President Donald Trump’s comments and actions over student protests and the detainment of a student organizer in New York have stirred concern for the future of university-based protesting.
Following a summer of protests at and around U.S. universities, Trump has threatened any institutions that “allows for illegal protests,” specifically ones that he feels are antisemitism according to AP News.
Columbia University, a private university in New York, has been the target of Trump’s action, as the school had 400 million dollars of federal funds canceled by the Trump administration.
Universities around the country, which includes Columbia, had students protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza with calls for their schools to divest from Israel. Some of these demonstrations included starting encampments on university property.
This current crackdown has resulted in pro-Palestinian student protestors fleeing the country, while others like Columbia alum and student organizer Mahmoud Khalil have been arrested.
Ferris political science professor David Takitaki contests the legality of Trump’s actions.
“I don’t believe this is what would be an official policy of the United States government,” Takitaki said. “It is the president of the United States, attempting to alter the behavior of law-abiding Americans by making threats against educational institutions against students who are here on foreign visas against people who would be afraid that using their First Amendment rights would result in their expulsion from institutions that they attend. None of that falls within the powers of the executive under the constitution.”
Takitaki also explained that the actions violate the principles of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and the separation of powers created by Congress.
Khalil’s detainment by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not the only arrest to be made about the Columbia protests. However, Khalil’s deportation has been blocked by a U.S. district court judge.
Ferris has not been a hotbed of political activity and is much smaller than the institutions involved in pro-Palestinian protests. Back in November of 2023, students rallied in favor of both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine sentiments.
When it comes to the right to protest, students at Ferris expressed the importance of having the right to do so.
Pre-pharmacy sophomore Bobby Snell questions how there can be societal change without organizing.
“It’s important. If they can’t protest, then how is there going to be change,” Snell said. “Especially for people that want to seek change, or they see something that needs to be changed. I feel like that’s one of the only ways that they have, at least places like a campus, that they can get a change.”
Trump’s new higher-education-based controversy comes after his administration vowed to rid the country of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This has since impacted universities in the country, just like the “illegal protests” cuts.
Fifty miles from Ferris, Grand Valley State University has been home to a few student protests regarding ICE, divestment and Palestine.
Health communications junior and Grand Valley Progressive Student Union member Owen Frassetto emphasized that despite Trump’s actions, student activists should not be fearful.
“The effect of Trump’s post is a dangerous one, it communicates his intention to wage a political war on the student movement,” Frassetto said. “I don’t think we as students should be afraid or hide away in a political sense, but should stand up and fight back against Trump’s agenda.”
Most recently, PSU organized against a conservative speaker who had detransitioned.
Like other universities, students at Ferris value their right to assemble. Ideas like this were expressed by technical and professional communications junior Carly Hedlund.
“As a student, regardless of whether I choose to participate in protests or not, I do not want to see the right to protest on campus be taken away,” Hedlund said. “I think Trump really only cares about blocking protests that go against what he believes in, it is just ridiculous overall in my opinion that the right to protest could be infringed upon simply because the president does not like it.”
As the country grapples with student protest rights and the detainment of student activists, Ferris students have been firm in their beliefs about their rights.