Protests Erupt at ASU Over ICE Reporting Event by College Republicans

Protest Erupts at ASU Over Controversial Student Group’s Event

Arizona State University’s Tempe campus became the center of a heated protest as College Republicans United (CRU), a conservative student organization with alleged ties to white supremacists, set up an event urging students to report undocumented classmates to federal authorities. The initiative was met with widespread condemnation and significant opposition from the student body and community.

On Friday, more than 700 protesters gathered near Hayden Library to voice their disapproval of the event. The demonstration was organized by Aliento at ASU, a student advocacy group, to counter what they described as “harmful actions taken against individuals based on their immigration status.”

ASU issued a statement to KJZZ, underscoring that the actions of College Republicans United do not align with the principles which underlie our academic community. They emphasized, “We are here to teach and learn — not to engage in self-aggrandizing conduct meant solely to generate as much media attention and controversy as possible.”

Aliento claimed the event violated the Arizona Board of Regents Student Conduct Code, and over 2,000 individuals, including students, organizations, and alumni, signed a letter demanding the university ensure student safety and take appropriate action.

The protest saw participation from hundreds, including ASU student Emily Sotelo Estrada, co-chair of Aliento. Expressing her concern, she stated, “It’s hard to see and hear people trying to incite division like this, especially when everyone around you, everyone you love is an immigrant.” She urged people to “lead with hope, love, and compassion” to counter harmful rhetoric.

The situation escalated with a physical altercation, as the CRU’s table was overturned. Isaiah Alvarado, president of CRU at ASU, expressed dissatisfaction with current immigration policies, claiming, “We’re not even going to break a million deportations by the end of his four years. That’s unacceptable.”

Alvarado argued for stricter immigration enforcement, aligning his group’s actions with the goals of the Trump administration, stating the need for the U.S. to demonstrate seriousness in border policies.

The protest attracted a diverse crowd, including Sandy Wallach, 67, who engaged in a heated exchange with Alvarado. “I’m sorry if I got overly emotional, but I don’t know how anyone actually can’t be,” Wallach said, expressing concerns for democracy.

Zakir Siddiqi, co-chair of the Arizona Green Party, joined the march, expressing relief at the community’s response to CRU’s actions. “It’s really reassuring and reaffirming to see this is not where we’re going as a community,” he noted, highlighting the resistance against divisive messages.

The protest concluded around 10:30 a.m., with several public figures and campus organizations denouncing the CRU event on social media. The Arizona House of Democrats issued a statement condemning the event for fostering “an atmosphere of intimidation and terror” and called for university action against CRU.