UCI Lecturer Who Teaches Activism Under Fire Over “Dead” ICE Agents Post, Ominous Nick Shirley Comment

September 9, 2026

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Shocking screenshots circulating online appear to show a University of California, Irvine professor saying the “only good ICE agent is a dead one” and making a threatening reference to conservative journalist Nick Shirley ahead of the anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Matthew Goldman, a composition lecturer at UCI has made multiple inflammatory posts cheering violence and death online with impunity by the university.

His academic work has included courses examining conspiracy theories and mass incarceration. At Chapman University, Goldman has also taught courses centered on protest movements and campus activism.

Now, Goldman is facing renewed attention over two posts involving ICE agents and conservative journalist Nick Shirley.

Goldman appears in screenshots shared by education policy advocate Corey DeAngelis. The account identified as @goldman_writes is shown commenting on an Instagram post promoting an upcoming appearance by Shirley.

Responding to a comment about abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the account wrote:

“lmao abolish ICE. only good ICE agent is a dead one.”

But another comment is drawing particular attention.

On the post announcing Shirley’s appearance, the account wrote:

“Someone can do the funniest thing just before the Kirkiversary.”

Charlie Kirk was assassinated September 10, 2025. Shirley’s upcoming visit to Harvard is planned for tomorrow, just one day ahead of the brutal public murder’s anniversary.

Previously, following the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Goldman posted, “Let’s not pretend as if America isn’t the greatest country on earth.” The Instagram post featured an image of the “Super Mario” character Luigi holding a gun to someone’s head.

Following the death of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 2023, Goldman shared a grim reaper meme declaring, “HENRY KISSINGER!!! Fucking Finally!” Goldman added his own caption to the post: “Hahahahahahahaha.”

Goldman is tasked with teaching the next generation about activism at UCI, even as his own brand of activism has included publicly celebrating death and directing violent and threatening rhetoric at those he opposes.

But this is hardly the first time UC Irvine has faced questions about when activism crosses the line into intimidation and violence.

Previously, UC Irvine students held a violent, illegal encampment. Some of the antisemitic radicals even handed out pamphlets defending the brutal October 7th attack.

Eventually, the encampment turned into a violent takeover of a lecture hall and 47 radicals were arrested.

Take action at UCILovesViolence.com and send a message directly to UC Irvine’s Board of Trustees. A lecturer tasked with teaching students about campus activism should not be using his own platform to celebrate death or make comments that encourage political violence.