25-04-2025
Las Vegas students protest against Trump's immigration policies
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Protesters gathered at UNLV on Thursday in a demonstration targeting the Trump administration's immigration policies.
The protest follows the revocation of four UNLV international student visas in early April. Those students' identities remain unknown due to federal privacy laws. Three more students had their visas revoked this week, totalling seven.
'Reinstate their visas. Make sure student safety is a top priority,' protest organizer Stephanie Gentry said.
For other protesters, the concern is larger than the revoked visas but also the bigger picture for other international students. Students, UNLV alumni and even students from other universities took part in the protest.
'We've had a lot of students that have to basically leave and flee because they don't have any good immigration standing,' UNLV student Raymond Behnke told 8 News Now. 'They can be deported if they stay, so they can't finish their spring semester here. They need to already go home.'
Benke said he is impressed overall with the university's response to student concerns, even crediting some professors who canceled class in solidarity with protesters.
'This is so close to exam season, and there's all these different scheduling issues that they had. It's even 'Bring Your Kid to Work' day, right? Despite all that, they still wanted to show support for this protest and rally, which I'm really happy about,' he said.
But he also criticized how the university is handling concerns. Behnke said phrases like 'this is something unfortunate that has occurred' and 'I'm sorry, we're doing our best,' feel too passive.
'I do think there needs to be a little bit more of an active language, like, 'Here's what we're doing in order to show support,' in order to increase our programs that relate to this, such as the immigration clinic,' he explained.
Chris Heavey, the officer in charge following UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield's exit, issued the university's initial statement in early April. On Thursday, university regents approved hiring Heavey as interim president by vote of 11-1. Heavey's statement read as follows:
'We have learned that four of our international students have had their visas revoked by federal immigration authorities. We will not identify the students in accordance with federal privacy laws.
We recognize that this news may be difficult for some. Unfortunately, similar circumstances are affecting many universities and colleges across the country, and so we were prepared for this possibility. We are offering support and guidance to the students during this difficult time, including helping those in need to fulfill requirements necessary to complete their spring semester.
UNLV remains steadfast in our commitment to helping all of our students achieve their academic goals, and we will approach any similar future situations with the same mindset and support.
Finally, we are grateful the university has immigration resources for those in need. For example, the UNLV Immigration Clinic's University Legal Services program, part of the Boyd School of Law, offers free immigration legal services, including DACA assistance, to current students, faculty and staff, and their families. The clinic also helps students and others navigate immigration laws and processes. The University Police Department has created a Q and A document as a helpful resource to understand rights and responsibilities related to federal immigration.
If anyone is in need of support services following this news, we urge you to please utilize our mental health and wellness resources, or talk to a friend or colleague. We are here for one another.'
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