Despite a constant barrage of unprecedented action from the current administration, immigration enforcement has moved to the forefront of public attention. Federal operations carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operating under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have included workplace raids, courthouse detentions, community sweeps, and even seen the violation of traditionally protected spaces, such as elementary schools. There have even been deaths related to ICE enforcement. These actions have created a climate of fear in immigrant communities. For undocumented and mixed-status families, enforcement is not an abstract policy debate. It is a daily calculus of risk, mobility, and visibility.
That atmosphere has been felt acutely at California State University, San Bernardino, where many in our Coyote community come from immigrant households or are undocumented themselves. Uncertainty, fear, and anxiety permeate classrooms, advising offices, and campus communal spaces. Students we spoke with mentioned fear of traveling off campus, attending public events, or even maintaining routine academic schedules. Some professors have included discussions in class about what action to take should ICE show up in the classroom and where students can go to remain safe. For others the concern is not for themselves, but for parents, siblings, or relatives whose detention could upend family stability overnight.
On February 4th, CSUSB and the Undocumented Student Success Center held a public forum “Community in Action” aimed at addressing student concerns, clarifying university policy, and outlining available resources. The event brought together campus leadership, University Police, legal advocates, and student support staff. While the forum provided concrete information, it also revealed the emotional and institutional tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in higher education spaces.
One of the most direct resources highlighted during the forum was the university’s long-standing partnership with the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), an immigration legal services organization that has worked with the CSU system for nearly a decade. Through this partnership, students, staff, faculty, immediate family members, and even recent alumni can access free immigration legal consultations and, in some cases, representation.
Attorneys affiliated with the program emphasized being prepared over being panicked. Students were encouraged to develop family safety plans, organize critical documents, and identify emergency contacts. Legal representatives also stressed the importance of understanding one’s rights during enforcement encounters, even as many acknowledged that rights violations remain a documented concern in the current enforcement climate.
Practical tools were shared as well. Forum participants circulated the hotline for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which students can use to report ICE sightings, verify enforcement activity, and connect affected families with legal aid.
University Police Chief John Gutierrez addressed an ongoing concern for students, the role of campus law enforcement. He stated that CSUSB police do not enforce federal immigration law and are prohibited from doing so under the California Values Act. He also affirmed that campus police do not share student immigration information. While acknowledging that many students may be uncomfortable trusting local police, Gutierrez reiterated their desire to work with the student body in continuing to maintain a safe campus.
However, Gutierrez acknowledged legal limits. If federal agents present a valid judicial warrant, the university cannot block enforcement. In those situations, campus police would verify the warrant’s legitimacy and work to maintain safety but could not interfere with federal authority.
Communication protocols also drew scrutiny. Under California’s SB 98, public colleges are required to notify campus communities of confirmed immigration enforcement activity. Administrators confirmed that CSUSB has notification procedures in place and would issue campuswide emails if enforcement were verified on campus. Some students and faculty pushed back, arguing that email alone is not sufficient in urgent scenarios and calling for broader communication strategies.
Dr. Jessica Luck, chair of the English department, requested updated policy statements regarding dealing with potential ICE enforcement and the need for judicial warrants, as ICE agents, and DHS leadership have been claiming that no warrants are needed. Her question went unanswered except for a brief response that “our approach has been that we cannot respond to headlines and tweets and statements.”
Beyond policy and procedure, the forum showcased emotional realities. Faculty advocates shared anonymized student testimony describing fear of racial profiling, anxiety about family separation, and concern about simply being perceived as undocumented in public spaces. These accounts underscored that immigration enforcement affects not only legal status, but mental health, academic focus, and sense of belonging.
Within that landscape of fear and uncertainty, campus support infrastructure plays a critical role. Central among those resources is the Undocumented Student Success Center, which provides advising, legal referrals, financial aid guidance, and emergency support for undocumented and mixed-status students.
Working alongside the center is the university’s UndocuAlly program, a network of trained faculty and staff who serve as visible points of contact for students seeking confidential guidance.
Dr. Zachary Powell, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and a trained UndocuAlly, described the role as both relational and practical.
“As an UndocuAlly, you understand the positionality of students and their vulnerability,” Powell explained. “Contacting an ally is intended to be something where you can talk about your situation… find resources on campus… and try to find a plan of attack for safely pursuing your education.”
Powell emphasized that many undocumented students struggle to disclose their status due to legal and social risk. Allies, he said, function as trusted intermediaries who can connect students to legal support, financial assistance, and institutional resources while helping them remain enrolled.
When asked what undocumented students experiencing fear should do first, Powell pointed to connection rather than isolation.
“I would recommend anyone enrolled on campus… to contact the Undocumented Student Success Center,” he said, noting that the center can provide updated information on legislation, policy changes, and available services. He also encouraged students to engage with regional advocacy networks to stay informed about enforcement patterns affecting Inland Empire communities.
Trust, however, remains complicated. Powell cautioned students about disclosing immigration status broadly.
“You have to be careful about disclosing that kind of status,” he said, noting that while educational records are protected under FERPA, informal disclosures to untrained faculty may not carry the same safeguards.
By contrast, trained UndocuAllies and Success Center staff operate within structured confidentiality practices designed to protect student information and guide them toward safe channels of support.
Powell was also candid about institutional limits if a student or family member is detained.
“From the campus side… I can point you to the person to talk to,” he said. “But beyond that, there’s not much we can do.”
Support in those moments often takes the form of academic accommodations, referrals to legal services, and logistical assistance rather than direct intervention.
Despite those constraints, Powell sees allyship as an expanding responsibility. He advocates for greater faculty participation in UndocuAlly training and more visible identification of supportive staff so students are not left guessing who they can trust.
In the end, federal enforcement power operates largely beyond university control, but campus communities continue building networks of support designed to protect students’ educational futures.
For undocumented students and mixed-status families, the path forward is navigated not through certainty, but through preparation, information, and connection to the people and programs committed to ensuring they do not walk it alone.
The editors of the Coyote Chronicle want it to be known that we stand with our undocumented campus community and will continue to document and hold to account this institution for the safety and dignity of all students.