The student newspaper at Loyola University Chicago has sparked controversy after launching an interactive online map to track alleged activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The editorial board of The Loyola Phoenix declared that immigration enforcement in the surrounding area is “unconstitutional” and claimed it has no place in their community. The map was created in the name of “solidarity” with immigrant residents in the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods of Chicago.
In an editorial, the student journalists stated, “The Phoenix is vehemently against the unconstitutional use of ICE in our neighborhood, city and country.” The publication encouraged students to report sightings of ICE agents, which the paper said it would verify before publicly posting. At the time of publication, the tracker included only two reported ICE sightings.
Critics noted that unverified reports could result in misidentification and unnecessary fear, especially since one initial submission mistook a U.S. Census worker for an ICE agent. Conservative commentators warned that such a system may stigmatize law enforcement and spread misinformation under the guise of activism.
Loyola, a Catholic university, has not officially endorsed the ICE tracker. However, the decision by its student publication to publicly oppose federal law enforcement raises questions about the balance between social justice messaging and institutional responsibility.
