Bucks faculty and students received an email early last week in regards to the current ICE situation taking place nationwide. Bucks Community College Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr Samuel P. Coleman IV urged students and teachers alike to contact on campus Security & Safety if they suspect not only ICE agents on campus, but also impersonations of ICE patrol or of any other similar agencies.
This comes after the recent change in immigration policy President Trump implemented since taking office back in January. The Trump administration announced they would allow federal immigration agencies to conduct raids and arrests in churches, hospitals, and schools. These shelter places, also known as Protected Areas, was a policy that had been in place since the Obama administration back in 2011.
The email received by President Jones urges anyone on campus who comes into contact with an ICE agent to contact security, to not share any information with the officers, and to tell them to wait in an outside area until the on-campus security officer arrives.
Although the email mentions the campus has not experienced any immigration or ICE situations of any sort, it does reveal that other colleges have.
In early February a Temple University student was charged with an alleged impersonation of an ICE officer on the Temple University North Philly campus. He was seen walking around campus, trying to enter buildings, and even going off campus to a local Insomnia cookie – all while being recorded by a fellow student and friend of his.
Temple University made an official statement stating “any student found responsible for this conduct will be subject to disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code, up to and including expulsion.”
It is unknown what would happen to a Bucks students who attempts to impersonate a federal agent, but the email does ensure that Security & Safety officers are trained and know how to verify credentials and warrants while also knowing how to manage such situations.
The Department of Homeland Security made an official statement recently on the dismantling of the decade long guidance for immigrants saying, “This action empowers the brave men and woman in CBP (Custom Border Patrol) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens – including murderers and rapists – who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrests.”
These protected areas, also known as “sensitive locations” were restricted from any form of enforcement actions, unless for a very specific circumstance where prior approval is obtained.
Schools around the country have seen an influx in absenteeism from students as fear has taken over households. According to The Migration Policy Institute, an estimated 733,000 school children are undocumented or come from undocumented parents. Many of these parents fear what could happen to their children if these harsh immigration policies continue.
Just last week, an 11-year-old girl named Jocelynn Rojo Carranza took her own life at her home in Gainesville, Texas after weeks of relentless bullying. The young girl’s mother says her daughter began to receive insults from her former classmates stating her and her family were going to be taken away by ICE for being “illegal immigrants”. Marbella Carranza, the girl’s mother claimed she had no idea her daughter was being bullied at school. She was only made aware of the situation after the incident took place when she went to the school looking for answers.
An article from CNN stated that at her funeral service, the church deacon Gelasio Garcia stated, “she didn’t know how to understand the things that happen in the world.”
Most children do not understand the extent of the situation going on around with these new laws which is why schools around the country have been sending out emails similar to the one emailed to Bucks County Community College students and faculty last week.
Emails like the one sent to the Bucks County Community College community have been sent to schools all around Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia due to the city’s Federal Detention Center becoming a facility for ICE detainees.
On average about 973 people have been detained by ICE every day since Trump took office. Although the Trump Administration insists they are focusing on violent criminals, many should take caution as anyone could be caught in the cross fire.
This could be a heavy topic to discuss for many students, so if anyone feels like they need to talk to someone about this, do not hesitate to contact the Bucks Counseling Service Center. Services are free, confidential, and available at all campuses for currently enrolled Bucks students
If you believe you see an ICE agent on campus, or any sort of impersonation going on, please contact campus Security and Safety at 215-968-8911.