UVU Students Protest Immigration Crackdown, Border Protection Presence at Job Fair
OREM — Job recruitment by federal immigration authorities has sparked a heated debate, with Utah Valley University (UVU) students taking a stand against the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. On Wednesday, a group of students demonstrated outside a job fair, where representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were present, seeking potential employees.
Loa Lee, a UVU student and protester, expressed her concern, stating, 'I cannot just sit and watch what's happening. I cannot be complacent, especially with the recent incidents.' Referencing the tragic killings of two protestors by immigration agents in Minneapolis, she accused officials of excessive aggression and terrorizing peaceful protesters.
Mackenzie Hillman, another student, highlighted the fear within the immigrant community, which has led many to refrain from protesting. 'They're separating families, and family is everything to me,' she emphasized, explaining her motivation to attend the protest.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), tasked with enforcing U.S. immigration law, has become a focal point of criticism from those opposing the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. While ICE was not present at the job fair, Customs and Border Protection officials were, and they were the primary target of the protesters' anger.
Rebekah Surtees, a UVU demonstrator, argued, 'Border Patrol shouldn't be here. This isn't the border.' She criticized the agents' lack of training, suggesting they are merely 'people seeking a quick paycheck.'
UVU officials confirmed that CBP was among the many employers at the job fair, and the agency has participated in similar events at the university for several years. While UVU emphasized the event's purpose as a platform for students to find internships and jobs, the protest drew attention to the controversial presence of CBP.
The demonstration, organized by UVU's Civil Disobedience Club, attracted an estimated 'several hundred' protesters, according to co-president Jack McNiven. The protest was part of a broader movement across Utah and beyond, reflecting growing concerns about the immigration crackdown.
The Trump administration's budget bill, signed into law in July, allocates $165 billion for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and CBP. This funding aims to support the immigration crackdown, with $4.1 billion designated for hiring new CBP officials, including additional customs officers and border patrol agents.
CBP's own website promotes the agency's role in securing the border, stating, 'Keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while ensuring lawful international travel and trade is a mission that U.S. Customs and Border Protection takes immense pride in every day.' However, the protest at UVU shed light on the controversial nature of CBP's involvement in immigration enforcement.
Savanna Metz, a protester, raised concerns about due process, suggesting that immigration agents should secure proper warrants and target criminal suspects instead of profiling individuals based on race or language. The protest served as a platform for students to voice their opinions and advocate for change, sparking important conversations about immigration policy and civil liberties.
