Victory for International Student Workers!
Thanks to collective action by thousands of academic workers, as well as university and state government allies, ICE rescinded its directive requiring international students to attend classes in person or face deportation.
This is a victory for our International Solidarity Workgroup and all international student workers, together organizing tirelessly against the Trump administration’s xenophobia. Monday, our workgroup organized a successful direct action at the Seattle ICE field office, in coordination with UAW members protesting at ICE offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston. In addition to our collective protests, the keys to victory were our workgroup’s coalition building, public education and litigation development with university and elected allies (UAW 4121 members are directly quoted twice in this Harvard lawsuit, and gave dozens of press interviews).
But the fight is not over. The 7/6 ICE Directive was one of many policies in recent weeks by the Trump administration designed to scapegoat non-citizens including undocumented students and workers, H1B holders, certain J1 visa holders, asylum seekers, and others. We will continue to build on this victory to ensure that our university campuses and other workplaces are welcoming and supportive of all regardless of citizenship status.
Join our union’s International Solidarity Workgroup to develop an even stronger information and support network for international students and scholars. This workgroup creates an avenue at UW to center the experiences and voices of those most affected by these xenophobic directives. Our weekly meetings this summer quarter are Mondays at 11am. If you want to get involved, please email intl-workgroup@uaw4121.org with a non-UW email address to be added to the group’s listserv.
In Solidarity,
Douglas Avella-Castro
Leandro Casiraghi
Amanda Clouser
Monica Cortés Viharo
Meg Drouhard
Max Friedfeld
Vern Harner
Dan Hart
Amzi Jeffs
Sam Kastner
Kyle Kubler
Kristin McCowan
Emily Myers
Anzela Niraula
Jacob O’Connor
Elena Pandres
Nayon Park
Marissa Parker
David Parsons
Shua Sanchez
Paige Sechrest
Solmaz Shakerifard
Sam Sumpter
Judy Twedt
Jon Witt
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