 An anonymous repost of La Hermadad’s cookies that read “Support your local ice raid ✊.” Image courtesy of La Hermandad.
By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Editor-in-Chief On March 18, J-Pop Club, the Delphine Intercultural Center (IC), and the Campus Activities Board (CAB) hosted the Sakura Festival, a pop-up event where multiple organizations held tables to sell items. Included in the lineup was La Hermandad (LaH), a club that celebrates Latinx cultures and fosters community. At Sakura, LaH hosted a pop-up fundraiser – Con Corazón: A Sweet Act of Resistance, where they held a “cookie protest,” selling hand-decorated cookies and stickers with anti-ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) messaging. Half of the proceeds went to support “immigrant rights and legal defense efforts in Minnesota.” This fundraiser comes in response to ICE’s string of activity in Minnesota dubbed Operation Metro Surge by the Trump Administration, in which around 2,000 ICE agents were deployed to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. According to the White House, 4,000 detainees (instead of ‘criminal illegals’ by an official White House Press Release & Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt) were arrested. Additionally, two American citizens – Renee Good and Alex Pretti – were shot and killed by federal immigration officers, prompting further outcry against the agency. A recent March 26 study published by the University of California San Diego’s US Immigration Policy Center revealed the negative impacts on Minnesotan residents, revealing that workers “lost an estimated $189.2 million in wages because of Operation Metro Surge,” due to fearing run-ins with ICE agents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Following the event, multiple disparaging responses were posted on Fizz, an anonymous college community app. The posts themselves varied, ranging from posts calling the event “political” to more stark comments such as “Support your local ice [sic] raid ✊.” While most of these posts have since been taken down, LaH has saved them as screenshots and posted them to their Instagram page. Multiple student club organizations, including J-Pop and Baile Folkloricó Guadalupano (BFG) have shared collective responses in support of La Hermandad’s peaceful fundraising efforts and denouncing the “violent and racist remarks” vocalized on Fizz. On the administrative side, the Office of the Dean of Students took a more opaque approach in a college-wide email with the subject line “Supporting a Safe and Respectful Community.” In the email addressed to students, the Office references “anonymous social media posts referencing campus events,” but does not include any details regarding the contents of the pro-ICE Fizz posts or the names of La Hermandad. In a more textbook response, the Office told students: “Threats, intimidation, or acts of violence have no place at Saint Mary’s and will not be tolerated. Messaging that targets individuals or groups and fuels harm–whether shared in person or through social media–runs counter to our Lasallian values, particularly our commitment to Respect for All Persons.” At the time of writing, Saint Mary’s College President Roger Thompson, nor his office, has made a public statement regarding the social media posts or student harassment. This response represents a deep contrast to departmental emails sent out to Saint Mary’s students, including Women and Gender Studies (WGS), which name La Hermandad, Fizz, and other targeted organizations in their response. Dr. Myrna Santiago, the director of Women and Gender Studies, sent out an email to the WGS students, writing: “I am appalled and dismayed by the comments students made about the bake sale under the cover of anonymity. Just like ICE agents covering their faces while they terrorize the public, hiding behind the technology to express cruel sentiments and ill-will towards a whole population is not what we would hope any student is learning to do at Saint Mary's. It is one thing to have genuine differences of opinion that can be voiced and discussed in an open setting, and it is a whole other type of action and behavior to send messages disparaging the humanity of groups of people.” Justice, Community, & Leadership has also shared the letter with their cohort, using Dr. Santiago’s original letter and retrofitting it for their students. On March 21, La Hermandad posted its official response to the comments on Fizz. With the club’s permission, we will post it in full for preservation. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Official Response: La Hermandad Fundraiser & Sakura Festival (March 21, 2026) My team and I wanted to address the hateful responses and backlash we have faced since selling our anti-ICE cookies at the Sakura Festival. We are naming it and calling it out directly because we are not afraid to address it under our own names. For those of you who thought it was okay to make these statements behind a screen or to our faces, we would like to ask you all to reflect on those actions. If you had an issue with what we were doing, then maybe the issue lies within yourself. First of all, I would like to say that this is not the first time we have sold our cookies with this message on campus. We sold our homemade, hand-packaged cookies in front of Oliver Hall during lunchtime (which was approved through SIL). The Sakura Festival organizers were also aware that this is what we should be doing and approved it weeks in advance. The Sakura Festival itself was not a political event, but our club mission statement aligns with social justice. Our Mission Statement: “We strive to culminate a space on campus for Latine/x/o/a identifying students to embrace more about themselves. We are a social justice driven club that explores the history of our Latin/Hispanic backgrounds.” We are supporting our students and local community through this fundraiser, specifically to support immigrants who are currently being affected by ICE. For those of you saying this is a “political” issue, we firmly believe that this statement is wrong; this is a human rights issue! Just because this issue does not affect you personally does not mean that it has no effect. This is affecting the lives of millions of people and their families across the country– both citizens and non-citizens. Addressing the “Support Your Local Raid” Comments: To be very clear: these comments are wrong, period. There is no reason to support raids that tear families apart and terrorize our neighbors. It is important to stay educated on what these “raids” actually entail. ICE agents are legally restricted by the DHS “Protected Areas” policy, which recognizes that enforcement actions should not take place in sensitive locations. This includes, but is not limited to:
It is sad because this is the legal threshold– the bare minimum of where people should be safe from being targeted. Furthermore, every person in this country is protected by the 4th Amendment, which guarantees the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Supporting “raids” is supporting the violation of constitutional protections and state laws like California’s AB 21, which are designed to keep students safe. We choose to support our community’s safety and legal rights; those supporting raids are supporting illegal overreach. For those asking who would eat or buy these, apparently a lot of people! We raised $500. Thank you to those who showed up and supported us in ways that they could; we appreciate you all taking the time to do that. We also want to thank those of you who stepped up and backed us online throughout this backlash. Our Final Stance: We want to state clearly that the hateful rhetoric shared on Fizz and in person does not align with our values at all. If you do not like our mission or our message, then do not befriend us and do not talk to us–but certainly do not disrespect us and our community! We hold immense pride in our community. We are not afraid nor are we cowards, which is why we are putting our names on this statement, as we fully agree with everything said here. This stands in share contrast to anyone who chose to spread hate behind an anonymous screen. Campus Safety & Resources: As a reminder: ICE is not allowed on our campus or in our residence halls because we are a private institution. If there is an ICE agent on campus, you do not need to interact with them and please call Campus Safety immediately to address the issue.
If people have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Our club is here to inform and educate our community. Stay informed. Stay Educated. La Hermandad - Paz y amor, Jazmine Cortez Nataly Ponce Alex Perez Kevin Quirarte Yamilet Lepe-Garcia Cecilia Espinoza Wilberth Castaneda Cerve ______________________________________________________________________________________________ The Office of the Dean of Students’ Statement (March 27, 2026): Dear Saint Mary’s Students, We are aware of recent anonymous social media posts referencing campus events as well as national and international affairs that have caused anger, fear, and frustration within our community. We want to be clear: Saint Mary’s College is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive campus climate. Threats, intimidation, or acts of violence have no place at Saint Mary’s and will not be tolerated. Messaging that targets individuals or groups and fuels harm—whether shared in person or through social media—runs counter to our Lasallian values, particularly our commitment to Respect for All Persons. One important step we can all take to address these harmful posts is to continue reporting them when they appear. We also know that during times of heightened tension, it can feel more difficult to trust one another or to speak openly. We encourage everyone to approach conversations with care, listen with empathy, and extend kindness even when we disagree. Our strength as a community lies in our ability to support one another. As a reminder, the College offers numerous resources to support student safety and well-being:
We hope the Spring/Easter Recess is refreshing and rejuvenating for you. Sincerely, Staff of the Division of Student Life _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Santiago's Response, shared with WGS and JCL (March 26, 2026) Dear Women's and Gender Studies students: I am sure that you have heard about the responses La Hermandad received on Fizz to their cookie sale for immigrant rights. I am appalled and dismayed by the comments students made about the bake sale under the cover of anonymity. Just like ICE agents covering their faces while they terrorize the public, hiding behind the technology to express cruel sentiments and ill-will towards a whole population is not what I would hope any student is learning to do at Saint Mary's. It is one thing to have genuine differences of opinion that can be voiced and discussed in an open setting and it a whole other type of action and behavior to send messages disparaging the humanity of groups of people. That is not what Women's and Gender Studies considers remotely appropriate behavior. On the contrary, WaGS has always held our program and everyone associated with it to the highest standards inscribed in the mission of the College -- respect for all persons, care for the whole person, building community. As you all know well, WaGS also has is own commitments: to equality, to equity, and to creating a present and a future where empathy, compassion, inclusion, and diversity are not just empty words, but rather our praxis. It is what we do in the classroom every day, and what we take to the dorms, to the gym, to the cafeteria, and to every space where our students may find themselves. I understand, but I don't have specific information, that MENA has also been subjected to cruelty recently. Know that WaGS condemns such behaviors in the strongest possible ways and that we stand in solidarity with every community member who has felt fear, distress, or anger over actions of disrespect and cruelty. Only by building a strong community that practices the values that we hold dear do we prevent and stop mean and hurtful actions and behaviors. Take comfort in each other and know that WaGS has your back, always. Do not hesitate to get in touch with me for anything that you may need. Professor Santiago Professor of History Director, Women's and Gender Studies Affiliate, Institute for Latino and Latin American Studies Affiliate, Environmental Studies She / her / hers ______________________________________________________________________________________________ If you or any club organization would like to have a statement/letter to the community considered for publication, please reach out to [email protected] for further information.
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