UVU Students Protest Immigration Crackdown, Border Protection Presence at Job Fair
OREM — Job recruitment by federal immigration authorities has become a heated topic in the ongoing debate surrounding the crackdown on illegal immigration. On Wednesday, Utah Valley University (UVU) students demonstrated outside a job recruitment fair, where representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were present to recruit potential employees.
Loa Lee, a UVU student and protester, expressed her frustration, stating, "I cannot just sit and watch what's happening. I cannot just be complacent, especially with all the new stuff coming out." Referencing the recent killings of two protestors by immigration agents in Minneapolis, she accused officials of being too aggressive and "terrorizing civilians who are just trying to peacefully protest."
Mackenzie Hillman, another student protester, highlighted the fear within the immigrant community, which is directly affected by the crackdown. "They're separating families, and to me, family is the most important thing," she said, emphasizing the impact on the immigrant population.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), tasked with enforcing U.S. immigration law, has become a focal point of criticism from those opposing the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. While ICE officials were not present at the job fair, Customs and Border Protection representatives were, and they were the target of protesters' anger. Rebekah Surtees, a UVU demonstrator, questioned the agency's presence, stating, "Border Patrol shouldn't even be here. This isn't the border."
UVU officials confirmed that CBP was one of many employers at the job fair and has participated in similar events at the university for several years. While UVU touted the event as an opportunity for students to seek internships and jobs, the protest drew attention to the controversial presence of border protection officials.
The protest, organized by UVU's Civil Disobedience Club, attracted an estimated "several hundred" come-and-go protesters, one of many such demonstrations across Utah and beyond in recent weeks. The budget bill signed into law by Trump last July allocates significant funds for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and CBP, to support the immigration crackdown. This includes $4.1 billion for hiring new CBP officials, such as customs officers and border patrol agents.
CBP's own website highlights the agency's mission and size, stating, "Keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while ensuring lawful international travel and trade is a mission that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) takes immense pride in every day. With over 60,000 employees, CBP is one of the world's largest law enforcement organizations."
However, the protest also shed light on concerns regarding due process for immigrants targeted by immigration agents. Savanna Metz, a protester, argued that agents should secure proper warrants and target criminal suspects instead of "just pulling people over because they're brown or because they speak Spanish."
As the debate over immigration continues, UVU students' protest serves as a reminder of the diverse perspectives and the need for a balanced approach to addressing immigration issues.
