Catholic college website shares prof's comment accusing ICE agent of resembling a 'racist, neo-pagan extremist group'
A University of St. Thomas professor’s comments criticizing a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent’s uniform are currently being platformed on the university’s website.
'While I cannot say for sure, the symbology looks very similar to what I would expect to see from someone who is affiliated with a racist, neo-pagan extremist group,' the professor wrote.
A University of St. Thomas professor’s comments criticizing a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent’s uniform are currently being shared on the university’s website.
The professor’s comments come after ICE conducted a raid at a Minneapolis restaurant that was part of a larger operation which the agency had organized, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
St. Thomas is a Catholic university located in St. Paul.
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice Lisa Waldner blasted a patch that an ICE agent was seen wearing during a raid in Minneapolis. In addition to a standard ICE patch, the official was reportedly wearing a Nordic “Vegvisir” with a bearded Viking over it.
Waldner declined a request for comment.
The Vegvisir represents a compass that is meant to prevent someone from losing his or her way.
“While I cannot say for sure, the symbology looks very similar to what I would expect to see from someone who is affiliated with a racist, neo-pagan extremist group,” Waldner said in the online article.
She added that, “Even if the patch has a more innocent meaning, that design suggests poor judgement and should not be worn by anyone in law enforcement.”
Waldner has been vocal about a number of other topics in the past, including: “graffiti, right-wing extremism, gay skinheads, anti-gay hate crimes, domestic violence, sexual coercion, AIDS education, identity issues of lesbian and gay adolescents, and political participation,” as noted in her biography on St. Thomas’ website.
Waldner is also credited for contributing to a book titled Researching Far Right Movements: Ethics, Methodologies and Qualitative Inquiries. The section she wrote is called, “Rapport, Respect, and Dissonance: Studying the White Power Movement in the United States.”
Various professors and universities have a history of promoting activism opposed to mass deportation efforts by the Trump administration.
A Glendale Community College faculty member sent an email on June 8 to students that promoted an anti-ICE protest organized by the Democratic Socialists of America LA, which has since turned violent.
Additionally, Catholic universities have rolled out measures that are supporting students who are illegal immigrants, which has been prompted by a deportation efforts.
Campus Reform reached out to St. Thomas for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
