The PennWest California Democrats on Tuesday, Feb. 10, held a protest against the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Protesters began their route outside Duda Hall and proceeded to the Quad, stopping at Blaze the Vulcan for speeches before continuing. There were three planned speakers who spoke in front of the statue: Willow Lemley, Cara Porsche, and John Oreto.

The first speaker, Willow Lemley, opened about her grandmother who was born during the events of the Holocaust.

“She saw what we are seeing today,” she said. “ICE is beating people, kidnapping people, and executing people in our streets, citizens and non-citizens alike.” Lemley then began to speak about the importance of immigrants in America, giving an example of her hometown Charleroi.

 “[Immigrants in Charleroi] lost their protected status,” she said. “Over the past five years, we have seen a grocery store be built…we have seen businesses that were previously making no money, booming, we have seen churches be rebuilt.”

Cara Porsche, the second speaker, spoke about how it was her duty as an American to protest ICE.

“Most importantly, I am an American…being a true American is loving your country enough to know when it is time to step up,” Porsche said, also reassuring Americans who may be feeling worried in current times:

“We are not a lost cause. As much of a dark history as we have, we used our diverse population to build the largest global superpower in the world.”

The final speaker, PennWest Dems president John Oreto, spoke about ICE detention centers, using shocking and descriptive words. 

 “(People are) crammed into concrete cells no larger than a parking space,” Oreto said. “Cells that are infested with insects and the smell of ****.” Oreto also spoke of Viera Reyes, “a cancer patient…denied access to a doctor (and) medical tests necessary to start lifesaving treatment.”

“Countless men, women, and children have been abused by ICE,” said Oreto.

In front of the Ascent of Humanity statue, the PennWest chapter of Turning Point USA set up a debate table with coffee and doughnuts to offer to student protestors. 

“We know they’re protesting because of the recent events in (Minnesota)…the way ICE has been deporting people,” the President of the TPUSA chapter, Randy Molek, said. “We do understand some of their concerns. We’re not going to fully support everything ICE does.”