While administration is navigating ICE protocols, some community members see a lack of action.As Winter Quarter begins, students and faculty are unsure about the effectiveness of the university’s current safety protocols regarding federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some are demanding administrators pursue more direct action.
Initially, the university advised students on where to receive support should they encounter ICE and published a frequently asked questions page on its website regarding the agency’s presence in Chicago and on campus.
DePaul encouraged people to stay informed on their rights and have a safety plan. If someone is detained, they should contact Public Safety or the Office of General Counsel. They also promoted the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) as a trusted resource.
Public Safety officers have undergone training to grant ICE agents access to private areas if agents present a federal warrant, though Director of Public Safety Bob Wachowski made clear that DePaul Public Safety officers “do not assist in the removal of individuals.”
DePaul community members are saying they want more out of university leadership, however.
Third-year student and computer science major Jenna Abuzerr doesn’t feel like administrators have taken any noticeable action. On the morning of October 24, ICIRR sent an alert of federal agent presence in Lincoln Park. It wasn’t until several hours later that a university-wide email went out. While acknowledging the warning was issued when authorities were near campus, she said it wasn’t helpful.
“I have many international friends at DePaul, and I think the ICE situation is scary for them, which upsets me because they shouldn’t have to feel that way when trying to enjoy the education they rightfully deserve,” Abuzerr said. “It is especially scary since many of them live alone. If something were to happen, my biggest fear is that no one would know.”
Ann Russo, a professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, shared similar sentiments. She acknowledged the significance of standing behind and for the community.
“While it’s true that ICE may not follow any of these directives, it’s also true that not attempting to make an effort is also a message to ICE and other federal agents, as well as to the university community, that the university is not taking proactive measures to protect its members,” Russo said.
With reports of ICE using aggressive tactics around the city like surveying apartments and harshly arresting children, people are confused why they aren’t banned from campus. To address safety concerns, DePaul held a Community Care panel in October.
“The goal of this panel was to reaffirm that no one at DePaul faces these challenges alone. DePaul regularly engages with individual students and student organizations to listen to their perspectives and concerns, and we are open to hearing more from students on this topic,” panelist and Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Dania Matos said. *
University Communications said that if students have concerns about attending class or commuting to campus, they should contact faculty to discuss flexibility with attendance and assignments. Provost Salma Ghanem has also encouraged faculty and staff supervisors of student workers to offer flexibility, when possible, to students expressing concerns about ICE. If students do not want to share concerns with faculty or staff, they can contact the Student Government Association, which has offered to be an intermediary. **
The DePaul chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) has also been vocal in demanding stronger action. Members at the panel asked about instating keycard access on certain doors to limit federal entry, a tactic certain campus buildings have already implemented.
“This strategy has already been implemented by The Theatre School (TTS) on the Lincoln Park campus and we hope administration considers it throughout campus as an additional barrier between ICE agents and students,” YDSA said in a statement.
The dean of TTS, Martine Green-Rogers, said she decided to require keycard access when ICE’s presence was reported in the city. Because TTS is located on the edge of campus and Public Safety cannot respond as quickly, she said locking doors provides a buffer of time.
Whether another dean decides to proceed with similar safety procedures, she encourages transparency.
“I think the best thing that can be done is to talk to students, listen, and implement anything that can be done and explain why something cannot be done,” Green-Rogers said.
YDSA also asked the university to include ICE sightings in the DPU alert system, but said panelists expressed concerns about causing panic and inaccurate reports.
Graduate and social work student Jo Vachachira also shared her own frustrations with the panel.
“I didn’t feel any sense of urgency, and it felt like the message was that the university’s hands are tied and it’s up to the students to figure this out,” Vachachira said.
In times of stagnation, the DePaul community is turning to itself for support.
Political science professor Joe Tafoya is helping students stay informed by listing apps or phone lines for ICE updates. He also provided ICIRR wallet inserts that list an individual’s rights, a hotline number and an ICE-related Q&A. He said he did so because he wanted to give students information to take home and, if they choose, share with those affected.
“The ‘know your rights’ campaign was the single most effective tool in protecting individuals from ICE arrest in Chicago,” Tafoya said. “Federal agents often cited that people were well-educated on the limits of their authority.”
YDSA is also asking DePaul to do the following: prohibit collaboration with ICE, provide formal training to students, protect international students, inform students if ICE is on campus and update their policy to make these requests binding. Currently, there is a petition to advocate for sanctuary campus status for DePaul.
Other universities in Chicagoland are taking similar precautions. For example, Northwestern University set up a website with detailed safety and governmental information for its students, also linking resources such as an immigration attorney search and university-contracted travel agencies. Their student newspaper, the Daily Northwestern, posts live updates on the whereabouts of ICE in Evanston and nearby surroundings.
At the beginning of last year, Loyola University issued a statement reaffirming their support for all students and provided resources such as campus networks and low-cost legal services. Additionally their student newspaper, the Loyola Phoenix, created a map of ICE sightings based on verified eyewitness reports.
As for DePaul, community members hope to see more initiative from administrators — particularly as federal agents still roam Chicago.
“I understand the limits placed when it comes to the federal government, but I don’t understand for how long you can use that excuse to not fight back when people are being targeted, abducted and disappearing for not being white,” Vachachira said.
*The title for Dania Matos was incorrect in an earlier version of this story. In addition, the quote has been extended to provide further context.
**This paragraph originally said that University Communications directed students to the Student Government Association to discuss their concerns. It has been updated to clarify that students have multiple ways to receive support for concerns about attendance.
Header Image by Ella Malczyk.
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