A college professor with suspected Antifa ties was arrested for carrying a loaded firearm during violent protests targeting federal immigration enforcement, highlighting the dangerous escalation of leftist extremism against Trump’s border security operations.
Armed Academic Threatens Federal Immigration Operations
Federal agents arrested University of Illinois professor Elias Cepeda on September 26 for allegedly carrying a loaded firearm with multiple rounds of ammunition during protests outside the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Cepeda, who also works as a journalist, was detained at the scene and his weapon immediately confiscated. This incident represents a dangerous escalation where radical academics are now bringing deadly weapons to target federal immigration enforcement operations.
Elias Cepeda, a professor at @NEIU, was reportedly arrested with a loaded handgun at an anti-ICE protest in Chicago after comparing ICE agents to nazis. He also allegedly has ties to antifa
Any comment @NEIU? pic.twitter.com/zXl5UHVSuE
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 12, 2025
Antifa Connection Reveals Organized Domestic Terrorism
DHS officials identified Cepeda as having suspected ties to Antifa, the violent leftist organization that has terrorized American cities for years. This connection is particularly significant given President Trump’s September 22 executive order officially designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. The timing reveals how quickly these extremist groups moved from political designation to armed confrontation with federal authorities. Trump’s executive order cited Antifa’s “pattern of political violence designed to suppress lawful political activity and obstruct the rule of law,” which perfectly describes Cepeda’s alleged actions.
Academic Institutions Harbor Anti-American Extremists
Cepeda’s position as a college professor exposes the deep infiltration of radical anti-American ideology within our educational system. Universities have become breeding grounds for leftist extremism, where professors indoctrinate students while apparently participating in domestic terrorism themselves. This case demonstrates how academic institutions provide cover and legitimacy for individuals who actively work to undermine federal law enforcement and immigration security. Parents sending their children to these institutions should demand immediate accountability and transparency about faculty backgrounds and political activities.
Chicago Rioter With Suspected Antifa Ties Arrested With Firearm, Magazines Outside ICE Broadview Facility
Elias Cepeda is a journalist and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has a history of glorifying violence against law enforcement, DHS says pic.twitter.com/DlrptATl1A
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) October 11, 2025
Trump’s Swift Action Prevents Escalation
President Trump’s proactive designation of Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization proved prescient, coming just four days before this armed confrontation occurred. The executive order provided federal agents with the necessary legal framework to address these threats decisively. Without Trump’s leadership in identifying and confronting domestic terrorism, this situation could have escalated into a deadly attack on federal facilities and personnel. This incident validates Trump’s tough stance on law and order while exposing the violent reality behind leftist “peaceful protest” rhetoric that mainstream media continues to peddle.