 30 students showed up to the protest. Many students showed up with signs saying, “If our voices didn’t matter, they wouldn’t try to silence us,” “history is watching” and “Abolish ICE.”
Students also led many chants, with some chants being explicit as “when I say f*ck you say ICE, f*ck ICE!” Most of the chants were about Democracy and denouncing Trump.
The protesters marched around the university circle several times. Students also marched outside of campus, going over the bridge, past the restaurant “Trackside Grill & Bar” and circling back around campus.
This protest was organized by a woman named Allie. Word of the protest was spread across social media.
Allie said her purpose in organizing the protest was to show that she feels like students at ESU want to do something about the current immigration policies of the federal government, but don’t feel they have the power to do so. Allie says she organized this protest to try to build a community of individuals who want to do something and pushback against ICE.
The Courier asked Allie her current stance on ICE, and if she believed ICE should be reformed or abolished. Allie believes that ICE should be defunded and abolished due to their recent violent attacks on immigrants and U.S. citizens.
Allie also told The Courier she believes ICE is recruiting individuals in their organization who are unqualified and have criminal records. She also heavily denounced the violent tactics of ICE agents that have been seen recently.
“If it can’t be abolished, it should be heavily reformed to be different from what it is in its current state,” said Allie.
In recent days, ICE has made a major move in Pennsylvania. In Tremont, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) purchased a closed distribution center to open a new ICE detention facility. This will be the fifth ICE detention center in the state. This new facility was brought up during the protest.
The Courier also interviewed an ESU student named Laurence. He expressed that everything going on with ICE and the Trump Administration deeply upsets him.
“Things have been getting pretty rough out there, and it enrages me,” Laurence said. The Courier also asked Laurence if he believed ICE should be reformed or abolished. He said abolishment is the only solution moving forward. He believes what’s happening with ICE and the current immigration policy is very planned.
“There’s no way to reform this, these are the most drastic measures we’re seeing,” said Laurence, referring to ICE’s tactics.
The Courier attempted to get in touch with the club, ESU College Republicans, to get a different perspective on ICE and the protest that occurred at ESU on Wednesday. None of the messages received a response.
Chris Kavanu, a professor of communications at ESU also was in attendance of these protests. He expressed support for the ESU student body’s protest. He also said the students who showed up to protest gave him personal hope.
“What gives me hope is that students are not withdrawing or disengaging, they are taking peaceful action,” said Kavanu.