Chicago, IL – On Thursday, October 16, over 40 students at the University of Illinois at Chicago rallied on campus demanding an end to Trump’s federal occupation of Chicago.

This protest was in response to a call made by the National Students for a Democratic Society for a National Day of Solidarity with Chicago. Across the country, chapters of SDS participated by holding their own protests on their respective campuses.

Students say no Trump, no troops, no ICE

Ariana Vega started off the protest stating, “Trump wants to make an example out of Chicago, but as we have seen again and again is that he failed and he will continue to fail. The people of Chicago are not ones that are easily brought to their knees!”

Vega continued “We will continue to fight and we will continue to struggle until we kick Trump and his troops out of our city. We will win because the power of the people is greater than the people in power!”

Rodrigo Cortes Espinoza, representing Sanctuary for All at UIC, spoke of the recent abduction of two community members on campus grounds, “Our students have vocalized their concerns for their wellbeing, the safety of their families, and stability of their neighborhoods as we watch the invasion of Chicago by federal and external state militants.”

“As U.S. history unfolds its imperial pattern, it becomes more difficult to look away. The dichotomy of scholarship lies before us: to remain an observer or to respond to a call-to-action,” said Espinoza.

Micaela Foreman, a member of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) at UIC, emphasized, “As graduate workers, we are one of the most vulnerable populations of workers here on campus, making well below a living wage and working well over 40 hours a week. Our union is our first line of defense against exploitation.”

“Capitalism is structured to atomize the working class, making them easier to exploit. In this moment, the government is working overtime to push xenophobia as a justification for anti-immigrant violence. Unions instead build solidarity along what unites us: our exploitation by the ruling class,” Foreman concluded.

To wrap up the rally, Angel Naranjos, a member of New SDS at UIC said, “This protest we’re having today is special because it’s part of a national day of action to stand up to Trump, to say no to ICE, to say no to troops in Chicago, no deportations and legalization for all undocumented immigrants!”

“From Chicago to Palestine, occupation is a crime!” Naranjos called for solidarity with the people of Palestine, where a ceasefire had been called only a few days before, as well as urging people to attend the “No Kings Day” action being held on October 18.

After the program, students began their march towards University Hall and around East Campus. As the demonstrators made their way back to the Quad, chants demanding an end to the Trump administration and federal occupation of Chicago echoed through the university.

Join the student movement!

We encourage any student or young person not involved in the movement to join your local SDS chapter or help build one.

Uniting students and youth in action is important in building the broadest fight back against Trump’s reactionary agenda.

Join SDS by clicking here.

#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #NationalGuard #ICE #StudentMovement #SDS

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