Earlier this month, a prominent university’s student newspaper took a novel approach by introducing an interactive map aimed at tracking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. The initiative invites readers to contribute insights on federal law enforcement actions in the local region.
The Maroon, the University of Chicago’s newspaper, has been actively mapping the movements of ICE officers since October 21.
The publication highlights that it is meticulously documenting sightings of Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the neighborhoods of Hyde Park, Kenwood, and Woodlawn. This effort follows the recent commencement of ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz, according to the accompanying article featuring the map.
The map of the University of Chicago campus was captured in Chicago, United States, on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
On the map, each symbol corresponds to the location of a reported ICE sighting or enforcement action. By clicking on these interactive markers, users can view the date of the incident and a brief description of the activities that took place there.
Additionally, the article encourages readers to provide information and tips about ICE’s local actions.
“The Maroon is collecting evidence of immigration enforcement activity (e.g., a timestamped photo or video) to verify reports of ICE activity around campus,” the story says.
It then asks readers to contact the paper’s editors with information, either by email or the encrypted messaging application Signal.
“The Maroon protects source information, and your name and contact information will only be seen by the paper’s editors,” the article says.
In Chicago, ICE has faced numerous clashes with violent agitators in recent months, and DHS recently announced an 8,000% increase in death threats targeting ICE officers.
Cobb Gate at the University of Chicago in Chicago, United States, on October 18, 2022. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The University of Chicago itself, whose noted unofficial tagline is “where fun goes to die,” recently found itself at the center of immigration enforcement controversy when a professor was arrested for allegedly battering police officers at an anti-ICE rally outside the Broadview, Illinois illegal immigrant detention center.
Associate professor Eman Abdelhadi was arrested on Oct. 3 and charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a government employee, Class 3 felonies, and two counts of resisting/obstructing peace, Class A misdemeanors.
Left-wing agitators have been clashing with immigration authorities in the suburban Chicago town for months.
The day before her arrest, she joined a left-wing podcast where she slammed ICE.
“These people are terrorizing our communities and they’re setting up shop,” she said, referring to federal immigration officials. “I mean, in Broadview, ICE has been setting up shop in our backyard. Just brazenly taking up community resources to terrorize this very same community. And so it felt really important to join protesters out there to say, not in our city, not in our name, not in our backyard.”
She also criticized moderate liberals.
A mugshot of Eman Adbelhadi from Oct. 3, 2025. (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
“There’s no center left,” she said. “You’re either resisting or you’re complicit.”
Adbelhadi’s employment status at the school remains a mystery, as school officials have ignored multiple requests for comment about whether she is still actively teaching courses.
The University of Chicago said The Maroon is an “independent student publication” and directed requests for comment to the paper’s editors.
The two top editors of The Maroon declined to comment.
