Hundreds gather at UNM for National Day of Action for Higher Education. Here's why.

Hundreds of students, faculty, alumni and locals rallied on the University of New Mexico’s main campus Thursday to take part in the National Day of Action for Higher Education.

The topics touched on by protesters included the university potentially changing policies to comply with federal guidelines, calls for UNM to cut ties with companies connected to the Israeli military, the graduate student workers union’s asks ahead of negotiating a new contract with the school and demanding the protection of international students.

The protest began at noon outside Scholes Hall and called for a student walkout. Sofia Tenorio was one of many who obliged, leaving her class early to participate.

“Our rights as students are getting taken away. That affects our education directly, and so I want to fight against that,” Tenorio said. “You just have to stand up for what you believe in and what you want to fight for, and something that’s as simple as just showing up, I think, can do a lot.”

The protest followed a week when multiple UNM students’ visas — though the university has refused to disclose how many — were revoked by the U.S. Department of State.

It also comes nearly a month after the university began eyeing changes to four policies to meet the Trump administration’s demands, having drawn the ire of the new federal regime along with 44 other campuses for participating in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

An estimated 400 protesters wore union T-shirts, keffiyehs, or occasionally both, flew pride flags and ones of Palestine and hoisted signs calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave the state.

The Board of Regents’ office is housed in Scholes Hall, and graduate student Mark Campbell wanted to make sure the university’s governing body heard the voices of protesters.

“When you see crowds like this, it’s important to realize that power comes from the masses. Power is not decided in these little offices inside buildings like this. It’s not decided by people like Trump,” Campbell said. “I’d like to see ICE or (the Department of Homeland Security) try and disappear one of us in this crowd.”

Alerted of the protest by her teaching assistants — some of whom are members of the United Graduate Workers of UNM — Anessa Duran decided to attend Thursday’s protest. A planetary sciences and archeology major, Duran expressed concerns about funding cuts that are affecting her professors.

“A lot of my teachers … who are working on their Ph.D.s can’t conduct any research or go on the trips that they were planning to. So it’s just been very disheartening to watch,” Duran said. “I think it’s good that the university comes out. I feel like, in general, Donald Trump wants to see universities in all of America bend the knee, but we won’t.”

In response to questions, UNM sent comments from a campus-wide letter in which UNM President Garnett Stokes wrote, “At UNM, we believe in building belonging — not barriers. This principle guides us as we work to ensure our policies reflect legal compliance and our enduring commitment to inclusive excellence.”

Toward the end of the protest, Emma Martin, a New Mexico resident of 12 years and UNM freshman, watched the protest on her way home from class.

“I think it’s cool to see my own school getting involved,” Martin said, adding she would’ve liked to see more people join the protest.