Editor’s Note: This article was edited on March 5, 2026 to address an inaccuracy about a speaker’s statement.
Students Advocating for Immigrant Rights and Equity (SAFIRE) marched along Ring Road to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and advocate for immigrants’ rights on Feb. 23.
SAFIRE is a student-run organization that aims to provide “a safe environment for undocumented/DACA/Non-DACA/AB 540 students and those impacted by immigration policies,” and their activity on campus dates back to 2017.
They shared the intention of their rally in an Instagram post.
“Our purpose is to acknowledge the resistance and intersectional experience of immigrants,” the caption read. “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.”
The caption ended with the phrase “Somos más y seremos aún más” which translates to “We are more and we will be even more.”
As protesters made their way around Ring Road, they chanted, “This is what community looks like. This is what democracy looks like. This is what opportunity looks like.”
Along the way, they made stops so that members of the organization and others could read statements. One of those stops was in front of the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall.
“The people are struggling amidst our current economic crisis. Mass layoffs in the U.S., soaring prices of food, counseling, basic needs and low wages while our government funnels billions of dollars into ICE,” a speaker said as they stood in front of a large banner that read “IMMIGRATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT.”
SAFIRE did not respond to New University’s request to identify the speaker.
The same speaker brought up funding cuts to resources such as the Basic Needs Center, the Dream Center and the Humanity and Social Science departments. They also mentioned UCI having yet to enforce Senate Bill 98.
Senate Bill 98, signed in September 2025, requires elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions to notify students, parents, faculty and staff of immigration enforcement agents on campus.
In an email sent to the campus community on Jan. 12, UCI shared the communications protocol regarding SB 98. The email stated that UCI would notify the campus community of significant law enforcement activity, including immigration enforcement, through ZotMail and ZotAlert.
The speaker brought up the importance of organizing when it comes to taking a stand against injustices and oppression.
“As the fascist attacks escalate and we see the complicity of UCI and other universities, we must strengthen our resolve to organize,” the speaker said. “To fight alongside our communities and expose the system that underlies all the issues that we are facing.”
Before continuing their march, another student shared their experience as a child of immigrants.
“Being a migrant in the United States means living in constant fear,” the student said.
They mentioned having to translate their mother’s medical documents as a small child and how the medical diagnosis within the pages instilled fear. Their mother hesitated to receive care because of their immigration status.
“No one should have to choose between their health and their safety,” the student said.
They continued by reminding listeners that immigration is not a crime and that immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity.
UCI did not respond to New University’s request for comment.
Alejandra Rodriguez Zepeda is a News Staff Writer. She can be reached at alejar16@uci.edu.
Edited by Luis Ortiz