Unrivaled co-founder and two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart held up an "Abolish ICE" sign during player introductions at Unrivaled on Sunday afternoon, one day after federal immigration officers killed a second person in Minneapolis this month.
"Really all day yesterday, I was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news," Stewart said on her decision to make a statement, adding that "everyone here [at Unrivaled] is feeling that way, one way or another."
"We're so fueled by hate right now instead of love, so I wanted to have a simple message of 'Abolish ICE,' which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence."
Stewart, a four-time NCAA champion at UConn and three-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty, said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity targeting immigrants nationwide "hits home" even more given her wife is a Spanish citizen and still working to get U.S. citizenship.
"It's scary. You see it on social media, you see it splitting up families and dissecting communities and kids are being involved. It's the worst in all ways," Stewart said. "And to be married to Marta ... we're working to get her citizenship, and she is a legal permanent resident and all of that. But it seems like it doesn't matter. And I think that that's why these policies need to be put in place, that reform needs to happen, because it doesn't seem to be affecting the right people. It's not helping anybody."
Several other WNBA players -- including fellow Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx -- have posted support for the thousands of protestors in Minneapolis pushing to dispel federal immigration agents from the city.
After winning $50,000 in an Unrivaled free throw challenge earlier this week, 2025 No. 1 pick and Minnesota native Paige Bueckers pledged to match up to that amount in donations to the Hopkins Strong Relief Fund, which supports food security in her home community.
"Sending all my love and prayers to Minnesota," Natisha Hiedeman, a guard with the Lynx for the past two seasons, wrote in part on an Instagram story. "Minnesota is such a beautiful place with an amazing community who has embraced me fully and I'm heartbroken to see ICE has flipped the city upside down and resorted to violence. There is no place for this."
Brianna Turner, a member of the WNBPA's executive committee, posted: "My thoughts are constantly with the Minny residents who are suffering through a politically motivated ICE invasion. There is nothing positive about improperly trained federal agents profiling individuals & antagonizing communities. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere."
A moment of silence was held before tipoff of Saturday's Unrivaled games, "to take a moment to reflect on the recent tragic events in Minnesota," the public address announcer said over the speaker system. "Our thoughts and support are with everyone affected, and we send our deepest sympathies 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 bring attention to the senatorial campaign of Raphael Warnock.
"I think doing whatever you can to help your community [is important]," Stewart said. "Obviously, Minnesota is the place that everyone's seeing is in crisis, but it's happening in many more cities than just one, and knowing the right people to reach out to -- your local council person, your mayor, your governor -- and really advocating to change the policies and advocating for reform, knowing that it's not going to happen overnight.
"But how many times do we have to see it happen over and over and over again and using 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 the players and league negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, "our respective teams [are] supporting us and behind us."
"While we don't agree on all things, we know that they're supporting our platform that we have, and we continue to fight in all the ways we can until we do come to a final agreement," Stewart said.
