Students continue to urge UMKC administration to make a statement on ICE amid increased violence

  Following nationwide protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with eight deaths in 2026 alone, and mounting political pressure, students continue urging the university to make a statement. 

   Alex Pretti was fatally shot only 17 days after the murder of former UMKC graduate student Renee Nicole Good. The university has not released any statement regarding ICE or their deaths. 

 “Even though they [ICE] stated it’s only for people who are undocumented, we’ve seen that’s not the case,” said graduate counseling student Andria Jersett. “It’s pretty much anyone who looks brown. Sometimes, it’s not even that.” 

  During a press conference at the Board of Curators meeting on Feb. 5, UM System President Mun Choi said that the UM System chose not to release a comment because of the possible drawbacks from choosing one specific issue to talk about out of many.

  “The University of Missouri system, like many universities around the country, have taken the position of institutional neutrality,” Choi said.

   The UM System released a statement in July 2020 after ICE agreed to allow international students to study online courses in the U.S.

 No public comment regarding ICE has been released since, however, when Roo News asked UMKC spokesperson Stacy Downs about why nothing has been said, Downs cited “University of Missouri Collected Rules and Regulations (CRR 110.110) outline the university’s policy on complying with law enforcement investigations,” in an email. 

 Many students believe that the university should make a statement on the death of a former student and ICE because of the large number of international students attending UMKC, which is around 14.6% of the student population. 

 “It doesn’t feel safe,” said Gabriela Jimenez, a sophomore business administration major. “We have a lot of international students, that’s a very big position that UMKC should have.”

   UMKC clubs and organizations, such as The Young Democratic Socialists of America and UMKC Trans Plus, have made statements condemning ICE. 

 “YDSA calls for UMKC’s administration to stand up for both former and current students by condemning ICE’s actions and affirming their commitment to keeping ICE off campus,” said the UMKC YDSA. 

  The Trump Administration has openly targeted universities deemed “woke,” which students feel has influenced the university’s decision not to release a statement. 

 “ICE is being reinforced much more as the current administration [is] making comments, and I think it just makes it worse,” said Anthony Moreno, third year criminal justice major.  

   Students drew parallels to funding threats with the closure of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, which closed Nov. 2025. 

 “Last year, the dissolution of the diversity and inclusion department came from political reasons,” said Mauricio Zavala, an accounting junior. 

   While no sightings of ICE have been made on campus, they have been reported in many places across the Kansas City metro.

 “It’s nerve-wracking when you hear stories around the community, especially when it’s affecting your family or friends,” said Giancarlo Ogaz, a business administration sophomore. 

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