FROM SFLA NEWS

Students for Life of America Group Claps Back Against University’s $5,000 Fine… And Wins

Image
Jordan Estabrook - 18 Oct 2024

After a federal judge barred the University of New Mexico (UNM) from charging security fees for campus free speech events, the Students for Life at UNM are finally relieved of their $5,461.40 fine. 

On March 8, 2023, the University of New Mexico (UNM) slapped an outrageous fine on the Students for Life at UNM for hosting the Students for Life of America (SFLA) President Kristan Hawkins’ speaking tour, ‘Lies Pro-Choicers Believe.’ 

UNM played a “bait and switch” on the Students for Life UNM group. While the school initially approved Hawkins’ event, UNM surprised the group with an unprecedented security fee despite Hawkins informing the school of her preexisting security team.  

And it wasn’t just a couple hundred bucks – it was $5,461.40 to cover security fees for the event.  

This ludicrous fee followed a pattern of behavior from the school, which included them singling out Students for Life UNM in fall 2022.   

Oliva Torralba, SFLA legal operations manager, detailed the ordeal in April 2023.  

“UNM’s Police Department attempted to shut down another Students for Life UNM event just days before it was scheduled ‘due to the subject matter’ of the event,” wrote Torralba. “The police department was allegedly unable to provide enough resources for the event, so the students were forced to take the event off-campus — does that sound like viewpoint discrimination to anyone else?”  

In October 2023, SFLA, in collaboration with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), sent another demand letter to the school.   

“Our clients seek to resolve this matter quickly and amicably so that they can once again focus entirely on defending the sanctity of life and assisting those harmed by the scourge of abortion,” the letter states in part. “But they also insist that the University respect their constitutional rights. We hope your clients share their desire and will quickly respect their rights by rescinding the security fees…Otherwise, we may be forced to advise our clients of other ways to vindicate their priceless constitutional rights.” (emphasis added)  

Unfortunately, the University didn’t respect their constitutional rights and refused to rescind the fee.  

But we aren’t the only ones charged these discriminatory fees. Turning Point UNM, a student group affiliated with the national conservative organization Turning Point USA was also ridiculously fined for its speaker event. It has been made very clear that UNM will punish any conservative or pro-life student on campus who exercises their First Amendment right.  

Fortunately, UNM is barred from charging these kinds of fees again after two conservative groups filed a lawsuit with Turning Point UNM against the school for their excessive fees and won. 

Because of this victory, SFLA’s general counsel reached an agreement with UNM and removed the fines from Students for Life at UNM.  

Now, Students for Life at UNM can practice their First Amendment rights without fear of being fined excessively.  

READ NEXT: Orwellian Persecution: Pro-Lifers Arrested for Silently Praying and Sued for Speaking Outside of Abortion Facility

Share this post