This is an evolving story and may be updated. Last updated Feb. 4 at 11:03 pm.
Tuesday, Feb. 4, several videos and photos circulated on YikYak and other social media platforms claiming that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were spotted in Williamsburg and on campus at Earl Gregg Swem Library and Landrum Hall.
One of these photos depicted a group of plain-clothed men, one of whom was carrying a holstered weapon and wearing camouflage body armor. Many messages circulated on social media claiming to identify this group as ICE agents.
The Flat Hat’s independent site survey conducted Tuesday evening appears to confirm that the widely-circulated photo of the men was located at the rear of the Williamsburg Fire Department across from the Amtrak Train Station.
Another post on YikYak claimed to have seen the plain-clothed officers at the 7-Eleven gas station on Pocahontas Trail, receiving over 500 upvotes on the platform.
“ICE had been spotted at the 7/11 on Pocahontas trail, they’re in plain clothes and not uniforms so please be careful and stay safe,” the anonymous user wrote.
In a statement addressed to the community Tuesday evening, Chief of William and Mary Police and Interim Assistant Vice President for Public Safety Don Butler clarified that the officers were federal law enforcement investigating matters unrelated to immigration and citizenship status.
“Pictures shared on social media of a group of plain-clothed officers were federal law enforcement officials in Williamsburg the weekend of Feb. 1-2, 2025, conducting a criminal investigation,” Butler wrote. “That investigation was unrelated to civil immigration enforcement.”
Butler did not directly specify whether the group mentioned in his email was the one seen in the YikYak picture or at the 7-Eleven on Pocahontas Trail.
In another photo that gained traction on social media, uniformed police officers can be seen ascending the stairs of Landrum Hall to the second floor living spaces. Butler also clarified that the law enforcement seen in Swem Library and Landrum Hall were WMPD officers conducting regular duties.
“A picture shared on social media of two members of law enforcement in a campus residence hall were William & Mary Police Officers conducting their normal daily patrol activities on campus,” Butler wrote. “Conversation on social media mentioned law enforcement in the campus library on Feb. 4, 2025. Those were WMPD officers.”
Co-Director of WMFIRE Talia Snyder Romero ’25 shared the group’s initial reaction to the rumors. According to its Instagram, WMFIRE is a student group at the College “fighting for immigrant rights and equity through education and empowerment.”
“I would say that a lot of our exec was pretty upset that this was happening at W&M already,” Snyder Romero wrote. “It’s the third week of classes, and ICE was supposedly in a student dorm. So it was definitely difficult news to cope with all day.”
Snyder Romero emphasized the group’s preparation should ICE ever come to campus.
“The truth is that even if ICE wasn’t on-campus, it’s always best to be alert and vigilant at a public university, especially among older students who are off-campus more and/or commuters,” she wrote. “Williamsburg isn’t that big, and we really want to be prepared to address any stress or panic that students might experience during this administration.”