This post was updated April 18 at 12:05 a.m.

The United States Customs and Border Protection detained a UCLA student at the U.S.-Mexico border, leading hundreds of community members to protest Thursday.

Protesters began demonstrating around 5 p.m. outside Murphy Hall, which houses offices for members of the UCLA administration, and called for the release of the detained student. Speakers urged UCLA to “fight back” against the Trump administration, which has threatened to revoke federal funding from several universities that refuse to comply with its demands and has revoked the visas of nearly 1,500 international students and alumni across the country – including at least 19 at UCLA.

UCLA Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications Mary Osako confirmed the detainment in an 8:31 p.m. emailed statement to the Daily Bruin.

“UCLA has learned that an international graduate student was detained by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while attempting to enter the United States from Mexico,” she said in the statement. “The student remains in the custody of CBP and we are actively working to learn more information.”

Undergraduate Students Association Council President Adam Tfayli said in a 4:41 p.m. text message that the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars informed him that a student was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border, but added that he was unaware of the reason.

Protesters also expressed support for Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” and, “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA.” Members of the UCLA Faculty Association held a banner with the name of their organization on the steps of Murphy Hall while wearing academic regalia. 

A member of the United Auto Workers Local 4811 – which represents academic student employees, graduate student researchers, and academic and postdoctoral researchers – said in a speech that the student detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a “graduate worker.” 

“We call upon the graduate student union, UAW 4811, to come out strongly in support of its own graduate students and to rally the broader labor community against deportations at UCLA and beyond,” they said in the speech. 

Sunita Patel, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, said in a speech that the Trump administration’s recent crackdowns on immigration – including through denying Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants, attempting to end birthright citizenship and revoking the visas of international students – cannot be normalized.

“We must stand together and say, ‘Enough is enough,’” she said in a speech. “We will not normalize what this administration is doing across the country to noncitizens and immigrants.”

Leisy Abrego, a professor of Chicana/o and Central American Studies, said she decided to attend the protest after hearing that a UCLA student was detained at the border, adding that she believes the university must “stick up” for its students.

Michael Chwe, a UCLA Faculty Association Executive Board member, said he wanted to speak up for the detained student because he believes the university has not shown enough support.

“If our university doesn’t start speaking up for students, we feel like we have to,” said Chwe, a professor of political science. “We’re calling them, the administration, to speak very loudly and stand up for the rights of all of our students.”

Chwe added that UCLA should protect its students by refusing to comply with ICE – and committing to using the BruinAlert system if ICE officers do enter campus. 

UCLA administrators said they would not notify students via BruinAlert if ICE came to campus, according to minutes obtained by the Daily Bruin from a meeting between USAC officers and administrators. The university would only “be in a position” to notify students after ICE left campus, the minutes said.

Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. said during the meeting that while UCLA does not “complement” the work of federal agents, officers could enter campus buildings with legal cause, according to the meeting minutes. 

[Related: ​​Students who had visas revoked were previously arrested, USAC meeting reveals]

A member of the UC Divest Coalition at UCLA, who did not give their name, said in a speech that he was calling on protesters to not let recent deportations deter them from engaging in activism. 

While President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening to revoke the visas of pro-Palestine protesters Jan. 29, the Daily Bruin was unable to confirm if the federal government revoked the visas of UCLA students and recent alumni because of their involvement in pro-Palestine protests.

“We refuse to be silent, to let our fear consume us,” they said. “Instead, let’s channel this fear, this rage into action.”

The person said the number of people at the protest made them hopeful but urged the university to protect students.

Aden Awad, a fourth-year biology student, attended the protest wearing an Israeli flag on his shoulders and carried a sign that said, “As a Zionist, attacks on our students are not OK.”

Awad, a staff writer for Ha’Am, a Jewish newsmagazine published by UCLA Student Media – which also publishes the Daily Bruin – said he attended the rally to show support for undocumented students and their rights to free speech, despite disagreeing with the views of many students at the protests. He added that because his father fled an authoritarian regime in Egypt, he understands the risks that undocumented students face. 

“I understand the risk that our undocumented students are under,” Awad said. “I sympathize with immigrant communities.”

Abrego said the UC has historically supported undocumented and international students.

“These students have contributed these very important ways to enriching the life on campus,” she said. “The University has a moral authority and responsibility to protect them.”