General U.S. NewsJul 12, 2026·2 min read

An artist brought 'I.C.E. pops' to a Texas campus. The show was shut down in days

NPR – Politics

2h ago

An artist brought 'I.C.E. pops' to a Texas campus. The show was shut down in days

Summary

Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez, the Mexican-born, Texas-raised visual artist in his studio in Ridgewood, Queens, on May 14, 2026. Laila AnnMarie Stevens for NPR hide caption An art exhibition by Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez , whose work comments on issues facing U.S. "They're in the shape of a Mexican paleta, which is a Mexican popsicle that you would see the paleteros pushing around in their little carts," the artist said in a recent interview at his studio in Queens, New York. "When you're a child finishing your ICE (immigration enforcement agency) cream, there was sometimes a stamp or a joke that was put onto the popsicle stick," Quiñonez said. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seal with text that reads: "U.S. "The way he was wanting to tell a story about immigrants and their labor, and all of the work that they do in the shadows." The University of North Texas did not respond to multiple requests from NPR for comment on why they had closed the exhibition. He obtained text messages between UNT President Harrison Keller and then-Provost Michael McPherson about the show's removal, and posted some of them online. NPR and NPR member stations have previously reported on the University of North Carolina board of governors voting to repeal the school's DEI policy in 2024; last year, lawmakers in Ohio introduced measures to limit or eliminate DEI initiatives at all public universities in their state. In 2023, Texas began abolishing DEI programs at state-funded colleges and universities — including UNT — via a state senate bill . In an interview shortly before her graduation, Yanez said the mood within the arts program definitely shifted during her last few months at the university.

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The Trump administration's executive orders have meant that administrators are questioning what art can — and can't — be seen on campus. (Image credit: Laila AnnMarie Stevens for NPR)

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Congress seeks to recast Ayodhya narrative amid Ram Temple donation row

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An artist brought 'I.C.E. pops' to a Texas campus. The show was shut down in days

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