Hundreds of University of North Texas students gathered Wednesday to protest mass deportations ordered by the federal government, and to condemn immigration policies in Texas.
Their protest was, by turns, a celebration, with students dancing and singing popular songs in Spanish. They cheered and performed the popular line dance to Caballo Dorado's "Payaso de Rodeo," and sang along to Spanish hip-hop. They cheered one an other as students took the microphone to share stories of migration and their families' fraught pursuit of the American Dream.
But they also unleashed a shared rage at being labeled murders and rapists by the country they said they love, the country some students said has betrayed them.
When a speaker swore at Latino voters who cast ballots for Trump, he stirred shouts and whoops.
"I'm calling out all the Latinos for MAGA. Y'all betray your blood," said the man, who identified himself as a first-generation college graduate. "Y'all betray your roots. You are a disgrace to our people. And guess what's worse? [MAGA supporters] don't want y'all either ..."
Four student groups organized the protest. A predominantly Hispanic sorority Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. joined the predominantly Hispanic fraternity Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc. to organize with event with the UNT Chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America and the Latinx Hispanic Student Union in leading the event.
Elena Meza, a sophomore biochemistry major at UNT and a member of the Gammas, said Latino students on campus are nervous about President Donald Trump's mass deportation initiative, as well as Gov. Greg Abbott's deterrent tactics, which included the "floating wall" in the Rio Grande River. Large barrels were anchored to the riverbed with cables prevented migrants from swimming under the barrier. Serrated metal plates were between each barrel and kept migrants from climbing over them.
"People are angry," Meza said. "People are upset. People are fearful. People are anxious. People are nervous. It's a mix of a lot of negative emotions. Everybody's unsure of our future here. Even me.
"I'm an American citizen and I'm still unsure my future just because I don't know what the future holds for me. Especially with SB 17 being passe, and then DEI just kind of like fading from existence. And as a woman in STEM, it's kind of scary, looking for into the future towards my career and what that means for me."
Senate Bill 17 was the law passed in 2023 that eliminated programs and positions promoting representation and fair treatment of all people — but especially groups that face discrimination — on college campuses.
Under the law, diversity, equity and inclusion offices, trainings and programs from public universities in Texas were removed.
Meza said many Hispanic students feel that the UNT administration is not doing enough to show their support for Hispanic students in general or students whose legal status is uncertain. And while Latin American migrants aren't the only immigrants who fear Trump's mass deportation orders, the president and key Texas politicians have focuses on migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, who have crossed the southern border in large numbers for decades, but who also fill crucial agricultural, construction and service jobs in the U.S.
Protestors mostly aimed their rage at the president and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday, but students voiced their pain and anger at the racism inflamed by anti-immigration sentiment and hostility toward diversity. Students draped the flags of Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico and Venezuela over their shoulders and marched through the Willis Library Mall.
First-generation Americans voiced their love for their country and their parents during an open mic session and spoke about the pain of being labeled as drug mules, murderers and rapists by nativists.
UNT student Juan Pimentel praised his mother, who was brought to the United States at age 3, and his father, who arrived when he was 15. Pimentel said his parents sacrificed to give their children a better life. He raged at his parents being labeled as dangers to the country.
"I will not stand idly by and let my family — the people who have lived here their entire lives — be told they do not belong," Pimetel said. "That they are criminals and rapists and murderers. I will not sit by and let them be taken away from the land they love, from the family and lives they've built here.
"I want to thank all of you for coming out... and fighting for your right to live in this land. Because we are one. All of us."
Students marched around the library and administration building twice. They chanted in Spanish and English, and the Young Democratic Socialists shared a petition detailing a number of demands for the university. Organizers said demonstrations and activities will continue.
The UNT administration responded to a query from the Denton Record-Chronicle on Wednesday.
"UNT Police is the designated point of contact when an outside law enforcement agency is on campus," the administrative said in an email from Julie Elliott Payne, UNT assistant vice president of communications.
"When any outside law enforcement agency comes to campus, UNT Police will inform them of our procedures and policies so they can conduct their business in a way that respects our campus community. This has been a longstanding practice in Denton and is the same for our Frisco branch campus."
In the event a UNT community member is contacted by any outside law enforcement on campus, in a faculty office or classroom, they should immediately contact the UNT Police Department by calling 940-565-3000.
"DACA status is not a requirement for admissions," Payne's email said. "The state of Texas does not track the information on its common application and UNT also does not ask for DACA status during the admissions process."