BU student’s posts leads to controversy and ICE raid at carwash

Boston University student Zac Segal is facing intense backlash after admitting to repeatedly calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on employees at a local car wash, leading to the detention of nine legal workers last month. Segal, president of the university's College Republicans, took to social media platform X to frame his activism as a response to American jobs being given away to undocumented immigrants.

Segal claimed he had been contacting ICE for months and welcomed their response when they finally detained those "criminals." His posts sparked widespread criticism from students, faculty, and community members who argued that many of the workers held valid work permits and were unfairly targeted. The detention itself has drawn scrutiny over whether it was justified or a case of xenophobic vigilantism.

Segal expressed confusion over the backlash, saying he didn't understand why he was receiving negative feedback when he claimed to be defending American jobs. However, his posts highlighted a disconnect between his perception of activism and the broader social and legal implications of calling ICE on workers.

University administrators have since weighed in, stating that Boston University supports free speech but expects students to exercise it responsibly. The university president has called for civility and dialogue, while panels and town halls are being organized to discuss immigration, labor rights, and political expression in a constructive manner.

This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges universities face in balancing free speech with the responsibilities of student engagement, particularly when activism directly affects vulnerable populations. Segal's actions have sparked intense debate on college campuses, where students' online presence can quickly turn into national controversies.

I gotta say, this guy Zac Segal is super clueless . Like, what even is his problem? Those people at the car wash are not "criminals" they're just trying to make a living and have valid work permits. ICE was right to detain them if there was something shady going on. But calling ICE nonstop because you don't like immigrants isn't activism, it's harassment . And now he's all surprised that people aren't praising him for "defending American jobs"? Get over yourself dude . Universities need to set boundaries on this stuff, can't have students just running around causing harm without consequences. Free speech is one thing, but not when it's used to bully or oppress others.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around Zac Segal's whole situation . Like, I get that he's trying to make a point about American jobs being threatened by undocumented immigrants, but dude, calling ICE on car wash employees? That's just not cool . I mean, we all know the complexities of immigration laws and how they can be abused, but Segal's actions came across as really xenophobic and hurtful. And yeah, I'm sure he was trying to frame it as some kind of activism, but honestly, that's not how it played out .

It's crazy to me that the university is having to weigh in on this, like, balancing free speech with actual responsibility . I mean, we all know that universities are supposed to be spaces for free inquiry and discussion, but at what cost? Segal's actions have caused real harm and pain to a community of people who just wanted to do their jobs without being targeted or bullied .

I think this whole thing highlights the need for us to have more nuanced conversations about immigration, labor rights, and activism . We can't just reduce these complex issues to simplistic soundbites or online posts . We need to listen to each other's perspectives and work towards finding solutions that actually help people, not just make them feel uncomfortable .

I'm so worried about what happened at that car wash . Zac Segal's whole thing is just crazy... like, he was literally calling ICE on people who were doing their jobs and didn't do anything wrong? That's not activism, that's just being a jerk . And to make it worse, he's claiming he was defending American jobs when really he was just harming innocent people. It's so messed up.

And can we talk about how entitled Segal is? He thinks his whole "American jobs" thing is going to be celebrated and supported by everyone... newsflash: not everyone sees it that way . I think the university did the right thing in calling him out for his behavior, though. Free speech is one thing, but you gotta use it responsibly, especially when it's hurting people.

This whole incident just highlights how important it is to have open and honest conversations about these kinds of issues... we need more dialogue, not more drama . And let's be real, universities are where we learn those skills: critical thinking, empathy, all that jazz . So, yeah, I hope Segal learns from this experience and gets some perspective soon .

dude this guy segal is literally trying to cover his tracks by saying he was just trying to defend American jobs but like, come on we all know it was some xenophobic vigilantism right from the start. the fact that he called ICE on these workers at a car wash and they ended up detaining 9 people with valid work permits is just mind blown it's not about defending jobs, it's about targeting ppl who are already vulnerable.

and what's even more messed up is that segal is trying to play the victim now because everyone else is calling him out on his actions like, no one sympathizes with your antics. the university needs to take a closer look at this guy and figure out whether he was acting in the best interest of the school or just trying to get attention.

anyway, it's clear that segal has some serious learning to do when it comes to activism and how to use his voice for good instead of spreading hate

I just can't fathom why someone would call ICE on people just because they're immigrants . Those workers are just trying to provide for their families and make a living. It's like, what even is the difference between someone having papers or not? We should be building bridges, not tearing them down. And yeah, I get that Zac Segal was trying to stand up for American jobs, but come on, you can't just call ICE on people without thinking about the consequences . It's not about "defending" jobs, it's about treating people with dignity and respect.

omg, i'm so frustrated about this whole thing ... like Zac Segal thinks he's a hero by calling ICE on these legit workers just to "defend American jobs"? Newsflash, dude: that's not how it works . He needs to understand that these people have families, bills to pay, and deserve respect regardless of their immigration status .

i mean, what's next? Calling the cops on a neighbor for having a different opinion? That's not activism, that's intimidation . Boston University needs to take a closer look at Segal's behavior and make sure he understands what it means to engage in constructive dialogue .

this whole thing is just a reminder of how easily we can get caught up in the heat of the moment without thinking about the real-life consequences . We need more empathy, less anger, and more willingness to listen to each other's perspectives .

Ugh, another instance of "activism" gone horribly wrong . This guy Zac Segal is just a pawn in the game of letting his emotions control him, calling ICE on car wash workers for no good reason. Like, what's next? Calling the cops on people who are just trying to make ends meet? And now he's complaining that people are mad at him... poor baby . The real victims here are the workers who lost their jobs and families due to his reckless actions . Universities need to do better in teaching students like Segal how to express themselves without putting others in harm's way .

OMG, like, I'm really disappointed in Zac Segal rn ... He thinks he's fighting for American jobs but really he's just perpetuating hate towards legal workers . It's so messed up that these people are being detained because someone on social media called ICE on them . Have you seen the posts from these workers? They're not "criminals" - they have work permits and everything!

I mean, I get it, activism can be hard to navigate, but calling ICE on people is not the answer . It's like, if you want to make a difference, educate yourself and your peers instead of resorting to xenophobic tactics .

Boston University needs to do better than just saying they support free speech - they need to lead by example and promote a culture of empathy and understanding . Let's get these conversations started and work towards creating a more inclusive campus community !

OMG I'm literally shaking my head at this one... calling ICE on people just because you're mad about immigration? Like, what even is that?! The fact that these workers had legit work permits and were still getting targeted is crazy. It's not like they were just random undocumented immigrants, there was a system in place to help them.

And I get that Zac Segal wants to express himself, but come on, this isn't the way to do it! Your actions have consequences, dude. He says he doesn't understand why people are upset with him, but maybe if you took some time to listen to other people's perspectives instead of just shouting from your soapbox, you'd get a better idea.

I'm all for free speech and expressing opinions, but not when it comes at the expense of others' safety and well-being. It's so easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment, but this is actually a pretty clear case of xenophobic vigilantism...

what's up with this guy segal?? like, i get that he wants to defend american jobs and all but calling ICE on car wash workers? that's just messed up , especially when those people have permits and are working legit . it's not even about the immigrants being "criminals" - it's about how we treat our fellow human beings with respect & kindness . i wish he'd take some time to think about why his actions are hurting ppl & maybe reframe his message in a more constructive way

omg what is wrong w/ this guy?? like, calling ICE on ppl just cuz they dont have papers? thats not activism, thats harassment . and now hes wonderin why ppl are mad at him? newsflash Zac: makin a scene for attention doesnt equal bein a real advocate . the fact that he was targeting legal workers who were just tryna make ends meet is low-key horrific . universities need to hold students like this guy accountable 4 their actions, not just offer lip service about free speech .

I'm literally shook by this story ! Zac Segal's actions are super concerning - calling ICE on car wash workers just to get a rise out of them is NOT okay . I mean, what even is his logic here? He thinks he's defending American jobs but really he's just causing drama and potentially harming people who need it most .

I love how the university president is all about calling for civility and dialogue - that's so important right now . We need to have these conversations, but we gotta do them with empathy and respect. Segal's posts showed a total lack of understanding about the human impact of his actions .

It's wild how quickly social media can turn into a national conversation, though . As a community, let's try to be more thoughtful about our online interactions and make sure we're not perpetuating hate or misinformation .

omg i cant believe whats going on at boston university this dude segals whole thing is just so messed up - he calls ice on legit workers and gets all bent outta shape when ppl are mad at him like, come on man, use your brain for once. its not about american jobs, its about treating people with respect & dignity.

and i love how the university admins are stepping in to remind segal (and everyone else) that free speech has responsibilities too it's not just about shouting out loud, its about considering the impact of our words & actions on others. lets get some real talk going and have a constructive convo instead of just shouting matches

I'm not sure if I should be impressed or appalled by Zac Segal's antics . On one hand, I get that he was trying to make a point about immigration and job security, but using ICE as a tool? That's just reckless . And yeah, I can see how it would be perceived as xenophobic vigilantism, which is never okay.

But at the same time, I do think we need to have these conversations about our borders and who's eligible for work . Segal might not have meant any harm, but his approach was super misguided and didn't consider all the complexities involved . It just goes to show that even with good intentions, we gotta be careful how we express ourselves online .

I hope BU takes this as an opportunity to talk about responsible activism and civility . We need more nuanced discussions like this, especially on college campuses where students are still figuring out their voices .

I'm low-key disappointed in Zac Segal right now #NotImpressed He thinks calling ICE on car wash workers is a bold move to defend American jobs, but really it's just xenophobic vigilantism at its finest #NotCool . Like, how can you be so out of touch with the fact that those workers are human beings with valid work permits? It's not even about being pro-immigrant or anti-American, it's about basic human decency #BeKind . The university needs to hold students like Segal accountable for their actions and encourage them to think critically about their activism #CriticalThinking

I mean, come on... this kid's got some nerve calling ICE on people just because they're not citizens? Like, what's next? He thinks he's a hero for defending American jobs by targeting undocumented workers? Newsflash, Zac: it's not that simple. Those people are working hard to make ends meet, and they deserve respect. Not to mention the fact that many of them have valid work permits... What really gets me is that he thought calling ICE was a good idea in the first place. I mean, what kind of activism is that? Where's the nuance? The empathy? It just shows how out of touch some people can be with the real world.

OMG, Zac Segal is like that one friend who just won't stop calling ICE on his parents' lawn care staff ... I mean, come on, dude! He's president of the College Republicans and thought it'd be a great idea to stir up some drama? Meanwhile, he's got no clue why people are mad at him, like, "I was just trying to defend American jobs" Yeah, because nothing says "defending American jobs" like calling ICE on car wash workers... what's next, reporting your neighbor for not mowing their lawn?

ugh, just another example of how social media can turn a bunch of entitled teens into vigilante heroes . like, dude, calling ICE on people who are just trying to make ends meet because they don't have papers isn't activism, it's just being a bad neighbor . and meanwhile, the university is like "oh no, our student is being backlashed, let's organize some panels" . like, Zac Segal's posts were never about having a nuanced discussion about immigration policy, they were about flexing his political muscle on social media . and now he's all confused why people are mad at him? . it's not about defending American jobs, it's about defending human dignity . can't we just have a respectful conversation about these issues instead of tearing each other down online ?

this guy segal is literally taking the "American jobs" card to a whole new level he thinks calling ice on legit workers is some kinda hero move meanwhile, it's just a clear case of xenophobic vigilantism and i'm not buying his "free speech" act universities have gotta do better than just saying they support free speech while also policing student behavior segal needs to take responsibility for his actions and understand that his online posts can actually harm people