Full Breakdown
Campaign Against ICE: University Toolkit Sparks Controversy
4/7/2026, 12:01:40 AM
Overview of the Campaign
The American Association of University Professors (AAUP), in collaboration with the Young Democratic Socialists of America, the Sunrise Movement, and the Workplace Justice Lab at Rutgers University, has launched a campaign titled "Schools Drop ICE." This initiative encourages students to create a crisis at their universities to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by severing ties with companies that support ICE operations. The toolkit outlines strategies for escalating campaigns that combine outreach and non-violent direct action.
Targeted Corporations
The "Schools Drop ICE" campaign identifies five key targets for students to focus their efforts on:
1. Charter Flight Companies: Eastern, GlobalX, and Omni Air are highlighted for their involvement in deportation flights.
2. Flock Cameras: These surveillance cameras are alleged to feed data to ICE through local police departments, with the toolkit claiming that over 60 campuses utilize this technology.
3. Enterprise Rent-A-Car: The company is accused of renting vehicles to ICE agents for raids and deportations.
4. Hilton Hotels: The campaign points out that Hilton properties often house ICE agents during enforcement operations.
5. Target Corp.: The campaign asserts that consumer pressure on Target, which has stores near many campuses, could influence its corporate practices regarding ICE.
Goals and Principles
Ethan Rome, the national director of the Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education, stated that the campaign aims to ensure safety for all individuals on campuses, regardless of immigration status. The toolkit emphasizes non-violence and aims to create a public relations crisis that universities can resolve by cutting ties with ICE contractors.
Official Statements & Responses
The AAUP and its partners assert that the toolkit serves to highlight the detrimental impact of ICE on communities and to encourage educational institutions to stop enabling ICE through corporate contracts. The Sunrise Movement echoed this sentiment, framing the campaign as a constitutional exercise in challenging perceived authoritarianism through peaceful activism.
Conversely, a spokesperson for Flock Safety criticized the campaign, claiming it is based on misinformation. They stated that Flock has no relationship with ICE and that schools independently choose to collaborate with ICE if they do so. The spokesperson expressed concern that the campaign could compromise safety by spreading inaccuracies.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics of the campaign argue that it may misrepresent the role of certain companies, particularly Flock Safety, which has denied any connection to ICE. The spokesperson's comments highlight a broader concern regarding the accuracy of the claims made in the toolkit and the potential consequences of misinforming students and faculty.
What's Next
As the campaign unfolds, it is likely to provoke further discussions and actions across university campuses nationwide. The effectiveness of the toolkit in achieving its goals remains to be seen, as institutions weigh the implications of severing ties with the targeted corporations.
