Campus Events Support Minneapolis Protests

Canadian Mennonite University and Goshen College host solidarity events following ICE actions in Minnesota.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In response to violent and intimidating tactics used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis and St. Paul in January, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) and Goshen College have organized events to show solidarity with the local community. CMU hosted a 'Singing Resistance' event with a standing-room-only crowd, while Goshen College students, faculty, and staff gathered for a one-hour protest that included singing, chanting, and speaking out.

Why it matters

The events at CMU and Goshen College demonstrate how educational institutions are responding to the broader political climate and seeking ways to support their local communities through nonviolent resistance and collective action. The protests also highlight concerns about the impact of recent legislation in Indiana that aims to expand penalties for interfering with ICE representatives, which could affect private colleges like Goshen that receive federal and state funding.

The details

At CMU, the 'Singing Resistance' event on February 2nd drew a large crowd to Laudamus Auditorium, where participants sang songs of protest and resistance. The event is scheduled to be repeated on March 2nd. Anneli Loepp Thiessen, an assistant professor of music, said the event allowed people to 'become part of something larger than ourselves' and 'remember that hope is not something we wait for, it is something we practice together.' CMU's external vice president, Sandra Koop Harder, told the CBC that the event happened organically as community members and alumni sought ways to engage in nonviolent resistance. At Goshen College, more than 50 students, faculty, and staff gathered on January 30th to participate in a nationwide strike calling for justice after multiple fatal shootings by ICE agents. The protest, organized by senior Eliza Alemán, coincided with the Indiana Senate passing a bill to expand penalties for interfering with ICE representatives, which could affect the private college's ability to limit immigration enforcement activity on campus.

  • The 'Singing Resistance' event at CMU took place on February 2, 2026.
  • The 'Singing Resistance' event at CMU is scheduled to be repeated on March 2, 2026.
  • The protest at Goshen College took place on January 30, 2026.
  • The Indiana Senate passed Senate Bill 76 to expand penalties for interfering with ICE representatives on January 26, 2026.

The players

Canadian Mennonite University

A private Christian university located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that has organized events in solidarity with the Minneapolis community following ICE actions.

Goshen College

A private liberal arts college in Goshen, Indiana, that has hosted a protest in response to the recent fatal shootings by ICE agents and the passage of a state bill aimed at expanding penalties for interfering with immigration enforcement.

Anneli Loepp Thiessen

An assistant professor of music at Canadian Mennonite University who spoke about the significance of the 'Singing Resistance' event.

Sandra Koop Harder

The external vice president of Canadian Mennonite University who commented on the organic nature of the 'Singing Resistance' event.

Eliza Alemán

A senior majoring in sustainability and history at Goshen College who organized the protest on campus.

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What they’re saying

“When people gather to sing, something changes. We become part of something larger than ourselves. We remember that hope is not something we wait for, it is something we practice together.”

— Anneli Loepp Thiessen, Assistant Professor of Music, Canadian Mennonite University (CBC)

“There's something that's really special about singing together. . . . It's like a communal prayer.”

— Sandra Koop Harder, External Vice President, Canadian Mennonite University (CBC)

“Our position at Goshen College is and will always be to provide safety to our campus community. We acknowledge that the current climate is causing fear within the immigrant community and in the community in general. Goshen College will continue to stand with our undocumented students.”

— Gilberto Pérez Jr., Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Goshen College (The Record)

What’s next

The judge in the Indiana Senate Bill 76 case will decide on the bill's potential impact on private colleges like Goshen in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The events at CMU and Goshen College demonstrate how educational institutions are using nonviolent resistance and collective action to support their local communities in the face of broader political challenges, such as the recent ICE actions in Minneapolis and the proposed legislation in Indiana that could affect private colleges' ability to limit immigration enforcement on campus.