ICE Protocol Announced for WestConn, CSCU Schools

DANBURY, CT — With heightened concerns among immigrants and others nationwide regarding the changing climate of immigration enforcement, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) has released protocol for immigration enforcement on campus.

An officer from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking information or access to a student will be referred directly to the president of the university, according to the protocols release Monday. The memo included that students are entitled to privacy regardless of immigration status under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

In the memo, the system said that it intends to comply with "legally mandated disclosure, orders and judicial subpoenas, but would not further engage in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

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The new protocols serve as a guide to the 17 colleges and universities in CSCU's system, including Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. The memo further indicated that it does not have the power to declare any "sanctuary" exempt from federal and state laws, and added it does not wish to provide anyone with "a false sense of security."

CSCU released the following protocols Monday:

1. If an ICE agent approaches a CSCU campus institution seeking student information or access to a student, faculty or staff that agent should be referred directly and only to the President of the institution (or their designee.)
2. The President should request from the agent (a) the reason for the visit (b) evidence of authorization, i.e. judicial subpoena; and (c) whether the sensitive locations policy has been followed.
3. Upon acquiring the information, the President should immediately contact CSCU Legal Counsel.
4. No action, i.e. providing any information or providing access to the person in question, should be taken prior to consultation with CSCU Legal Counsel.
5. If the ICE agent presents a warrant, the warrant must be provided to CSCU Legal Counsel for verification of the scope of the warrant.
6. In any instance where ICE is physically present on campus or requests information it should be reported to the campus President and CSCU Legal Counsel.
7. If CSCU Legal Counsel verifies the warrant, the President of the institution should be the only person responsible for providing information to the ICE agents.

The system also released protocols for campus security personnel.

1. Police officers and security personnel will not inquire about a person’s immigration status nor shall they inquire about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses or others who approach the police officers and security personnel seeking assistance.
2. No person will be detained solely on the basis of immigration status or on the belief that the person is in the United States illegally.
3. Information regarding a person’s immigration status contained within the records of CSCU Special Police Forces or Security personnel will be disclosed only as compelled by law.
4. CSCU Police will not make arrests based upon administrative warrants issued by ICE or other federal agencies for arrest or removal of an individual including administrative immigration warrants and deportation orders.

Image: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showing foreign nationals being arrested during a targeted enforcement operation in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2017. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via the Associated Press)