Hundreds gathered in negative windchill in solidarity with the city of Minneapolis and rallied for no Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence on UW’s campus at Library Mall, Jan. 27.
Madison Students for a Democratic Society held the rally in response to the presence of ICE operations across the U.S. and ICE agents killing two Minneapolis residents, according to their Instagram.
Co-chairman of MSDS and rally speaker Luca Motivala said students’ interest in getting active and fighting back against nonstop violence motivated MSDS to organize the event.
“I’m really proud of the whole community for showing up,” Motivala said. “We’re really focused on what the students can do, and allying with our brothers and sisters and unions across Madison.”
The crowd held a moment of silence to honor the lives lost at the hands of ICE and heard from several activist organizations, including Young Democratic Socialists of America, Voices for Courage and Equity and Social Justice and Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement.
Motivala said to the crowd that sustained collective action is vital in order to end ICE and government officials’ overreach into communities.
“ICE is empowered because they, like all fascists, rely on fear to control others,” Motivala said. “Our collective strength will stop them … in reality, they are not so terrifying. In the long term, it is us – the people – who hold the actual power.”
WIBOPM member Bryan Pfeifer said he was with union organizers and volunteers assisting families affected by the ICE surge in the city of Minneapolis until last Monday.
Pfeifer said though the atmosphere is heavy in Minneapolis, community leaders and members have organized support networks to protect their city.
Minneapolis organizers send their love, solidarity and gratitude to Wisconsin’s activists and community organizers standing by their side during this time, according to Pfeifer.
“Some folks are in their house for weeks at a time because they can’t get out because of racist ICE invading their neighborhoods,” Pfeifer said. “It’s tough to keep it going, but [community members] are on the ground everyday.”
ICE’s purpose is no longer immigration enforcement, YDSA member and City of Madison Common Council district eight candidate Bobby Gronert said to the crowd, but rather to punish cities that have resisted President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Gronert said YDSA is running a campaign to establish UW as a sanctuary campus. He said he urges everyone to sign their petition putting pressure on the UW administration to do so.
“When ICE comes to Madison, those with the privilege to be able to fight must defend the vulnerable,” Gronert said. “We must stand together against this rising fascist tide, for there is safety and strength in solidarity.”
