ICE Backs Out, UM–Dearborn Campus Does Not
- Reena Hamad
- Nov 6, 2025
- 4 min read
Reena Hamad, News Section Editor
Recruiters for The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency scrapped a planned recruiting visit to UM-Dearborn Wednesday for no reason beyond “unforeseen circumstances.” Although ICE cancelled its attendance, the campus community did not cancel its call for change.
“Just because ICE didn’t show up today, that doesn’t mean we have nothing left to say.” PRIDE President Patricia Reyes said in her speech at Wednesday’s protest.
There were several players in organizing this protest, including Dr. Amy Brainer, Rory Chumney, PRIDE members, faculty speakers Dr. Liz Rohan, Dr. Rose Wellman, and Anna Muller, members of the National Lawyers Guild, clergy, publicly co-sponsoring student organizations such as Students for Justice Palestine (SJP), Casual Gaming Club, Association for Student Anthropologists, Black Student Union, College Democrats, the United Asian American Organization of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and others who chose to remain anonymous.
Wednesday’s protest was a moment of coming together across races, religions, and identities. Fifteen clergy members attended, representing at least four faiths and several Christian denominations. Student Identity Programs Manager Rory Chumney noted that “Since yesterday, all us clergy are now working to continue holding solidarity for each other when it comes to ICE and other acts of injustice in our communities.”
In an “amazing act of interfaith solidarity,” Chumney also observed an “incredible turnout” from the Muslim community as well. Dr. Brainer’s speech featured verses from the Quran, citing Surah Rum: “And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colors,” drawing attention to the diversity of languages and colors on our campus being our greatest strength and treasure.
It is this diversity that Black Student Union (BSU) secretary Ava Moore highlighted in her speech, saying that she “chose to come to this school not only because of the beauty of the campus, but the beauty of the different cultures I saw within my first day of being here that I had never been exposed to at home.”
Students for Justice Palestine (SJP) secretary Ameer Hamad drew on the similarities between the rising oppression in the face of ICE and that of the Palestinian struggle in the face of the occupation, stating that “ SJP stands in solidarity with all of the immigrants of both the community and the nation, and stands steadfast against all forms of hatred and oppression."
Dina Alsaad, vice president and cofounder of the first Queer Middle Eastern North African (MENA) organization on a University campus is an Iraqi-American who highlighted Dearborn’s long history of hard-working immigrants and diversity. She voiced her concerns on behalf of the Arab student body and all those who did not come to campus out of safety concerns when she said that, “Keeping ICE off our campus is vital, not just for our students but for the community as a whole.”
Within a week of finding out that ICE would be recruiting on campus, 140 anonymous survey responses were collected, laminated, and displayed on campus, an incredible organization of over ten students, faculty, and staff came together to offer speeches that reflected the many faces of this issue, and meaningful signs from both organizers and the incredible student body turnout were prepared.
These efforts did not go unnoticed. Interim Provost Dr. Ghassan Kridli remarked that, “As an educator and academic leader, it was great to watch the students learning and practicing their right to protest and it was a moment of pride to see how they exercised these rights” and took the time to personally visit each of the employers at Wednesdays Career Expo and found that “it was clear that they valued the talented students and graduates of the CCJ program.”
Interim Chancellor Dr. Gabriella Scarlatta reaffirmed this sentiment in the community campus saying that “I’m very proud of leading an institution that supports students, faculty, and staff’s right to share their perspective through peaceful protest.” And emphasizing that “At UM-Dearborn, we value and respect diversity of thought and we want to support a campus in which each member feels comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and passions for their cause.”
Although we cannot know the reason for ICE’s cancellation for sure. These notes from UMD administration, as well as the events and efforts of Wednesday’s protest, prove one thing for certain: The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus is unique in its fostering and appreciation of diversity in every form and in growing a generation of students equipped with the skills and courage to advocate for justice and oppose oppression and violence in all its guises.