By: Michael Bautista, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
GLASSBORO, NJ — Faculty, staff, and students rallied at Rowan University against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal immigration enforcement policies on Friday, Jan. 30. They joined nationwide protests sparked by the latest in a series of fatal shootings of civilians by ICE and Border Patrol agents and widespread calls for accountability.
The lunchtime protest was organized by members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 2373 at Rowan University. An autonomous, chartered union affiliate of the AFT that represents specific bargaining units of teachers, school staff, healthcare, and public employees nationwide.
The crowd of roughly 100 people gathered at the university’s owl statue despite the frigid temperatures and short notice. Participants of the event included faculty, professional staff, and even students who happened to join in during their commute to and from classes.
“It’s really heartening to see that so many people care about immigrants and about what’s happening to those who are trying to stand up for what’s right in this country,” said Benjamin Sarocco, a Rowan librarian and the Committee on Political Education (COPE) chair for the AFT Local 2373.
The protest at the university takes place against the backdrop of Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration enforcement initiative in Minnesota, where two civilians, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, were shot by federal agents in separate incidents last month.
Ahead of the rally, many colleges and advocacy groups across the country called for work stoppages and demonstrations to coincide with the Minneapolis protests. Though the rally wasn’t just limited to those on the main Glassboro campus, faculty and staff from the Camden campus took the shuttle over to join the protest at the owl statue.
“Because of state law, we aren’t legally allowed to go on strike,” said Sarocco, who explained that the union had elected to utilize members’ lunch hour to hold the rally. He believes the compromise was a visible way to show presence on campus without formally striking and allowing members to oppose federal actions they see as an overreach publicly.
“While things in Minnesota are horrible, similar issues are happening on a daily basis in places like Camden and elsewhere. It’s important to show solidarity,” said Sarocco. He noted that even though the incident had occurred thousands of miles away, many of those participating in the rally felt connected to the Minneapolis cases.
Tensions are running high in New Jersey, after reports of ICE agents arrested several people in Hoboken and Jersey City on Sunday, Feb. 1. A cellphone video circulating on social media platforms showed an ICE agent in an unmarked vehicle making an arrest at the light rail station in Hoboken, near the Jersey City border. Meanwhile, on Saturday, six people were reportedly detained by ICE, including three of them near the intersection of French and Handy Streets in New Brunswick, according to News12.
“One of the things we do as educators is help students to be thoughtful and critical citizens. And when the government murders someone for exercising their First Amendment rights, I think we as educators need to step up,” said Dr. Bill Freind, a professor of English and president of the Rowan University Faculty Senate, who felt compelled to attend both as an educator and union member. Dr. Freind believes the rally resonated deeply across the campus because of the university’s diverse population and a growing fear among both students and employees.
“I know a large number of people who are carrying their passports with them, even though they are American citizens. This is something we’ve never seen on this scale in the history of the country,” said Dr. Friend, who added that he’s spoken with American citizens who have angered and fearful of being detained, who have lived under authoritarian governments before coming to the United States.
The rally also came just days after unrest on campus tied to a DHS-related presence on campus. Where a student organization, Rowan Students for Justice for Palestine were handing flyers for an upcoming event. According to students, members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection were there to recruit students in Business Hall and called the building manager to have the students escorted out of the building. However, no ICE-related activity has taken place on campus.
This comes amid the national protests, former Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a state law on Jan. 20 titled the Safe Communities Act that intends to limit immigration enforcement in essential service spaces, which include schools, hospitals, and churches. However, Murphy declined to sign two other immigrant protection bills, including one that would have codified the Immigrant Trust Directive and another that would have strengthened privacy protections for immigrants’ data, drawing criticism from state advocacy groups such as El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City and Cosecha New Jersey, who say the state fell short of broader protections.
As national and local debates over immigration enforcement continue, the situations surrounding Pretti and Good remain central to those seeking reform. Federal civil rights investigations into the Minneapolis shootings remain ongoing, with demands from both lawmakers and activists for preservation and transparency.
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