On Monday evening, undergraduates and graduates gathered in Crocker Garden of the Stanford Law School (SLS) for a vigil in memory of migrants lost in detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This year has seen one of the worst mortality records in ICE detention history, with a total of 22 recorded deaths in detention centers. As a result, many Día de Los Muertos celebrations in the Bay Area were cancelled this year due to fear of ICE Raids.
Organizers of the on-campus vigil expressed the importance of continuing to celebrate the holiday by creating a symbolic moment to honor lives lost in detention, linking regional and national immigration issues that many current undergraduate and graduate students face daily.
At the event, organizers read aloud the names of all those who have lost their lives in ICE detention and raids, followed by a moment of silence. In addition to the initial 22 names, four more names were read to remember the lives of those who were killed during ICE raids across the U.S.
Hector Camaton ’28, one student in attendance, said, “I came to the vigil mostly because I wanted to show my support for all the people undergoing the duress of Trump’s immigration policy.”
Another attendee who wished to stay anonymous in fear of retaliation praised the turnout for this vigil. “I’m here to honor those who have deceased because there are not a lot of people in today’s government who will honor them,” the attendee said.
This vigil comes just days after an update to Senate Bill 98 requiring all California colleges and universities to notify the community about the presence of immigration enforcement on campus. SLS updated its Immigrants’ Rights Clinic Community Resources to include community resources for those impacted by national immigration announcements and ICE raids.
After the vigil, attendees spoke about the importance of discussing difficult ongoing topics such as immigration.
Some expressed their frustration with University administration for a general lack of recognition on the topic of immigration, adding praise for the vigil for being a space to honor victims.
“I think it’s really important to bring in [these] conversations of things going on in the real world [into] the bubble…. We can’t stop talking about it,” another organizer who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said.
The Daily has reached out to the University for comment.
“I hope that [the victims’] lives didn’t go in vain, and they can be a testament to any change,” Camaton said.
Earlier this year, ICE was rumored to be present on campus, which both ASSU and University officials denied. In August, ICE was reported to have taken a detainee to Stanford Hospital.
The University continues to state its commitment to supporting undocumented undergraduate and graduate students through academic, personal, and professional resources. As of last year, there were over a hundred thousand undocumented students in higher education in California.
Below is a list of all those who have died within ICE Detention and Raids in 2025.
Those who have died in ICE Detention
Hasan Ali Moh’d Saleh, 67, from Jordan
Leo Cruz-Silva, 34, from Mexico
Huabing Xie, from China
Miguel Ángel García-Hernández, 31, from Mexico
Norlan Guzmán-Fuentes, 37, from El Salvador
Ismael Ayala-Uribe, 39, from Mexico
Santos Reyes-Banegas, 42, from Honduras
Óscar Rascón Duarte, 58, from Mexico
Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas, 32, from Mexico
Chaofeng Ge, 32, from China
Tien Xuan Phan, 55, from Vietnam
Isidro Pérez, 75, from Cuba
Johnny Noviello, 49, from Canada
Jesús Molina-Veya, 45, from Mexico
Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado, 68, from Mexico
Marie Ange Blaise, 44, from Haiti
Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, 55, from Vietnam
Brayan Rayo-Garzón, 27, from Colombia
Juan Alexis Tineo-Martinex, 44, from the Dominican Republic
Maksym Chernyak, 44, from Ukraine
Serawit Gezahegn Dejene, 45, from Ethiopia
Genry Donaldo Ruiz-Guillén, 29, from Honduras
Those who have died in ICE-related raids and enforcement operations
Josué Castro Rivera, 24, from Honduras
Silveria Villegas González, 38, from Mexico
Jaime Alanis García, 56, from Mexico
Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez, 52, from Guatemala