The president of the University of Chicago’s Turning Point USA chapter seems to be calling for consequences for a faculty member arrested during a violent anti-ICE rally on October 3rd. Tyler Shasteen expressed concern, stating, “Professor Eman Abdelhadi’s history of inflammatory and anti-American statements is deeply disturbing. Students deserve a safe and open campus environment where they can express their opinions without fear of intimidation or retaliation from faculty.”
Abdelhadi, who is an associate professor in the Department of Comparative Human Development, faces serious charges including two felony counts of aggravated assault on a government official and two misdemeanor counts of resisting/disturbing the peace related to the incident outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois.
Gatherings have been ongoing, with some escalating into violence. Shasteen criticized Abdelhadi, saying her supportive statements towards violence jeopardize community safety. He urged the University of Chicago to evaluate her role and ensure accountability for actions that breach university policies and the law.
The university condemned the violence last week but refrained from discussing any possible disciplinary actions concerning Abdelhadi. Meanwhile, she has kept a relatively low profile, although she publicly thanked her supporters on Bluesky. “Thank you so much to everyone who sent me messages of love and support,” she remarked, adding that she feels empowered by her supporters and thinks constantly of her neighbors and community members in distressing situations.
Just before her arrest, she had accused ICE of instilling fear in their communities on a podcast, stating, “In Broadview, ICE is setting up shop in our backyard, brazenly using community resources to terrorize this very same community.” She called for collective resistance, stating that there’s no middle ground in the current crisis, and criticized those who she believes aren’t acting strongly enough.
During a panel at a “Socialism 2025” conference earlier this year, Abdelhadi disparaged the University of Chicago, labeling it as “evil” and suggesting she wouldn’t invest her political energy in that space.
Abdelhadi remarked, “At the end of the day, I work for one of the largest employers in Chicago, engaging with a spectrum of individuals including landlords and healthcare providers, whom I could potentially mobilize.” Nonetheless, both the university and Abdelhadi have declined to provide comments when approached.
