Ice them out: Stories from a protest

There’s nothing more patriotic than a protest. The right to speak freely, gather together as a united community and demand change for a nation we know can do better is the foundation upon which this country was established.

That truth had never been more clear to me than in the midst of a crowd of hundreds on the cold Friday morning of Jan. 30 at the campus-wide ICE Out Walkout, organized by the Ohio Student Association and Young Democratic Socialists of America at Miami University.

This assemblage comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s administration’s nationwide deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whose forces have increased by 12,000 agents since the start of Trump’s 2024 term. The placement of these agents in major cities such as Los Angeles, California, and Portland, Oregon, has led to civil unrest among residents, and news of exponential increases in arrests and detentions have made waves around the globe, including in Oxford.

That Friday, I had the opportunity to speak with several participants of Miami’s walkout and ask them why they were protesting.

I first spoke with junior Natalie Janssen, whose poignant sign read “They want 1939 Germany, they’ll get 1789 France.” She stood in the crowd in solidarity with the victims of ICE and in objection to the Trump administration’s handling of immigration policy.

“I’m here today because of the injustice and unconstitutional actions taking place by our current administration,” Janssen said.

Janssen also recognized her privilege to participate in a gathering such as this without the fear of violent retribution.

“I'm here to be a voice for those who cannot afford to stand here and use their First Amendment right, and to show our neighbors that we love them, we accept them and we will do everything we can to protect them,” Janssen said.

The recent shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good only further escalated tensions between United States citizens and agents of ICE, who are now responsible for the deaths of six people this year alone. Maddie Hooper, a current Miami senior, said she is committed to extending her academic career into a law degree at Minnesota and has personal ties to the area.

“I am going to Minnesota next fall and this is just not OK,” Hooper said.

Junior Lilly McClelland, who was recently featured holding her “Abolish ICE” sign in an Instagram post from the College Democrats of America, had a succinct and powerful message to those wondering why she ensured below freezing temperatures protesting the actions of ICE.

“I’m here because I’m enraged by the state of our nation,” McClelland said.

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McClelland’s words ring true for all of the members of the ICE Out Walkout, but especially to those who choose to speak out against the current regime, though it often feels like an isolated endeavor.

Sophomore Claire Grosel said she agrees with this feeling of separation from students who share her beliefs, though she doesn’t let that stand in the way of her pursuit of justice.

“I went to the protest today mainly to stand among my peers and like-minded people to obviously fight for the abolishment of ICE, but also to show up in a predominantly white, conservative town and campus to show that this issue is so pressing that people in all areas are speaking up and putting a fight up against ICE,” Grosel said.

If I didn’t care about this country, I wouldn’t be angry. My anger comes from a place of deep disappointment in the failures of this nation: the failure to live up to the promises we were founded on, and the promises of fair treatment, equality and opportunity.

If I had no belief in the promise of the nation, I wouldn’t be bothered by the events unfolding in my community and beyond. It is because of my love for this country that I am infuriated. It is because of this love that I have no choice but to fight for a greater tomorrow for all U.S. citizens.

Let this demonstration serve as a reminder to stay strong and stand united, because the best way to fight injustice is together.

burnsen@miamioh.edu

Emily Burns is a junior opinion writer for The Miami Student who is majoring in environmental earth science. Outside of the newspaper, she competes in ice dance for the Miami University Figure Skating team.