Dear Student,
As an update to my January 3rd message about protecting our students, many of us have heard news reports in recent days about immigration and customs enforcement officials detaining an individual from another city with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status.
I want to reiterate Shoreline Community College’s steadfast support for all of our students, including undocumented and immigrant students.
Here are the facts. Immigration officers are allowed to come on campus, just like other members of the public. The College administration does not have legal authority to violate federal immigration laws. Should an immigration officer ever come to campus, I would urge them to be referred to me or the administrator-in-charge immediately.
With that said, the College does provide some protection to these students by not actively checking on their immigration status (including for campus safety and security purposes), by enforcing anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, by providing information and directing them to immigration assistance resources, and by protecting their student information from being disclosed.
Please know that due to the protections of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the College is only required to provide information concerning undocumented students to immigration officials upon being provided a court order or lawfully issued subpoena. Even then, the College must, in most cases, disclose to the student that a subpoena has been received in order to give the student an opportunity to respond.
As we commit to remaining a welcoming and inclusive place, it is important to clarify what the College can do to help all of our students feel accepted and supported.
Respectfully,
Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.
President
