By: Madison Rosenberg, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
GLASSBORO, NJ – Passionate students and faculty gathered at Rowan University on Thursday, February 5, to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as other causes like the Israel-Palestine war.
The protest, hosted by Rowan Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Rowan chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Mi Casa Woodbury, lasted two hours and took place in front of the Owl Statue located behind the Business Hall and the Chamberlain Student Center.
The event began with chants led by SJP members, including “No justice, no peace, no ICE in our streets,” “Free Palestine,” and “Justice is our demand, no peace on stolen land.”
Participants also held signs to amplify similar messages. Some had calls to action, saying “Divest Now,” referencing opposition to recent Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) presence on campus and Rowan’s involvement with the department, offering internship opportunities. Others read “Melt ICE,” “Abolish ICE,” and “No to war.” Participants wrote similar statements on the ground in chalk.
After the chants, the SJP President Jane Avel made a speech.
“Stand up and fight back, because my ancestors did not die for this violence to be repeated.”
She continued, expressing disapproval at the ongoing ICE raids, which have been becoming increasingly violent and have resulted in eight casualties in 2026 so far, two of them being Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as six deaths that occurred in ICE custody.
Another speaker, Meg Tom, co-chair of Mi Casa Woodbury, provided seven tips on documenting ICE, which included staying arms’ length distance away from agents, bringing along a friend who will also document the encounter, filming horizontally and focusing on the officer, narrating what is happening as the event is being documented, not sharing on social media, do not edit the video in any way in case the footage is used in a court proceeding, and reporting the documentation to a local rapid response center.
Students expressed their frustration with ICE and their worries about who is being targeted by the increased crackdown.
“There’s so much propaganda, one group against another,” said Danasha McNair, a protester at the event. “People are being destroyed by this; these aren’t criminals. [ICE] are taking people who have been here for 20 plus years. It’s not about legality anymore.”
Jada Santiago, another attendee, said she was worried about families affected by detainments and deportations.
“Families are being broken up because of prejudice,” Santiago said. “There’s no thought into taking people, [Agents] are just taking people at random, whoever they think shouldn’t be here.”
Several members of SJP and Rowan YDSA read poems and continued chanting. Another SJP member rallied the attendees by having them echo a quote by Fred Hampton, deputy chairman of the Black Panther Party: “I am a revolutionary.” The chanting continued, and the protestors finished off the event by marching to the Business Hall and chanting: “Immigrants built America”, and “ICE has no business here”.
In an interview, Avel said past student movements inspired her activism, including movements from the eras of South African apartheid, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and the civil rights movement.
“After the invasion of Venezuela, and…everything going on with ICE, and the amount that Israel has violated the ceasefire, we thought we needed to bring attention to the anti-war movement and show people the energy is still here,” Avel said. “The movement is on your campus, and you have a chance to be a part of it.”
While the SJP is an organization focused on Palestinian liberation, its support extends to other movements that center on decolonization and anti-imperialism. Avel stated that solidarity and activism, and her own ancestral history as a Jewish woman fuels her passion, and that seeing similar events happen in real time solidifies her obligation to do something about it.
“Being Jewish, Holocaust education is so baked into your upbringing, so you’re very very aware of it,” Avel said. “You’re very aware of the violence and terror that your ancestors went through. I don’t think I was raised learning about all these things just to sit around and do nothing. I’m putting the lessons from my history into action.”
As immigration crackdowns and tensions between Israel and Palestine persist, so does the motivation for Avel and the SJP. Family history, a passion for activism, and a desire for others’ freedom are the driving forces behind Avel’s decision to dedicate her time to this movement.
“At the end of the day, we want people to be able to lead safe, healthy, happy lives. People should be able to eat safely, have shelter, and play, and pray, and just live freely,” Avel said.
Editor’s note: The name of the Rowan Students for Justice in Palestine president has been changed.
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