by ECHO staff
“ICE was never on our campus. That was someone who saw a faculty member unloading materials from their own personal vehicle,” says Nate Stoltman, RCTC’s Executive Director of Communications, Marketing, and External Relations.
Stoltman is referring to a January 9, 2026 reddit post that claimed ICE agents had been seen in the RCTC parking lot.
That same day, RCTC staff received an e-mail from RCTC President Dr. Jeffery Boyd with information about what to do should ICE arrive on campus. Included in this guidance was the following: “Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process and refer them to Nate Stoltman, Executive Director of Communications, Marketing, and External Relations who will work directly with the agent. Stay calm, composed, and professional to avoid escalating the situation.”
The second step was “Protect Student and Employee Privacy,” staff was instructed to, “Inform the agent that you are consulting with appropriate campus personnel who will be able to answer their questions and that you are not obstructing their process.”
“Please do not answer questions or provide personally identifiable information about yourself or anyone else unless required by a valid subpoena/warrant and told to do so by Nate Stoltman or a selected designee. Examples of personally identifiable information may include and are not limited to name, contact information, class lists, student schedules, etc.”
Another section of the email reminded staff to ensure compliance with FERPA regulations.
That was three days before spring semester classes started. Spring semester is always quiet, but this year, classrooms, study spaces, and the library felt quieter than usual. While Operation Metro Surge might not have made it onto campus, its effects were felt by students and staff alike. Everyone’s experience was different.
Many RCTC students are immigrants, and due to ICE activity around Rochester, several felt safer to stay at home. One student we interviewed for this issue paused their entire life to avoid interacting with ICE agents. Faculty and staff had to make sure they knew how to deal with ICE if they showed up on campus.
In the second week of classes, some students staged a walk-out in brumal cold windchills. Others, like members of RCTC’s Turning Point USA chapter, viewed ICE’s activities as law enforcement, necessary for protecting the nation’s borders.
ICE activity has slowed since February, and though people are still wary, a weight has been lifted off of Minnesota. However, the ECHO staff believed it was important to capture the tension and uncertainty of January 2026 in order to remember these unprecedented times and the response students and faculty shared. In this issue, ECHO staff profile people who have had their lives and work directly impacted by ICE activities. That does not mean there aren’t other perspectives; a comprehensive overview of attitudes and reactions to ICE’s activities is almost impossible to gather.
The following profiles include a student activist who organized a walk-out; a Brown Beret who was detained; a professor who saw his classes shrink; the student president of LeadMN using her platform to testify at the Capitol; a student who hid in his basement.
Not all people affected by ICE are represented in these stories, but we hope these articles shine a light and give a voice to those who might not otherwise be able to share their stories.