On International Workers’ Day, celebrated annually on May 1, more than 100 students and community members gathered on campus to demand that Binghamton University end its contract with Flock Safety.

Protesters assembled around the Pegasus Statue at 1:30 p.m., with many carrying signs reading “Binghamton Drop Flock” and “ICE out.” More than 50 student organizations sponsored Friday’s walkout.

Since 2023, the University has partnered with Flock to operate automated license plate readers “at all campus entrances, including the campuses in Johnson City and downtown Binghamton” per the University Police Department website. Additionally, data obtained from the license plate readers is not used for immigration enforcement purposes, according to the website.

Tyler Brechner, co-chair of the YDSA and a junior majoring in computer science, spoke first and claimed Flock has a record of violating agreements and transmitting data to federal agencies for “investigative purposes” even if localities opt to restrict such sharing.

“We can only win this through mass action and organizing,” Brechner said. “All of you here today are putting pressure on university administration to protect our community and undocumented people across the country.”

The University reportedly opted out of sending data to a national Flock database, but Hatim Husainy, a sophomore majoring in political science and secretary of the YDSA, argued that even if Binghamton’s data is not in the national database, “they put our data one step away from ICE’s hands.”

In a statement, a University spokesperson said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “does not have access to our systems” and that “all data remains under University control and is used solely for legitimate public safety purposes in accordance with the law and our commitment to protecting our campus.”

Stephen DiFilippo, the YDSA’s communications committee chair and a sophomore double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law, drew a connection between workers’ solidarity and fighting for the rights of immigrants.

“When students and workers organize together on this campus, we have the power to pressure our administration to end their complicity in ICE’s mass deportation agenda,” he said. “United, we stand against fascism, exploitation and ICE, and together, we demand Binghamton University drop Flock Safety.”

A steward from the Graduate Student Union CWA Local 1104 also urged the University to drop the Flock contract and highlighted the current bargaining process between SUNY and the University’s teaching and graduate assistants.

Protesters then marched down the Spine and around the University Union before stopping in front of the Couper Administration Building.

Andrea Hsu, a member of Asian Outlook Magazine and a freshman majoring in philosophy, politics and law and cinema, talked about growing up in Pasadena, California and how many community members were afraid of ICE and its enforcement activity.

“Where’s the protection of our privacy?” said Hsu. “SUNY isn’t providing protection to our immigrants, nor is the University. So where is it safe? Where is the true freedom that my family desperately immigrated for? Just because we are scared, doesn’t mean we’re not angry.”

August Rey, political activist chair of SHADES and a sophomore majoring in political science, claimed the University does not fully understand the consequences of its Flock agreement.

“I find it quite honestly despicable that a university that has students of color, undocumented students, immigrant students, international students, is more concerned about their idea of safety and keeping some students safe without keeping all students safe,” said Rey.

A representative from the Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine claimed that ICE, which now has a budget of over $85 million, now “effectively has the budget of a military.”

The protest was held days after the SA Congress failed to pass a resolution condemning the contract with Flock. However, an SA-line was sent out informing students about Flock and the protest.

In a statement to Pipe Dream, a spokesperson from Flock said the company “does not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or any other sub-agency of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Editor’s Note: Tyler Brechner is a former news contributor for Pipe Dream. He had no part in the writing or editing of this article.