MILWAUKEE — Dozens spent Monday evening protesting the termination of 13 UW-Milwaukee international students and recent graduates' visas by the Trump administration.
Students for a Democratic Society: United with Milwaukee (SDS UWM) helped organize the rally and march.
"These attacks on international and immigrant students are not only an attack on free speech but also a tactic to normalize the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on our campuses and by extension our communities," read a press release sent to TMJ4.
Watch: Protesters rally over UWM International students' terminated visas
The more than 60 in attendance also called out what they see as a lack of response by UWM leadership in protecting and supporting those students.
Among the protesters was Patricia Fish, a former international student who attended high school in Tokyo.
"They're here to learn, and they should have the same rights as students that are U.S. citizens," said Fish.
Fish expressed frustration, saying the affected students "are not doing anything wrong" and "are here for an education" trying to better their lives.
Dozens of international students and recent graduates around the state have had their visas revoked at both public and private colleges.
Previous Coverage: College students respond to visa terminations affecting Wisconsin international student
Chris Van Valkenberg, a UWM sophomore, condemned what they called the university's "pathetic response" and lack of resources provided to the impacted students.
In a message to students, UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said the rationale for the visa terminations is unclear, noting the university did not play a role in the removals; however, protesters like Fish believe the university is still "complicit" since international students bring in significant revenue.
The group behind the protest included both students and community members who voiced concerns over the lack of communication and resources available to the international students who had their visas revoked.
"Going to the website that they provide, there's very few links, and then going to those links and trying to access those resources makes it even more difficult," said Van Valkenberg. "You're really led around in circles, and it's really hard to find out how you can best be supported on campus."
A university spokesperson provided this statement in response to the protest Monday:
"The university respects the right of students to express their views and advocate for the issues they care about. As stated in our April 11 message to campus [uwm.edu], UWM has played no role in recent visa revocations or status terminations affecting students. UWM remains committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all students."
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
