Chicago, IL – On Thursday, January 15, students rallied on the University of Illinois Chicago campus to demand the release of Venezuela’s democratically-elected President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores who were kidnapped by the United States, and an end to U.S. intervention in the country.

Despite the extreme cold, students showed up to the UIC quad and united to condemn the illegal actions of the Trump administration.

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, December 15, around 50 students and staff from progressive organizations and unions at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) rallied outside of the quarterly University of Illinois Board of Trustees meeting to demand that the board fund diversity measures.

Orlando, FL – On January 14, University of Central Florida (UCF) Students for a Democratic Society rallied more than 100 students to march on Millican Hall, the campus’s primary administrative building, to demand UCF President Alexander Cartwright meet with student leaders about making UCF a sanctuary campus.

Chicago, IL – On January 13, over 40 students rallied on the University of Illinois Chicago campus in response to ICE’s murder of Renee Nicole Good, and to demand justice for all victims of ICE terror. Students responded to the national week of action by the National Students for a Democratic Society.

We’re ready to fight back

Gio Araujo, from New SDS at UIC, spoke on the importance of taking the lessons of 2025 into the new year. “We’re not going in blind, we’ve experienced a 2025 of ICE terror in our communities and have learned the tactics and strategies.”

Brooklyn, NY – There was a full house in the community room of the Macon Library in the heart of Brooklyn January 17, for a reportback from Venezuela. For their monthly general member’s meeting, the NYC district of Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted two organizers who visited Venezuela in December 2025.

Tampa, FL – On January 13, approximately 70 people attended a rally at the intersection of USF Palm and Fletcher to demand ICE off campus and justice in the wake of the killing of Nicole Renee Good in Minneapolis.

The protest was organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society as a call to action against ICE.

By Lea Rush and Tavish Bryan

West Lafayette, IN – On Monday, January 12, over 100 protesters gathered at the busy intersection of State Street and Northwestern Avenue just outside of Purdue University campus to protest and grieve the brutal murders of Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter, and the killings of Johnny Noviello and Ismael Ayala Urribr, who died in ICE detention from criminal medical neglect.

New Orleans, LA – On Monday evening, January 12, members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) from Tulane University and Loyola University gathered to host a protest in honor of Renee Nicole Good and other victims horrifically murdered by ICE. Around 40 people attended.

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, January 11, an audience of around 20 people gathered at Zao MKE Church to watch a webinar featuring five anti-war activists who visited Venezuela in the last month, hosted by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN). 

Jacksonville, FL – On Wednesday, January 7, students at the University of North Florida gathered for a banner-drop demanding the school be declared a sanctuary campus. The demonstration, organized by the Jacksonville chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), was the latest in a long line of protests against the university’s cooperation with ICE.

New York, NY – On the evening of January 8, over 2000 people gathered in Foley Square, across the street from the ICE headquarters in New York City, to protest the murder of Renee Good at the hands of ICE agent Jonathan Ross.

The protest was called by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), who just launched the ICE Out! FEDS Out! Campaign. It was endorsed by NYC Ice Watch, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, Brooklyn Against War, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and NYU Students for a Democratic Society.

Bozeman, MT – On January 7 at 6:30 p.m., with only hours’ notice, approximately 50 Bozeman residents rallied at the Bozeman Police Department with a clear statement: justice for Renee Good, the victim of ICE’s murder in Minneapolis earlier that day, and no ICE in our communities.

Seattle, WA – On January 7, organizers with Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR), Seattle Against War (SAW), and others held an emergency rally in front of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to protest the ICE murder of Minneapolis resident Renee Good which had occurred that same morning. The rally was held to answer the nationwide call to action from the Legalization 4 All Network and was organized within a matter of hours.

Fight Back! News is circulating the following statement from the New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).

New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC is proud to announce that we’ve successfully pushed UIC administration to commit to increasing funding for all seven cultural centers on campus! In the era of Trump 2.0, this is an important victory in the struggle to defend diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. When we dare to struggle, we dare to win!

By Kayla Nguyen and Kobi Guillory

Chicago, IL – A fiery rally took place in freezing weather beside the Little Village Arch on Saturday, December 13. Protesters commemorated Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe by demanding an end to deportations and ICE abductions, justice for victims of ICE, and legalization for all immigrants living in the U.S. as a part of a national weekend of action called by the Legalization for All Network.

New Orleans, LA — On Friday morning, December 12, students rallied outside Tulane University while a member of Together United Louisiana Students for a Democratic Society (TUL SDS) met with administration. The meeting was scheduled after students’ hand-delivered letters in November demanding Tulane reject Trump’s compact for higher education.

New Orleans, LA – On December 3, students at Loyola University New Orleans showed up to oppose the second attempt at chartering a Turning Point USA chapter on their campus.

In October of this year, a small group of conservative students attended a student senate session to propose a TPUSA Charter at Loyola. At that meeting, over 100 students packed the room to show their opposition to a chapter on campus. When the senate denied the charter, the pro-TPUSA students appealed to have their proposal heard again.

New York, NY – Students attended a teach-in about the NYU board of trustees, December 3, led by members of the Students for a Democratic Society at NYU. The teach-in talked about what the board of trustees were, their interests as a body, specific members of the board of trustees and the necessity to organize and take action.

Milwaukee, WI – On Thursday, November 20, students gathered outside the Fire and Safety Building, demanding that the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administration and the UWM Police Department stop its repression against student and community activists.

Austin, TX – On November 20, Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a speak out against a U.S. war on Venezuela. A group of students and faculty gathered for speeches at the George Washington statue on the University of Texas campus