Teachers union leaders back anti-ICE demonstrations, defend illegal aliens
The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are rallying anti-ICE protesters and defending illegal immigrants.
AFT President Randi Weingarten called LA rioters 'peaceful protesters.'
Two major teachers unions are backing anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests and defending illegal immigrants.
The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are speaking out against the Trump administration’s deportation efforts and showing support for violent anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles.
The presidents of both unions rallied protesters at an anti-ICE rally in front of the Department of Justice building in Washington D.C. on Monday.
“Enough of the ICE raids! Enough of the cruelty and the hate!” NEA President Becky Pringle shouted to the crowd of protesters.
✏️Here’s the boss of the biggest teacher’s union, Becky Pringle of the National Education Association going hard
”Enough of the ICE raids! Enough of the cruelty and the hate!”
What’s the teacher’s unions’ interest in this, you might ask🤔 pic.twitter.com/7fyklxwiOT— Mairead Elordi (@maireadelordi) June 9, 2025
”Fix the g*ddamn immigration laws! Don’t arrest workers!” AFT President Randi Weingarten said to protesters.
✏️More Weingarten, as a treat — in which she apologizes to God for cursing
”Fix the goddamn immigration laws! Don’t arrest workers! Sorry God. Sorry. Sorry God.” pic.twitter.com/VUFsz7JGZr— Mairead Elordi (@maireadelordi) June 9, 2025
Their rhetoric comes amid violent protests in Los Angeles, where rioters torched vehicles, looted stores, and burned American flags. In response, President Trump deployed the National Guard to restore order.
Despite the violence, Weingarten called the rioters “peaceful protesters.”
“This illegal, heavy-handed, and unnecessary crackdown on peaceful protesters is a trumped-up excuse to manufacture a spectacle and stoke further tensions…This is Trump wanting to be king, putting the National Guard on the ground to target and intimidate,” Weingarten stated in a press release.
She claimed the United States is “stronger by the rule of law,” yet condemned ICE operations.
Campus Reform recently covered a related development in Los Angeles County, where a Glendale Community College faculty member encouraged students to participate in an anti-ICE protest amid ongoing riots.
The NEA has a track record of working against ICE.
In January, the union issued guidance advising educators to help shield illegal immigrants from deportation efforts.
“As educators, we have accepted the sacred responsibility to protect students—every single student, regardless of their immigration status—and to protect families and communities. We have a professional and moral responsibility to keep our students safe, especially if, and when, Trump sends ICE into our communities,” Pringle said in a statement.
Guidance provided to educators from the NEA matches Pringle’s statement.
“In light of Trump rescinding policy that prohibits ICE from conducting immigration enforcement in public schools, schools can adopt policies to limit ICE enforcement on school grounds, protect student privacy, and reaffirm that education is accessible to all students, regardless of immigration status,” NEA guidance states.
Campus Reform has reported a trend of colleges and universities releasing similar guidance to protect illegal immigrants.
Fordham University developed a website to help illegal immigrant students manage interactions with ICE. The university is also limiting law enforcement officers on campus and assisting illegal immigrant students with finding pro-bono legal consultation.
The University of North Carolina at Asheville provided campus resources, a list of local attorneys, and detailed directives to illegal immigrant students to help them handle encounters with immigration authorities.
Other schools, like the University of Oregon, have explicitly stated that they will not cooperate with ICE’s deportation efforts.
Campus Reform has contacted the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). This article will be updated accordingly.
