State senator urges punishment for students, school calls event ‘hurtful’
A College Republicans group at Arizona State University recently urged students to report illegal immigrants on campus to federal authorities – leading to a protest and flipped table.
College Republicans United tabled on campus Friday. However, they were also protested by around 150 people, according to ASU police estimates. (Inside Higher Ed erroneously reported there were over 700 protesters, mixing up RSVPs on a website with actual people in attendance).
“Reporting crimes is not only a civic duty but also a fundamental for maintaining public safety and the rule of law,” the group posted on X Thursday night. “Law agencies rely on the public to effectively address unlawful activities, and providing information through legal channels is an essential part of that process.”
Its X page still includes a link to Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s website.
The event ran into some trouble, although the school ultimately allowed the event.
“University officials approached the students tabling saying that while they were welcome to be there, they were not permitted to have a physical table set up,” AZ Central reported. “The table was flipped over at one point by a protester who did not appear to be affiliated with either group.”
Reporting crimes is not only a civic duty but also a fundamental for maintaining public safety and the rule of law. Law agencies rely on the public to effectively address unlawful activities, and providing information through legal channels is an essential part of that process.
— College Republicans United at Arizona State (@ASU_CRU) January 31, 2025
The school condemned the event while recognizing the free speech rights of the students.
“Encouraging ASU students to make indiscriminate complaints to law enforcement about fellow students is not in keeping with the principles which underlie our academic community,” the school stated, according to AZ Central.
“We are here to teach and learn — not to engage in self-aggrandizing conduct meant solely to generate as much media attention and controversy as possible,” the university stated. “But we must also recognize that we live in a country that protects individual free speech, even speech that is hurtful.”
At least one state senator urged the university to take action, saying that pro-Palestinian protesters had been unfairly punished while the Republican group was able to host their event.
.@ASU harshly punished students for simply exercising their 1A rights in defense of Palestinian lives causing losses of housing, employment, and degrees. Will they keep that same energy for this disgusting behavior that clearly violates code of conduct?👇🏾 @michaelcrow https://t.co/7Fbbbjt8Nu
— Sen. Analise Ortiz (@SenAnaliseOrtiz) January 30, 2025
“Will they keep that same energy for this disgusting behavior that clearly violates code of conduct,” Democratic state Senator Analise Ortiz wrote on X, tagging President Michael Crow’s account.
Illegal immigrant students at ASU previously followed then-U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema into a bathroom after an on-campus event to urge her to support “citizenship” for illegal immigrants, as The Fix previously reported.
MORE: University bans dorm room whiteboards to stop hurtful words
IMAGE: ASU College Republicans United/X
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