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Catholic Illinois university goes remote for some classes after ICE presence sparks concern
By Rachel del Guidice
Published February 20, 2026
A campus of an Illinois Catholic university is moving classes to "alternative formats or locations" after learning that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is renting office space in the same building as one of its sites.
"All Session I classes and activities originally scheduled at its Oak Brook location (1111 W 22nd Street) will shift to alternative formats or locations due to ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) administrative operations occurring at the site," a Thursday email from Lewis University, obtained by Fox News Digital, read.
In a Sunday announcement, the university said that all in-person classes at the university’s Oak Brook location from Feb. 16 to 21 will "transition to online delivery where possible."
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Protesters, using whistles to alert neighborhoods to ICE activity, face off with Minneapolis police officers in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 24, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Lewis University told Fox News Digital that updates would be forthcoming about their operations at Oak Brook beyond Feb. 21.
The Thursday email update announced that, "All in-person activities scheduled at Oak Brook during Session I of the Spring Semester (January 20–March 14, 2026) will be transitioned," with the College of Business classes going fully online and the radiography program turning to a hybrid of online and in-person classes at alternative locations.
"The temporary change is aligned with Lewis University’s Catholic and Lasallian mission," the email read. "It calls us to foster a respectful, supportive, and inclusive environment where every individual is valued and treated with dignity. This commitment guides our decision-making, particularly when circumstances arise that may cause concern or disruption for members of our community."
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a statement that the ICE officer was struck in the face with a metal coffee cup during the arrest of 33-year-old Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, from El Salvador. (Department of Homeland Security)
Tensions over ICE have risen following the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed on Jan. 7 by an ICE agent after she allegedly attempted to ram an officer with her vehicle after refusing to exit it. Protests against federal agents have continued to escalate since Alex Pretti was shot and killed on Jan. 24.
In January, ICE reported that it has had an over 1,300% increase in assaults, a 3,200% increase in vehicle attacks aimed at officers and an 8,000% increase in death threats.
Fox News Digital reached out to ICE for comment and Lewis University for additional comment.
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An ICE officer who sustained a head injury during an operation. (Department of Homeland Security)
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