By Jennifer Baxter
Read about campus advocacy groups’ varying opinions on recent political topics and commuter students’ opinions on rising gas prices in this week’s newsletter!
UMD community addresses sanctuary campus debate, ICE safety concerns after Trump fires Noem
By Danielle Ngamegni
President Donald Trump fired Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5. Markwayne Mullin, who was recently was recently confirmed in a 54-to-45 senate vote, is replacing Noem, according to the New York Times.
Members of the UMD College Republicans and Young Democratic Socialists of America have shared varying opinions on the topics at hand post Noem’s termination.
Blake Ruszala, a freshman finance major and treasurer for UMD College Republicans, is concerned that if UMD is declared a sanctuary campus the university poses a security risk of the prioritization of undocumented immigrants and risks losing federal funding.
UMD College Republicans held open discussions with students regarding ICE presence on campus, while the YDSA held rallies advocating for UMD to become a sanctuary campus.
“UMPD follows the Office of Attorney General of the State of Maryland (OAG) Guidance for Maryland Law Enforcement on the Requirements of Maryland Law When Working with Federal Law Enforcement Agencies,” wrote Lt. Rosanne Hoaas, public information officer for University of Maryland Police Department. “Additionally, the university has issued Guidance on Government Enforcement Officials (including ICE) actions, and limits to non-public spaces and information.”
ICE agents are legally permitted to enter the university without approval because UMD is a public institution. UMD advises that students do not do or say anything that could interfere with agents actions, and to call UMPD and the Office of General Counsel to review legal documents handed by the agents, according to the UMD Office of Government Relations.
UMD commuter students navigate financial strain amid rising gas prices
By Alicia Colegrove
National gas prices are rising as the Iran War continues and commuter students are now forced to navigate handling it.
Prince George’s County reached an average gas price of around $4 per gallon on Wednesday landing at over a dollar more than Maryland’s average a month ago, according to AAA.
The closure of Strait of Hormuz, a waterway in the Middle East that borders Iran and carries 20% of the world’s overseas crude oil, a key component of gasoline, is the major reason behind the increased prices.
A number of students at the University of Maryland commute for personal and financial reasons. Sofia Creitz, a junior operations management and business analytics and supply chain management major, explained that she wanted to live at home to spend more time with family, making her a commuter.
Creitz, a Rockville resident, says that her commute takes her 30 minutes or more and that she’s had to endure the cost of rising gas prices because public transportation is inconvenient for her.
After years of commuting, Creitz has found that independent gas stations farther from the university are often cheaper.
Janiella Datin, a freshman criminology and criminal justice major, uses loyalty points and rewards to help her pay for gas.
“At 7-Eleven, you get seven cents off a gallon if you put your number in, stuff like that,” Datin said. “I want to save as much money as possible.”
Datin said that commuting is worth it in the long run because she’s saving money that would be spent on university housing. But as a college student, amid rising prices, she said she doesn’t like paying for gas.
Caleb Winters, a junior journalism major and part-time package handler at FedEx, expresses that the higher prices have led him to stress and a stricter budget.
“It’s affected me mentally in the sense that it puts another burden on my shoulders,” Winters said. “Now I have to move more money around and work more to just replenish that money and make sure I’m OK.”
Commuter students often have to worry about things that non-commuting students don’t, Winters said. He said he felt like commuters live in a different world from people who live on campus.
Featured Image: McKeldin Mall on Feb. 24, 2026. Photo by Paige Trendell.