Yale Students Mobilize Against ICE Operations and University Investments
Members of the Endowment Justice Collective at Yale University hosted a significant teach-in this week, calling on fellow students to organize against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in New Haven and intensify pressure on the university to divest from corporations allegedly connected to the agency. The meeting, held on Tuesday evening in Phelps Hall, attracted approximately 30 participants, with organizers structuring the presentation into three key sections: "ICE out of our streets," "ICE out of our endowment," and "how we'll win." This event seamlessly blended community guidance on immigration enforcement with a renewed advocacy for changes to Yale's investment policies.
Personal Motivations and Community Engagement
One attendee, Abraham Rebollo-Trujillo DRA ’26, shared with the Yale Daily News that her involvement was driven by concerns over ICE operations in New Haven and Yale's financial investments. As the child of immigrants, she expressed a deep personal connection to immigrant rights issues, highlighting the emotional and ethical stakes for many students. The teach-in provided a platform for such voices, fostering a sense of solidarity and urgency among participants.
Guidance on Identifying ICE Activity
Presenters at the event offered detailed advice on how to identify ICE officers and vehicles in the New Haven area. They described unmarked vehicles with tinted windows and officers who may wear identifying badges or symbols, or casual clothing while carrying radios and handcuffs. This practical guidance aimed to empower students to recognize and respond to enforcement actions in their community.
Organizers encouraged direct action by urging students to sign up for "ICE watch" shifts at the New Haven courthouse, accompany immigrants to court appearances, and support affected families. The overarching goal, as outlined in the presentation, was to build awareness and enhance community response capacity around immigration enforcement in the city, creating a network of support and vigilance.
Context of Expanded Immigration Enforcement
The teach-in occurred against the backdrop of expanded immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, whose administration began a second term in January and has implemented a mass deportation campaign. The Yale Daily News report referenced recent ICE crackdowns nationally, including operations in Minneapolis, underscoring the broader political context that fuels student activism and concerns over local impacts.
Divestment Push Targets Palantir Technologies
A central focus of the event was Yale's endowment investments, with organizers strongly urging the university to divest from corporations they believe support ICE operations, particularly Palantir Technologies. Students alleged during the presentation that Palantir's data tools enable surveillance and deportation targeting, citing media reports that indicate ICE uses a Palantir database to find and track individuals for deportation and has entered into significant contracts with the company to build surveillance platforms.
Last fall, members of the Endowment Justice Collective utilized Yale's formal review channels to request divestment from Palantir, along with other corporations including natural gas companies and weapons manufacturers. In January, Yale's Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR) declined to recommend changes to investment eligibility policies, a decision that has sparked frustration among activists.
University Response and Process Criticisms
A University spokesperson informed the Yale Daily News that the committee's review of a topic does not necessarily indicate that the endowment holds a specific investment. The spokesperson added that the University encourages concerned groups to follow the ACIR's established process, which is outlined in "The Ethical Investor," first published in 1972 and defining the framework for ethical investment decisions.
Organizers at the teach-in criticized what they described as a lengthy and opaque divestment process, expressing frustration at the lack of communication following the rejection of their proposal. According to the Yale Daily News, students reported that they had not been contacted by the advisory committee or administrators since their pitch was denied, highlighting perceived barriers to transparency and engagement.
Historical Precedent and Continued Organizing Efforts
The presentation concluded with references to past student activism that resulted in successful divestment decisions. Organizers highlighted Yale's 2006 divestment from oil companies operating in Sudan during the Darfur genocide as a key example of effective campus advocacy, drawing parallels to current efforts and inspiring hope for future change.
According to Isabel Matos ’28, a second, "identical" teach-in was held later in the week in Linsly-Chittenden Hall. She noted that the lecture hall, with a capacity of 149 students, was filled, indicating growing interest and support for the cause. Organizers ended the slideshow on an optimistic note, asserting that student organizing at Yale has historically influenced institutional policy and could do so again, reinforcing a message of resilience and potential impact.
