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Alexa Filippo
Peerless co-founder and two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart An “Abolish ICE” sign is shown during player introductions in Unrevealed on Sunday afternoon, a day after a second person was killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis this month.
Stewart said of her decision to make a statement, “Literally all day yesterday, I was feeling disgusted by what you were seeing on Instagram and in the news.” [at Unrivaled] Somehow, that’s how it feels.
“Right now we are filled with hate instead of love, so I wanted to deliver a simple message of ‘Abolish ICE,’ which means creating policies to uplift families and communities instead of promoting fear and violence.”
Stewart, four-time NCAA champion and three-time WNBA champion at UConn seattle hurricane And new york libertySaid that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity targeting immigrants across the country “hits home”, noting that his wife, Marta Zerge Casademont, is a Spanish citizen and is still working to obtain U.S. citizenship.
“Right now we are filled with hate instead of love, so I wanted to deliver a simple message of ‘Abolish ICE,’ which means creating policies to uplift families and communities instead of promoting fear and violence.”
Breanna Stewart
“It’s scary. You see it on social media, you see it dividing families and dividing communities and it’s even involving children. It’s the worst in every way,” Stewart said. “And to marry Marta… we’re working to get her citizenship, and she’s a legal permanent resident and all that. But it seems like it doesn’t matter. And I think that’s why these policies need to be implemented, need to be reformed, because it’s not affecting the right people. It’s not helping anybody.”
Several other WNBA players – including fellow Unrivaled co-founders Nafeesa Collierwho plays for minnesota lynx – Posted support for thousands of protesters in Minneapolis attempting to remove federal immigration agents from the city.
After winning $50,000 in a wild free throw challenge last week, the 2025 No. 1 pick and Minnesota native Paige Bueckers Hopkins pledged to donate an amount equal to that amount to the Strong Relief Fund, which supports food security in her home community.
“I’m sending all my love and prayers to Minnesota,” Natisha Hidemana guard with the Lynx for the past two seasons, wrote in an Instagram Story. “Minnesota is a beautiful place with an amazing community that has completely embraced me and I am deeply saddened to see ICE turn the city upside down and resort to violence. There is no place for this.”
briana turnerA member of the WNBPA executive committee posted: “My thoughts continue to be with the Minnie residents who suffer from politically motivated ICE invasions. There is nothing positive about improperly trained federal agents profiling individuals and turning communities into hostiles. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere.”
A moment of silence was held before tipoff for Saturday’s unmatchable games “to reflect on the recent tragic events in Minnesota,” the public address announcer said. “Our thoughts and support are with everyone affected, and we offer our deepest condolences to those who have lost a loved one.”
WNBA players have long embraced activism, including in 2020, when they dedicated their “bubble” season to social justice reform and helped draw attention to Raphael Warnock’s senatorial campaign.
“I think you’ll do whatever you can to help your community. [is important],” Stewart said. ”Obviously, Minnesota is where everyone is seeing that there is a crisis, but it’s happening in many cities more than just one city, and knowing how to reach out to the right people — your local council person, your mayor, your governor — and actually advocating for changing policies and reform, knowing that it’s not going to happen overnight.
“But how many times do we have to see this happen again and again and use our platform to make sure that we’re trying to make a change and a difference and hopefully save a life.”
Stewart said that even amid tensions as players and the league negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, “our respective teams [are] Supporting us and behind us.”
Stewart said, “Although we don’t agree on everything, we know they are supporting our platform, and we will continue to fight in every way we can until we reach a final agreement.”
