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Immigration

Support for Students

 

What to Do

Below are guidlines on what to do should you interact with an immigration enforcement official or become personally impacted by enforcement. 

CSU is a public university and a large portion of CSU property is open to the general public. The areas on campus that are open to the general public, like the campus quad and walkways, are also open to federal immigration enforcement officers. However, immigration officers cannot enter areas that are not open to the general public, such as residence halls, classrooms while class is in session, confidential meeting rooms and spaces, or employee offices unless the officer presents a valid judicial warrant or declares that exigent circumstances exist. Exigent circumstances are emergency situations that would allow immigration officers to enter a location without a judicial warrant. For more information, refer to the FAQs for CSU employees.

If an immigration enforcement officer approaches you to gain access to a nonpublic area of the university campus, or to obtain confidential student or employee records, do not voluntarily grant access. Respectfully let the officer know that you are not obstructing their process, but that you must contact Dean Stevenson to receive direction.

If immigration enforcement officers declare exigent circumstances, or enter nonpublic spaces without permission, do not interfere or obstruct them. Immediately contact Dean Stevenson. 

If Dean Stevenson is not available, contact Lieutenant Madrigal (559.278.8400).

  • The officer’s credentials and contact information
  • Names of all school personnel who communicated with the officer 
  • Details of the officer’s request 
  • Whether the officer presented a warrant or subpoena to accompany his/her request, what was requested in the warrant/subpoena, and whether the warrant/subpoena was signed by a judge; 
  • Your response to the officer’s request; 
  • Any further action taken by the officer; and 
  • Photo or copy of any documents presented by the officer

Share your notes and any photos/copies of documents you obtained.

Download a printable version of the above guidelines.

Get free legal advice now and plan how to respond to potential immigration enforcement encounters. Learn more about scheduling an appointment.

Access the Immigration Preparedness Toolkit and Family Preparedness Plan developed by Immigrant Legal Resource Center to help immigrants with no legal status or in a mixed-status household create a strategy to protect themselves and their family members.

Take time to figure out which documents you should and should not carry with you. Always carry a red card documenting your immigration rights card. Printed copies are available at the Dream Success Center, the Library, the Latinx Affinity Room in the Cross Cultural and Gender Center and the welcome center of the Resnick Student Union. See more information.

Contact Dean Stevenson (559.278.6561 or tstevenson@mail.fresnostate.edu) if you are approached by ICE or become aware of ICE presence on campus.

The CSU promotes and posts free webinars presented by our Immigration Legal Resource Providers, including a list of upcoming webinars.

Immigration Support

Students seeking assistance regarding immigration status, financial aid and other support can contact the Dream Success Center.

International Student Support

Resources for international students are available through the International Student Office.

Free Legal Services

Free immigration legal services are available to all current students, recent graduates (who graduated within two years), and newly admitted students who have accepted their admissions.

 

A non-citizen who is residing in the U.S. without legal immigration status. Undocumented persons include those who originally entered the U.S. legally for a temporary stay and overstayed or worked without DHS permission and those who entered without inspection. 

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA is an administrative relief that protects certain immigrants who were brought to the United States when they were children from deportation. DACA gives undocumented immigrants: 1) protection from deportation, and 2) work authorization. The program requires that the DACA status and work authorization be renewed every two years.

Issued to non-citizens granted permanent residence. It is also referred to as having a Lawful Permanent Residency Card or Green Card. A lawful permanent resident is someone lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence. Immigrants can become LPRs through family or employer sponsorship, refugee or asylee status, humanitarian programs, or by obtaining a U-Visa or T-Visa. LPRs enjoy most of the same rights and obligations as U.S. citizens, except for voting and holding certain public offices. However, they can be deported for certain offenses, including some misdemeanors. After five years (three years if through marriage to a U.S. citizen), an LPR can apply for U.S. citizenship.

Assembly Bill (AB) 540 was signed into law in 2001. California Nonresident Tuition Exemption commonly known as AB 540, exempts certain students from paying nonresident tuition (higher than resident tuition) and/or allows them to apply for and receive state aid at certain California public and private colleges. 

Assembly Bill (AB) 1096, deletes the word “alien” wherever it appears in the codes and replaces it with various terms such as non-citizen, immigrant, non-immigrant, or persons unlawfully in the United States.

A legal status granted to a person who has suffered harm or who fears harm because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

A person who has been granted asylum in the U.S. immediately after obtaining asylum, asylees are authorized to work in the U.S., and one year later, an asylee can apply for lawful permanent resident (LPR)  status. Five years after being granted LPR status as a former asylee, the person can apply for citizenship.

A person seeking asylum or refuge in the country in which they currently reside due to persecution faced in their native country. Often people who apply for asylum at an airport or other point of entry into the United States are detained. The difference between refugees and asylum seekers is that asylum seekers are physically present in the United States or at a U.S. border and are seeking permission to remain in the United States, while refugees are outside the U.S. and are seeking resettlement in the U.S.

A person who is granted permission to enter the U.S. legally because of harm or feared harm due to his/her race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Unlike an asylum applicant, a refugee must meet this definition while outside of the United States and enters the U.S. with refugee status. One year after arriving in the U.S., a refugee can apply to become a lawful permanent resident (LPR), and after five more years, can apply for U.S. citizenship.

An individual who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident in the U.S., but other family members are not.

A status allowing residence and employment authorization to the nationals of foreign states for a period of not less than 6 months or more than 18 months, when such state (or states) has been appropriately designated by the Attorney General because of extraordinarily and temporary conditions in such state (or states).

A person admitted to the U.S. for a temporary period and a specific purpose. 

  • This is the most typical type of warrant used by immigration enforcement officials.
  • It is NOT issued by a court judge.
  • It does NOT grant any special power to compel university personnel to cooperate with his/her requests.
  • You are NOT required to assist with the apprehension of a person identified in an ICE administrative warrant, provide student records, or consent to their search of a campus facility.

  • You do not need to immediately comply and can challenge it before a judge.

  • You do not need to immediately comply. Contact Dean Stevenson to recieve further direction. 

  • It does NOT authorize an individual’s arrest.
  • It does NOT require university staff to take any action or cooperate with the officer.  

If you have general questions, please contact:

Terree Stevenson
Dean of Students
tstevenson@mail.fresnostate.edu
559.278.6561