More than a month has passed since a University of Chicago professor faced felony charges stemming from a confrontation at an anti-ICE protest, yet the university remains silent regarding any disciplinary action. Eman Abdelhadi’s arrest occurred outside an ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, on October 3rd, with accusations including aggravated battery against a government employee and obstructing law enforcement.
The University of Chicago has consistently declined to comment on Abdelhadi’s current employment status, whether she has faced any consequences, or if she continues to teach. Despite repeated inquiries, including a recent one, the institution has offered no public statement addressing the situation directly.
As of Wednesday, Abdelhadi’s profile remained active on the university’s website, identifying her as an assistant professor in Comparative Human Development. Her own social media profile further reinforces this affiliation, stating she is an Assistant Professor at UChicago.
While the university broadly condemned political violence in October, emphasizing the importance of “free and open inquiry,” it deliberately avoided specific mention of Abdelhadi’s case. A statement from a university official affirmed a commitment to safety and a process for addressing concerns, but offered no details regarding this particular incident.
This silence arrives amidst a history of publicly expressed animosity towards her employer. Earlier this year, at a conference for radical socialists, Abdelhadi openly criticized the University of Chicago, labeling it “evil” and a “colonial landlord.”
However, she simultaneously acknowledged a strategic rationale for remaining at the institution, viewing it as a potential base for organizing and exerting influence. She described the university as a significant employer with access to a large population, a source of “structural leverage” for her political goals.
Abdelhadi is a well-known advocate against ICE, and in the days leading up to her arrest, she participated in a podcast where she sharply criticized federal law enforcement. She accused ICE of “terrorizing communities” and actively disrupting local resources.
Her rhetoric extended to a stark ultimatum: “You’re either resisting or you’re complicit.” This uncompromising stance underscores her deep commitment to opposing immigration enforcement.
Abdelhadi has also become a vocal figure in the anti-Israel movement, frequently characterizing the conflict in Gaza as “genocide.” She did not respond to requests for comment regarding her arrest or the university’s response.
Meanwhile, the University of Chicago’s student newspaper, *The Maroon*, has launched an initiative to track ICE activity in the surrounding neighborhoods. They are actively mapping reported ICE sightings and soliciting tips from the public, effectively creating a crowdsourced surveillance network.
This student-led effort, initiated following ICE’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” highlights the heightened tensions and ongoing scrutiny surrounding immigration enforcement in the area, further complicating the university’s position in the unfolding situation.
