Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday, February 14, about 30 Louisiana State University (LSU) students and community members rallied in Free Speech Alley to demand that university administration make LSU a sanctuary campus for immigrant students.

LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally to fight back against ICE activity in the Baton Rouge area and Trump's executive order that allows ICE to operate in previously protected places like college campuses, churches and courthouses.

Students gathered near the center of Free Speech Alley, their signs turned towards the masses of people in the surrounding area. The various signs read “Stop the mass deportations” and “¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!”

The rally featured several student speakers, all denouncing the reactionary agenda of President Trump and the LSU administration's complicity with his racist policies.

SDS member Enola Guyer stated, “Our right to education is under attack and we must stand together to fight against this. At the bare minimum LSU must deny ICE the right to step foot on this campus without a court order signed by a judge, but we deserve more. If admin truly cared, they would declare LSU a sanctuary campus.”

Between speeches, students repeated chants such as “Don’t give in to racist fears, immigrants are welcome here!” and “No justice, no peace, no more racist police!” directing their chants at the heavy police presence.

Towards the end of the rally, the microphone was opened up to community members. Members of SDS were joined by the multicultural fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta. One member, as well as the fraternity's faculty advisor, delivered speeches strongly opposing deportation and urging students to fight back against these attacks.

The rally emphasized a commitment among LSU students to stand up against attacks on immigrants and demand protections for immigrant students. Organizations like SDS, Sigma Lambda Beta and The Injustice Reform stated they plan to work together to unite the students until LSU is a sanctuary campus.

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