{"id":11688,"date":"2025-07-01T19:49:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T19:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesouthtexan.com\/?p=11688"},"modified":"2025-12-09T21:31:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T21:31:37","slug":"ice-detainees-remain-in-custody-raid-sparks-campus-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesouthtexan.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/01\/ice-detainees-remain-in-custody-raid-sparks-campus-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"ICE Detainees remain in custody, Raid Sparks Campus Protest\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Following the ICE raid on Thursday, June 26, at Texas A&M University\u2013Kingsville, The Corpus Christi Caller-Times<\/em>reported that 27 contractors were apprehended. This number was confirmed in an email from Homeland Security on June 30, which stated that 22 individuals remained in custody from those detained-on university grounds (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe worksite enforcement operation was related to suspected violations of U.S. employment law by a contractor,\u201d according to Homeland Security Investigations, as reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton Global Disaster Solutions (Cotton GDS), a Houston-based contractor hired to remediate fire damage on campus, remains present on university property. However, the number of workers has decreased significantly since Thursday\u2019s raid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Texas A&M University Kingsville Adriana Garza-Flores said in statement to The South Texan  \u201cCotton Commercial renders services across the A&M System under a Master Service Agreement. The individuals detained are Cotton Commercial employees, and, as such, the institution would not receive updates from federal authorities on their current statuses. Any questions regarding these individuals should be directed to Cotton Commercial. The University will always prioritize the safety of our students, staff and faculty and will continue to issue communications as necessary to keep everyone informed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In response to the apprehensions, a protest took place on University Boulevard on June 30. More than two dozen demonstrators, including members of the student body and surrounding community, gathered to denounce the incident. Protesters held signs and distributed informational cards explaining what to do if approached by ICE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m here to support the students. It\u2019s shocking to me that ICE would come in and raid a college campus\u2014it seems entirely inappropriate,\u201d Ellison Powers, a protestor said. They also addressed the university\u2019s response: \u201cSo far, they have been supportive. They\u2019ve been transparent about the raid. They let us know how many people were picked up, and they also came out and welcomed us and said, \u2018You\u2019re welcome to be here.\u2019 We\u2019re not here to protest the university\u2014we are here to protest ICE,\u201d Powers continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pamela Myers a protester handed out information on what to do if ICE approaches <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are directions on what to do when you are stopped by ICE, so that you know your rights,\u201d Myers said. \u201cI was sad. It\u2019s going to discourage people from going to school here. It\u2019s taking away our people. Whoever they are, they are our people\u2014and they are taking them away without proper authority. It\u2019s just like Nazi Germany: they came for one group, then another group of people. They will just keep coming,\u201d Myers continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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