Between classes last Thursday, students crossing Ben Brown Plaza were met with a question that felt bigger than the quad itself: “Is I.C.E Good for Society?”
Written across a poster board at a Turning Point USA table (TPUSA), the prompt invited students to weigh in as they passed, either by stepping up to make a tally mark or by giving a thumbs up or thumbs down from across the lawn.
Turning Point USA members stood behind the board throughout the afternoon, calling out to classmates and keeping a visible count of responses.
By the end of the day, the group reported approximately 130 “Yes” votes and 30 “No” votes. Those numbers included both students who approached the table to voice their opinion directly and those who signaled approval or disapproval from a distance after being prompted.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency operating under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Established in 2003, ICE is primarily responsible for enforcing immigration laws within the United States, including detention and removal operations.
In recent months, immigration enforcement has remained a prominent issue in national political conversation, making the question posed on Ben Brown one that extends far beyond Samford’s campus.
Samford student and TPUSA member Jacob Hoffman described the afternoon as largely positive, saying he believes that, “As always, with booths at Samford, we have a few people who hide their faces from us, or kind of look away, but overall, we’ve had a very positive experience out here. And I think Samford wants to make its voice heard.”
While the tally suggested strong support among those who chose to respond, participation was voluntary and informal. Students who disagreed, felt uncertain or preferred not to engage may not be reflected in the count unless they made their opinion visibly known.
The conversation about immigration enforcement may appear on campus again soon in a different context.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is registered to attend an upcoming Samford Career Development Center Job & Internship Fair. While CBP and ICE serve different operational roles, both agencies fall under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.
According to event listings, CBP will be recruiting students for positions where “no U.S. Work Authorization is required.”
CBP has also faced national scrutiny in recent weeks following reports that the agency was responsible for the death of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
When asked about CBP’s presence at the fair, the Career Development Center responded: “The Job & Internship Fair is open to all government entities that have full-time job or internship offerings. All government departments are allowed to register for the event, which is posted on our website. We ask that Samford students be courteous to all employers, regardless of personal beliefs and/or political climate.”
As immigration policy and enforcement continue to shape national headlines, last Thursday’s tally board suggests those broader debates are not as distant from campus life as they might seem.
Staff Reporter
